An escalation of internet users in the purposes of socialization triggers a vigorous discourse regarding whether this has bolstered people’s relationships or made it fader. This essay will elucidate both viewpoints on this issue concluding with my support for the latter.
One perspective favoring bringing people closer through the internet is oriented towards dismantling geographic barriers. To elaborate, each individual likely makes more friends via the internet, particularly social media platforms such as Facebook, X, and Instagram, which are able to connect people globally. This, in turn, propels the expansion of social relationship on the international scale. Furthermore, making friend becomes easier with the emergence of social forums where each individual can share their interests. In theory, this may enable people to be acquainted to like-minded counterparts, which gradually build up a strong connection in relationships around the world. Nonetheless, this stance overlooks the transience of such connection which is attributed to lack of active interaction, hindering people from expressing emotions. Thus, the internet makes relationships seem to be short-lived.
Therefore, I firmly believe that the internet causes societal isolation. Specifically, if people invest times in screen excessively to socialize, this can lead to the addiction to the virtual world, which restricts their interaction toward the real one. This, in turn, makes internet addicts isolate themselves from close relationships including family and friend, resulting in the dwindling sense of community. For example, Japanese government has recently witnessed a significant growth of individuals who lock themselves in their room all days to the detriment of obsession with the virtual world, thereby dismissing the dense of relationships, especially family in this country. Moreover, the overreliance on the internet leads to the lack of sympathy and solidarity at the expense of the limit in expressing real emotion. These factors have collectively contributed to fader relationships in the society.
In conclusion, while the merits of socialization through the internet lie in removing geographic barriers and sharing passions, I maintain that resultant drawbacks including the dwindling sense of community and the lack of sympathy and consensus, potentially making people more isolated.