With the majority of Americans having access to the internet at any given time, it is of little surprise that over 75 percent of internet users have at least one social media account. This is a number that has been steadily rising the last decade as more and more people are able to get internet access at home, work, the local coffee shop and through their smartphone just about anywhere they happen to be.
Social media was designed to bring people together and keep friends up to date on what is going on in their lives. But in reality, we have become too dependent on social media and use it to seek attention. Not that anybody would admit it.
In the beginning, it was great when you could log into a social media account and look up long lost friends from high school. But at some point, people came to the realization that they were re-forming friendships with people they really don’t care about anymore. Instead of catching up with each other’s lives, you would get angry because they were doing cool stuff with their lives. And the only reason you know this is because they post updates 30 times a day.
Don’t let social media get the best of you or your family. You are lucky, your family still gathers every evening in the kitchen to socialize the way we should, face to face. Your kitchen represents the real world, where people gather for social interaction that is healthy and fulfilling. A Polished Finish, your source for kitchen countertops in Atlanta, offers ways in which social media is ruining your life.
Addiction
When you think about addiction, drugs and alcohol come to mind. The reality is that people can easily get addicted to social media. These addicts can’t help themselves, they are constantly posting and updating their status on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. In addition, they are constantly reading what others are posting as well. These people have a difficult time functioning at the dinner table with their family because they feel so out of place with real people.
False Reality
Let’s be completely honest here; social media is full of people who just want to brag about their lives. Rarely will you hear people be honest about what is going on in their lives and how they might actually be unhappy or have other problems. So in your eyes, you think all of your social media friends are leading happy and successful lives. But know it is probably a lie.
Buying into It
Sorry to burst your bubble, but in the eyes of whatever social media platform you use, you are merely a consumer. The reason why Facebook, Instagram and all of the other social media platforms are free is that they completely surround you with advertising. You are basically two clicks away from over-spending and feeling miserable about yourself.
Poor Relationships
You share the most intimate details about your life to some person online whom you haven’t seen in person in 35 years, but you can’t share the same details with your spouse whom you have shared a life with for 35 years. Really?
The same holds true for our youth. If you can’t get your kids to sit with you in the kitchen and tell you about their day, social media could be to blame.
Poor Attention Span
A decade ago, the average attention span was 12 minutes. Studies show that this has dropped to as low as five minutes. The reason is that our brains are wired to adapt to this age of technology where everything happens in an instant and everything we see and read is short. It’s so much different than reading a book or having a spoken conversation that lasts longer than two sentences.
You No Longer Enjoy Conversation
Go to a restaurant or coffee shop and check out what people are doing at their tables. Instead of talking to each other, you will notice several tables of people who are glued to their smartphones. What is scary is that this is happening in people’s homes as well. Dinner at home might consist of meatloaf, potatoes Au gratin, green beans and your face stuck in your iPhone.
You should be happy that your family still gathers and socializes in your kitchen every evening. If your kitchen is a little outdated and needs new countertops, call A Polished Finish today.
