When new communication methods emerge, many people have a negative outlook on how it will affect the existing forms of communication, especially human contact.
From letters to telephones and the Internet, a worry develops that the new technology will decrease physical contact as people don't need to engage in it as much since they can more easily talk and relate to others through electrical signals that transmit their voice, face or text information. Instead of having to travel to communicate, you can send them a letter, email, call, text or video chat.
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Social media has been the newest human invention that is a cause of concern for reducing human contact through social displacement of alienating friends and family in favor of using social media sits like Facebook or Twitter for communication with others to give and receive attention. Steemit also falls into this category of possibly taking time away from being physically present in other people's lives.
But how real is this social displacement and loss of human contact? According to a recent study from Information, Communication & Society, the claim that social media pushes out face-to-face contact with those that matter most in our real lives, lacks evidence.
That isn't to say that overuse of social media isn't an issue or doesn't have negative effects on our physical interaction with others, but in general, social media is not as bad as what people think.
One part of the study on Gen Xers found no correlation between a decrease in interpersonal contact related to an increase in social media. There was no consistent effect on the direct social interactions of users, consisting of leaving the house, visiting people, phone conversations, meetups and group organizations.
A second part involving half adults and college students also found no relationship between people's social media use and who and how they were talking to in the day. Using social media didn't mean they would be alone at the time or in the near future later that day.
During the rapid boom and adoption of social medias like Facebook and Twitter, there wasn't a visible decline in the direct contact people were having. For social displacement to be valid, people would have to get out less and make fewer phone calls, but this isn't the case.
Questions about social displacement have been around for a while, and despite evidence to the contrary, the theory persists over and over. What does seem to happen though, is that newer forms of technology and communication will displace older forms of media like newspapers, browsing other sites, or watching television.
Steemit is adding to the displacement of old media. Blockchain technology, like Steemit, is already seeing more adoption in the mainstream. Will Steemit or another social media site be able to displace a giant like Facebook? Only time will tell. I think matching or improving the capability for people to interact will be required, not simply incentivizing them with monetary rewards.
- Have you noticed a decrease in human contact with your use of social media?
- Have you seen an increase in time on Steemit resulting in less time interacting with friends or family in real life?
- Do you think Steemit is more "addictive" than other social media sites?
Thank you for your time and attention. Peace.
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I think the word Social Media is telling enough: it's social by definition. The fact is that many people don't recognize this, and instead approach it from the angle that 'kids these days don't know how to be social'.
The older generation sees this as a loss of human experience.
Instead I would argue that the opposite is true: the older generation is the one which is missing out on a whole dimension of social interaction. They are the ones not 'getting it'.
There is value in real world social interaction, but there is a whole other world out there which is just as real, even if it is digital. Perhaps the younger generation has more difficulty with face-to-face social interaction, but surely we all know as well that the older generation really falls short in online communication and interaction.
The digital world isn't seperate from the 'real world'. It's an addition. It doesn't lessen the world; it enlarges it. There is more interaction between people on a global level than ever before, where in the past you would talk to perhaps a handful of the same people over and over again.
When I look at old people sitting by the windowsill staring outside and generally being old, I wonder if their life would be different if only they know how to get online and interact and communicate there. It would enrich their lives significantly. I myself am looking forward to wasting countless hours online when I am at that age.
Indeed, it helps connect more people, and old people would benefit from it. But it also can cut into real world human contact if used to replace direct human contact interactions, which isnt always the case. Thanks for the feedback.
Well, Social media and smart phones might not decrease interpersonal contact, I think it does change the way we communicate with each other when we meet. Before social media and smart phones, everyone would hold a conversation and have what to talk about.
Now? You meet up with people and they start scrolling through facebook feed (or whatever else), without even thinking of having conversations with the people around them.
Social media is like any other tool, it can be harmful or useful depending how you use it. For example, take a hammer, it's a useful tool right? You can fix things with it, but you can easily take the same hammer and smash someone's head, but does that make the tool bad? It's all about how we use our tools.
In my opinion, most people use social medias the wrong way, they overuse it and thus on some level it affects the way we communicate.
Very good point about the tool and how it's used. Overuse tends to be the issue as I mentioned as well. Thanks for the feedback.
I'm an introvert anyway so I haven't noticed any decrease in social contact because of social media. However, my observation is that this may be happening with younger generations (i.e. today's college and high school students).
Hehe, I can relate ont hat one ;)
Well, I agree that social media reduces face to face contact but at the same time it bridges the gap of communication irrespective of geographic divides, which could have existed without it. It helps to rediscover and reunite old friends and colleagues. The world cannot afford to go back to an era prior to social media.
However, ontacts must not necessarily be facial, there is vocal, textual or video contact. But nevertheless, none of them can be a perfect substitute for face to face contact. Thanks @krnel
I somewhat agree to this topic. In my case lack of human communication and social interaction had caused a lot of anxiety. So I quit chatting and using social media platform to interact more with people, and now I really do prefer to talk face to face.
Interesting. There was another post I did a few days ago about the power of touch to relieve feelings of exclusion. What happened to you is similar. Human contact face-to-face helped alleviate anxiety. Thanks for the feedback.
I'm definitely going to read that post :) Thanks for replying.
Everything is in process and ways of communication are also changing from time to time. I've been doing social media marketing professionally and I believe it has alienated humans to some extent and here is how:
Previously, we had job, family and friends to spend our time with. We still have the same 24 hours in a day. Job still takes away our 9-5 time. Family is getting time because we have to come back home everyday. Real interactions with friends is what has affected the most because there is a new time consumer in our lives and that is Social Media. It's addictive and can eat up all our time hence there is no time left for our real interactions. Even during real interactions, many people keep using social media apps and thus they are not mentally present even there where they sit:
I really liked the discussion and I'd like to keep engaging more in sch discussions. Steem On!
I agree, it does eat up time. But you can spend time on social media and still have human contact, if you dn't use social media while you are with people. If you use it when you are alone, then it doesn't change anything really. Thanks for the feedback.
Though it decrease the human physical contact (face to face) but the emotion which is sole intent of the content is not decreased
No yesss but it all about creating a right balance
Yes steemit is addictive, it reward pool made it so
**Credit must be given to social media, help connect with people all over the world. @krnel, i am connected to you, your thought on various issue you posted on steemit, if not social media how can it possible?
Indeed, social media helps us connect to people we would otherwise not be able to :)
Actually the contrary. I have met so many amazing people thanks to social media, which I have met in real life afterwards as well. I think it is a great opportunity to socialize with people from all over the world.
Yeah, but this is to be expected, if you are putting efforts into your articles and try to post on a regularly basis. Probably. The possibilty to gain financial rewards for your activity seems quite attractive to a lot of people.I don't believe so, at all.
It's easier than ever to talk to a friend or family.
It's easier to be in a long-distance relationship today because technology makes it possible to communicate easily for free, everyday.
It's easier to study other cultures with social media.
I find that this whole less human contact thing is just people somehow being unhappy when people are glued to their phones outside.
But come on... we're evolving forward.
Good points. I'm not sure being glued to phones is a good way to move forward though ;) Thanks for the feedback.
It IS a habit that needs to be recognized.
Is it good or bad though? I find that most people conclude that it's bad just because we use it too much.
Classic example: Too many people use their phones in the train all the time. But... give them a break yo. A train ride without a phone is boring.
But yeah, other scenarios like using your phone in a dinner conversation is just rude.
I agree with trendo. Social media can be harmful if you have an easily addictive personality. If you use social media a lot while being with other people then you might have a problem.
I haven't noticed any difference in my interacting with other people and the use of social media. It sure is an interesting subject to read about and I really enjoyed your post :)
Thank you, I love the alternative approach and view to this topic. I totally agree. I believe people who talk to others on facebook a lot are much more well-adjusted socially.
Social media may indeed help peopel become more socially adjusted, but the study doesn't demonstrate that positive aspect to increase social interaction in real life, only that the negative displacement of human contact isn't the case. Thanks for the feedback :)
Awesome study love it! You have made a great post! Following YOU!
@krnel, if I m real human being, not god, but something, somewhere, sometimes, it get missused by politics and media, on earth, what self want to express in what way is shown, common people want their rights in proper way but social media and politicians it takes advantage of itself, it's there grace and common people weaknesses, those will needs just your self hurt and they are in waiting in for their TRP, because they also earns with own self weaknesses and sickness (currency) genuine problem. Social media that I feel that our people, nation. Everybody is stuck in my language, my country, my my and my and sympathy, my self politics and media is fresh without harm to others friend,family, country women the power, men as leader, that it's in my view, don't think I self negative, it's an feed back memories,@indian-mom.
A very useful post @krnel
Yes absolutly! great post @krnel
This is true that ways of communication have changed and we're living in the most advanced times. Most of the people in the current times have still not self-sufficient financial resources. So, even at Steemit, they interact to earn money. So, I think, social media channels have alienated humans.
Regarding this question, I believe Steemit has the potential of replacing Facebook....
... because all the Steemians who joined through me used to spend a lot of time on Facebook and now they have almost quit using Facebook and some other channels.
Happy Steeming!
Sadly it's a bitter truth, with the invention of social media we spent most of our time online and ignore our friends and family.
If amount of social interaction hasn't decreased and social media's use hasn't decreased then surely some thing has.
Well, you can social network while binge watching netflix...
It's more about when it's used: alone doesn't cut interaction with others vs. using it instead of interacting with others or when they are there with you...
Will Steemit and similar media be able to replace Facebook? One big advantage of Steemit over Facebook that I see is that there is no censorship ‘from above’ on Steemit. Here everything is taken care of at the community level but upvoting, resteeming and flagging. A much healthier approach. 😃