Social Networking Sites Are Good Society - Essay Example

Steve Chazin, a former managing director at Apple is quite categorical in his statement that social networking has changed the lives of people for the better as all humans do have a need to feel connected to each other (Are Social…). Danah Boyd, researcher at the Microsoft and experts in media, has more discreet view on the subject that those who do not understand social media look at only negativities and see social media as evil (Are Social…). Aric Sigman, a fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and recipient of the Chartered Scientist award from the Science Council is of the view that online contacting displacing face-to-face contacting will bring about some sort of physiological changes such as illness or higher premature mortality.

(Are Social…) In one of the study done at University of Maryland on 200 students (Conger, 2010) giving up all social networking sites for a day had some amazing findings. On asking students how they felt during this pause, students came out with a reply of having anxious mood and frantic cravings that typically felt by a person who goes through withdrawal from any addictive stuff. In such context, it has been said that social networking sites would destroy our brain and bodies as has been voiced by Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist from U.

K; however, so far, no any published scientific studies have validated such claims (Conger, 2010). On the contrary, it has been found that the more people are engaged with any social site, the better they feel. This is what argued by Moira Burke, a researcher from the Human-Computer Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (Conger, 2010). The reason for favorable feelings stems. This essay discusses that the more people are engaged with any social site, the better they feel. This is what argued by Moira Burke, a researcher at the Human-Computer Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (Conger, 2010).

The reason for favorable feelings stems from the emotional support that friends, acquaintances or family provide. The feeling of having more social capital triggers a sense of well-being in them. In another study done at Cornell indicates that social capital garnered online also propels better physical health. Though it has been warned in some quarters that social networking would drive people into isolation; it has helped reap benefits from online contacts. Fowler and Christakis from Harvard University have completed many studies on the aspects of attitudes, health behaviors, and on happiness among social networking site participants and they have reached the conclusion that as people influence each other in their normal interactions, similar is the behavior pattern found at social networking sites.

This paper makes a conclusion that a social networking has gone a long way since its modest start about 15 years back. Facebook, Twitter, Orkut and many other sites have now millions of users who share their daily experiences and understandings on a myriad of issues. In the era of globalization, these sites are being extensively used for the various causes and will continue to grow as one of the formidable social tools for masses.