Seeking Refuge in the Virtual World

Written by: Dhabisha Kohilanathan

Once upon a time, in a far away land during the 12th century, there lived a young, fair woman who was irrevocably in love with a handsome lad. However, on days when they both couldn’t see each other, the young woman used her pet pigeon to convey letters to her lover. Hundreds of years later, in the 17th century, there lived an elderly man who slowly trekked his way through the snow to send off a hand-written letter to his son. Decades later, in the 20th century, happiness filled a small home, as a mother received an E-mail from her son that he had been accepted to the university of his choice. Lastly, in the 21st century, a young man is seen texting his wife a quick birthday wish, just seconds before he hopped on his flight.

As can be seen, the mode of communication between loved ones has evolved in an astounding manner. For instance, in the 17th century, the predominant form of long-distance communication was through the use of birds, such as pigeons and falcons. However, 4 centuries later, loved ones can easily communicate with each other through mobile electronic messages that can be sent and received in seconds. As if such modern technology, such as E-mail and text messaging, isn’t fascinating enough, the creation of social media has revolutionized basic communication between two beings.

The most well-known social networking service is Facebook. Originally launched in 2004, Facebook presently has more than 1 billion active users. Statistically, this value accounts for 1/7th of the world’s population! Even though other social networking sites, such as Twitter and Instagram, have been created, Facebook continues to thrive as the top social networking site. The reason behind its success is its simplicity. With one tap, you can ‘poke’ your friend, send a birthday card to your loved one, let your friend know that you ‘like’ and are interested in their social updates, and ‘share’ an inspirational post on your profile. However, the prime aspect of its simplicity is this: with one click, you can become connected to your long-lost elementary school friends, a cousin you never knew you had, and even meet your future life partner. Nevertheless, every choice comes with a consequence – as much as Facebook is appealing, it also comes with risks, such as privacy issues.

For some individuals, the benefits of having a Facebook account greatly outweigh the risks involved, and for others, vice versa. The majority of the population does not bother with the privacy issues involved with Facebook, because being connected to the world and their friends is meaningful, and in some ways, fulfilling. For instance, from a psychological standpoint, Facebook allows its user to feel that they are a vital member of the social community. A mere five minutes spent on Facebook will allow one to feel as if they have many friends who love them. How is this possible? A simple ‘like,’ ‘comment,’ or even a ‘poke’ can make a Facebook user feel satisfied and loved. Without Facebook, some individuals feel disconnected from the world, and more importantly, lonely – they do not know what is happening with the social community, and hence, now feel like they no longer belong to the social order. This sense of detachment and isolation just goes to show how a virtual social networking site has impacted the mind of many individuals. Moreover, Facebook is a platform where shy, introverted individuals can join and express their thoughts and feelings through writing and photos. Hence, Facebook is a ‘social solution’ for every kind of being, whether extroverted or introverted.

Interestingly, evolutionary psychologists discovered that a human’s desire to be socially connected actually dates back to the Paleolithic Era! During this era, it was found that monkeys would spend 20% of their time grooming each other. Apart from the literal connotation of brushing each other’s fur coat, grooming each other sent signals to establish social relationships between potential mating partners. Therefore, it can be said that it is almost human nature to seek social acceptance. Hence, it would be wrong to blame social media alone for cultivating such a mindset in individuals.

Nevertheless, it is important to not be engrossed in social media and still be in touch with our traditional roots, such as hand-written letters and telephone calls. This is another topic of hot debate concerning social media – Is modern technology nurturing individuals to seek happiness solely in the virtual world? When thinking of the future, would a ‘let’s go out for coffee’ eventually become ‘let’s spend tomorrow messaging each other on Facebook” ? In such a case, the strong influence of Facebook does need to be taken into account.

Nevertheless, the power of social media cannot be denied. As Danielle Sacks once stated, “The Internet has turned what used to be a controlled, one-way message into a real-time dialogue with millions.”

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