The Internet Strengthen Social Connections - Report Example

Running head; does the internet strengthen social connections? Does the internet strengthen social connections? Paper Introduction It is axiomatic to squabble that internet has changed operations across the world. The global village currently operates under one roof. From every sphere, social, economic and political, the contribution of internet is immense and cannot be assumed. The universe has witnessed tremendous changes both culturally and technologically. Life has become easier with the invention of new machines. Travel and communications have tremendously advanced. Computers have made work easier with students being able to conduct their studies from home. Many people are also in a position to work from home. The changes have been associated with both positive and negative incidences (Barnes, 2011 p.4). Apart from connections, some of the negative incidences include skyrocketing divorce cases, incidences of children massacring themselves have increased, income inequality gap has gone high and therefore people feel less connected (Crovitz, 2010 p.7). The debate on social capital was first put forward by Alexis de Tocqueville whose argument is considered as the premier commentary of the global village. To fully digest and understand this paper, it is in order to delineate and dichotomize the solemn term ‘internet’. Internet can be defined as connected computer networks that facilitate electronic communication. It is a global system of computer networks that applies various protocols to link a number of electronic devices across the globe. The discussion in this paper will look at both sides of the debate before drawing a conclusion. The paper will utilize the discussions presented by L. Gordon Crovitz (2010) and Perset, K. (2011) among other scholarly articles. Discussion Bill Gates, a computer guru in one of his addresses said “The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow”. He is presenting how fast the internet is growing and the impact it will have on the global village. Internet serves people in different ways including; e-shopping, checking emails, conducting research, linking people among others. Social connection however is one of its major uses in the contemporary society. With social sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Hi-5 it is more than easy for professional groups, family members and strangers to interact and share ideas. With other companies such as Skype, Yahoo, Oovoo and AOL where it is possible to make skype calls, it is almost impossible to negate the contributions of internet on social connections. Besides few negations, internet helps in strengthening social connections, facilitates globalization process and helps in sharing knowledge. (Easton, 2012 p.12) Firstly, internet helps in social connectionsas it helps in keeping in touch with loved ones. Since the inception of internet, the communication amongst people has improved irrespective of distance. People are keen with internet because it is cheaper to communicate as opposed to making calls. With a number of social sites such as Twitter and Facebook, people are able to chat, make free calls, exchange videos and photos for a long time. High school friends or long term professional colleagueshave found it easier to connect with friends with the aid of internet. Research shows that since the inception of Facebook in 2004, there has been a sharp increase in the connection among old friends. (Perset, 2011 p.6) Another justification is that there is the improvement in the process of globalization across all corners of the earth. With the inception of internet, the global village has been brought under one roof. Internet has made it easier to get some services online like banking, shopping,professional services among others. From a click of a button, one caneasily transfer funds one from his account to another. Besides its ease in connection, it is cost effective, efficient and saves a lot of time. Professionals and consultants can communicate with the clients, despite their distances. Once the service has been performed, they can review and payments can be transferred. Previously, job seekers would walk from one company to another to look for a job. When staying in New York, it was almost impossible dreaming of getting a job easily in London. With the inception of internet, job seekers can easily log online, and send their curriculum vitae to be considered for any professional position. The third point is that, it aids in gaining knowledge. The only way present researchers can interact with old scholars is through books. It is through books that we are able to oppose the philosophical understanding and beliefs of Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, among other sociologist. With internet, students are in a position to Google the information, analyze and make relevant critique.They can also come together and support one another irrespective of their locations. Just like professional bodies, they can sit from home and have a video conference, share information and support one another on different fields, going by their strengths and weaknesses. When a firm intends to have a meeting with its regional directors, they need not to meet at a central location, through video conference it will be easier to meet and discuss any issue that concerns the company. Apart from its cost effectiveness and fun, it is easier for any member to raise their concerns without fear. The business world has benefited a lot from the invention of internet. Before internet invention, it was very hard to do business with people across the globe. Apart from easementin communication, there are a number of online market places that enhances social interactions. eBay, OLX , Amazon among others are some of the leading online market across the globe. These platforms give both suppliers and customers an opportunity to meet and sell their goods. It also makes it possible to negotiate prices through their interactions. With this efficiency, the customer must receive the goods, inspect and confirm before payment is released to the customer. With the initiated customer and the supplier interaction, new business and social ties are built. The possibility of enhancing ad expanding their business is high. Customers are able to visit various platforms and have variety of items. Besides, comparison of prices and quality is easier given that there are a number of options. Business also enjoys the wide market across the globe. Despite stiff competition, it is easy to explore new markets, get new ideas on what to produce, quality and quantity needs among others. Therefore internet has not only reduced the cost of doing business, it has also made it easier for the expansion of the same business and ease interaction and coordination between the customers and the suppliers. (Carter, 2013 p.9) The interaction of people with their leader has been made easier through internet. A number of leaders have pages, twitter and Facebook accounts where theyinteract with people and get comments on various issues. Through this interaction, it is easier to know on what to improve. Internet has also improved interaction between the people and the government leaders. People can access information on various government projects. During the Egyptian revolt that swept a number of Asian countries, most of the protesters were coordinating their meetings via various social interaction platforms (Williams, 2010 p.14). Through internet, monitoring the progress of some of the projects initiated by the leaders is easier. Leaders can also make a reasonable judgment on some of the core areas requiring improvement within their jurisdiction. Therefore internet enhances communication and coordination of the people and their leaders. (Perset, 2011 p.7) The above school of through negates any imagination of scrutinizing the internet. The argument holds that, since its inception, internet has continuously grown and communication, trade among other things has been made easier. A statistics released by Nielsen points out that Twitter and Facebook account for about 22.7% spent in the web, proving the importance of social networking to the universe. A statistics released by Office of National Statistics shows that at least 43% Britons aged 50 to 75 frequently use internet. It proves that the use of internet cuts across the board. (Kang, 2013 p.17)  Despite the above presented advantages, there are also critiqueswhobelieve that internet has done more harm to humanity than benefits. Gordon Crovitz, who is aformer publisher of the Wall Street Journal, published an article detailing how internet has negatively affected interactions and social interactions amongst people. In its discussion (detailed below) he presents that internet has been used as one of the tools to abuse women. He points out that the value of getting information form internet and connecting with others has gone down and instead it’s an addiction that interferes with the mental thinking of the affected party. He finalizes by stating that internet has helped in building imaginary personalities and false stereotypes on various social networking sites. He holds that there are a lot of lies being perpetuated through internet and people have used it to advance their negative courses. Below section will present some of the ways by which internet impacts social networking negatively. (Crovitz.L, 2010 p.59) The first point is that internet has been used as a tool of abuse to women and children. Therefore instead of being a social interaction tool, it is used to perpetuate the seniority of the male folk in society. In a number of sites, women are depicted as flowers of the world. A number of nude photos shared online are for women. These provocative pictures posted online are an abuse to the children. At that tender age, their minds are not ready to watch some of the things which are posted online. Internet has therefore contributed to the continuous incidences of immorality in our society. Young people watch some of the things they see online and because they cannot digest, they are forced to imitate. Some of them post nude pictures online with the hope of enhancing celebrity status. Since its inceptionplatform used tutors, parents and children likewise, thereforeit’s really embarrassing for the parent watching the photo of their kid online as they Googletheir private stuff. Men have used internet to abuse women, in pretence of building their celebrity and reputation. Some people also find there nude pictures online. Hacker’smight easily steal their private information and share with the public. Therefore instead of enhancing social interactions, it only breaksit because those who are close to them will fear interacting with them. Employers might also wary to recruit such a person when they look at their past record and reputation. (Lee, Leung, Lo, Xiong,& T. Wu.2011 p.27) The opponents also present internet as an addiction and not a source of connecting people. In process of getting information and as a tool of social connection, users find themselves addicted. Research states that most young people and a number of users of various social sites often find themselves addicted to the internet. Instead of making reasonable use of it, they end up abusing it. Internet therefore fails to be a source of connecting people and beneficial to the users but instead we find ourselves being slaves of the same. When users visit a web to conduct research or Googleto getinformation, there are usually a number of pop ups, some one which are pornographic in nature, while some are scam (Hine, 2005 p.7). In the process, most people are attempted to open the sites to view what is entailed. When they come across any interesting thing like a game, an addiction is developed. At the same time, most users of social sites cannot sleep without visiting it. They believe that it is the only possible and easiest way of getting information. A number of young people also get half baked news from Twitter and Facebook. Actually, the high percentage of those using the internet is as a result of addiction and not constructive activity. Apart from corporate, most of people using internet for social interactions are mainly addicts. (Gerard, 2004 p.5) The last point is associated with the internet is deceit and stereotypes that are connected with internet. In anumber of cases, people post lies in Facebook, Twitter or blogs, in some cases, people create false accounts and use it to ruin the reputation of another person. This has been a serious concern to a number of celebrities across the world. Hackers have attempted to obtain private information about them and then posting online (Barnes, 2011 p.6). In a number of cases, when people update their status and locations, they are tempted to lie. Very few people can update negative things about their lives. Being political animals, human beings will only state things that suit their everyday lives. Both sides of the coin are persuaded that internet has brought the global family under one roof. The proponents blame the users while the opponent’sargue that it has lost its meaning. The language in the two differs in that weird allegations are presented by the opponents, including the issue of gender and children abuse. On the other pole, a persuasive voice of the proponents argues that the world would go back to the Stone Age if internet were not part of the society. This topic relates to a number of sociological themes studied in class. The family structures and moral standings as explained by Emile Durkheim in the society are covered in the discussion. The paper holds that internet results to moral degradation and lose of values in the society. At the same time, it explains that internet has helped in building family and friend hood ties. Old friends and family members can keep in touch despite the distances between them. (Easton, 2012 p.37) The popular press presents a myriad of praises to the social media. To them,social degradation, values among others is not important. They tag their argument on the right of people to get information and embracing technology. According to various academic articles, internet is extremely important and its use should be encouraged. They however hold key emphasis on what should be consumed by the users. Conclusion It is undeniable fact that internet was an incredible invention. It is not easy to imagine the society without it. Internet aids entertainment, research and knowledge. This paper is persuaded that internet is a destination for a number of people globally. It builds global communities, easescommunications and enhances relationships among people. Through online and forum communications, people become more active, open and become confidence. Internet therefore is a multipurpose tool that helps in facilitating unique and new forms of communities based on common interests. In a nutshell, internet has been growing and helped in the growth of a number of things. It helps in sharing and gaining knowledge, making of new families and facilitatesthe globalization of the environment further. Since the inception of internet on February 1958, it has evolved, being able to offer us the best tools to make life easier. Being a platform used by billions of people, it is likely that it has it flaws. Criminals have used the internet on a number of occasions to achieve their evil deeds. It contains a number of potential harms, that most people mainly children are not aware of. It should be noted however that internet is what we make it. The users must ensure that they remain responsible and control what they consume. References Academic Crovitz.L. G. (2010) Information Age: Is Technology Good or Bad? Yes. ”Wall Street Journal; Eastern edition: Easton, T. (2012).Taking sides (8th ed.). Dubuque, Iowa: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Hampton Press. Carter, B. (2013). LinkedIn for business: How advertisers, marketers, and salespeople get leads, sales, and profits from LinkedIn. Indianapolis, Ind.: Que Pub. Kang, S. (2013)  Nielsen Set-Top Boxes Enlisted To Harness Information; Only a Partial Picture. " Wall Street Journal  12  Mar. 2008, Eastern edition:  Perset, K. (2011) The Social Role of Internet Intermediaries. OECD Statistics Popular Barnes, S. (2011). Media Ecology and symbolic interactionism. Creskill, N.J.: Gerard, M. (2004, July 1). The lower of connection: The Internet is the latest tool for social change, making it possible to mobilize millions of persons around the world. How can we make sense of the opportunities and challenges of this new technology? The Other Side. Hine, C. (2005). Virtual methods issues in social research on the Internet. Oxford: Berg. Lee, P., L. Leung, V. Lo, C. Xiong, & T. Wu. (2011) Internet Communication Versus Face-to-face Interaction in Quality of Life.” Social Indicators Research ProQuest. Directorate. Digital Economy Working Papers , ProQuest. Williams, A. (2010, January 1). ChemSpider and its expanding Web: Building a structure- centric community for chemists.(Internet Connection)(Website overview). Chemistry International. Read More