Senthamil Things: Social Media’s Influence on Generation Y

Written By: Senthamil Stefi

As soon as you turn on your computer, do your hands automatically lead you to the Facebook homepage? This and other forms of social media dependency is a huge norm for Generation Y.

So who exactly is a part of Generation Y? In Canada, Generation Y refers to those who were born in the early 1980s to the early 2000s.

In our current day society, trends are set across the nation and even throughout the world through social media…even big revolutionary movements are started as such. But why are people so dependent on it?

Well… there’s two aspects to look at: 1) professional use and 2) personal use. Professional use is more so a requirement due to branding and marketing, whereas personal use is optional and much like professional use, it acts to brand and market the individual to fit the image that they see for themselves. This pressure to maintain this image then causes a dependency, a form of anxiety. Many may argue that this is beneficial as it acts as a therapeutic shrink as it allows us to express ourselves, but the thing is through the form of social media in essence one is seeking the approval of those around them whether it be through “likes” or “retweets”.

As many pros there are with social media, there is an undeniably list of negative impacts along with it as well, one of them being a dependency that can lead to mental instability as one seeks to maintain a certain image on social media.

Being a part of Generation Y, lets put it to the test to see if I’m truly dependent on social media and see the effects that comes along with the abstinence of it.

I, myself am challenging myself to be off social media for four months. I shall let you know how it goes! See you in four months!

If you’re up for the challenge feel free to join in!!

Geny

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