Creating an Argumentative Essay on Social Media

Due to the ongoing process of technological development, in particular in regard to the boost in social media usage, students are more and more frequently assigned to write an argumentative essay on social media. The development of social networking sites has had a significant effect on the interaction and communication is the 21st-century society. As such, it has become much easier for people to engage in communication regardless the distance between them. Besides, social media has introduced new ways of communication, wherein people can communicate their message across with the help of music, pictures, memes, and other attributes of social networks. People can engage in a relationship online, then create a family as a result of their online affair, etc. Besides, with the numerous opportunities that technology and in particular the Internet offers, one can get in touch with a friend even if he/ she lives overseas. Parents can communicate with their children studying across the ocean, a teenager can meet his/ her true love from another country – the list can go on and on.

Some years ago, social networks and other technological advancements were popular only with the Generations X and Y. It was considered that if you are a teen, it is OK to be fanatic users of social media and be immersed in posting photos, exchanging messages, and worrying about the number of likes under the photo. Nowadays, however, older generations are keeping up with the latest trends: they are also using Instagram and Snapchat, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and many other networking sites.

Social Media Argumentative Essay Sample

When you need to submit an argumentative paper on your own topic, deciding to write a social media argumentative essay is the best choice. An argumentative essay about social media will be interesting to explore and write. Besides, your audience will be definitely interested in the subject matter as it is really topical nowadays.

A lot of research has been carried out on the positive and negative aspects to the issue of social media use and the problems and solutions about it. So, what does this network revolution mean for the society? How will it influence the young generation and which change will it bring for the global level of communication and life of each individual? These and some other questions with the focus on their pros and cons will be addressed in the argumentative essay social media below.

Background

The very concept of a “social network” is not new. While now it refers more to the online connection, earlier it denoted a group of individuals or structures that are involved in some kind of an interaction, cooperation or simply conversation. Currently, this notion has acquired a more web-based meaning: it may refer to microblogging, joining a group, being a member of some online platform or online communities. Actually, with the establishment of social networking sites, social networking has become a widely spread phenomenon starting from 2000s: users of social media started creating their personal profile, where they could share information about themselves as well as hobbies, interests or activities they are engaged in. Nowadays, a lot of social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others enjoy enormous success among youth and young adult population.

Actually, the vast popularity of social media is at times scary. For many people, it has turned into a real addiction: when people do not have access to the Internet or mobile devices and cannot log into their Facebook page, they may feel the signs of irritability, nervousness, and over-anxiety. Such states usually lead to prolonged stress and even depression because a person cannot find any other activities to feel calm – the only remedy is to look through the news feed and communicate with online friends. Online platforms help people experience the sense of belonging and avoid the feelings of loneliness and insecurity.

How Social Networking Sites Impact Relationships

To fully realize the effect imposed by the social media on social relationships, it is necessary to analyze each aspect relating to relationship types:

• relations with the community on the whole;
• friendly relationships;
• relationship with self.

The core factor deserving people’s attention in the relationship with the broader community is that the social media informs every used about the global issues, the latest trends, and other events happening around them. For example, the main benefit of this involvement is that a person feels a sense of belonging to the community and he/ she can more effectively involve into any collective action.

Social media use has often been in the center of a burning debate or a heated discussion. In particular, the open access to different new from all over the world served as a trigger for strikes and revolts against certain governmental actions in countries across the world. For example, the role of social media has been proved significant in the social revolt in Iran that took place in 2009. Besides, with the help of social networks, citizens of certain countries can draw attention from the global community to their local problems (i.e. in terms of sharing photos and videos of those events or misconducts). Furthermore, Facebook is considered to have played the major role during the process of bringing down the Egyptian President Mubarak as the participants of the demonstrations managed to unite via Facebook.

There are many different opinions prevalent among critics as to whether social media have more of a positive or a negative effect. Actually, no definite answer can be given as it mainly depends on what purposes the instrument of social media is used. Clay Shinky, who is one of the major commentators on social networks, has a more optimistic standpoint regarding social networks: he claims that they can be really invaluable assets in bringing in a positive and decisive social change. He proves it by the following: nowadays social media users have transformed from being passive observers of certain events and phenomena to becoming active participants of this social change. Often, when people have some innovative ideas regarding changing something, they can share the ideas on social media and get the required support. If the problem raised by one person is topical for many other people, they will be only happy to assist in the implementation of the initial steps. Some news may be retweeted and thus shared among communities. Actually, such shift can free people’s creativity and leadership skills.

When it comes to the role of social media in personal relationships, it has become really widespread and has helped people to establish both business and personal contacts. First and foremost, social media networks helps to maintain contact among family members and other relatives who live in different corners of the world. The basic urge to communicate is here the primary issue that has been satisfied. Besides, people can track their childhood friends, classmates, and other acquaintances. Second, social media play a significant role in romantic relationships s people can find a spouse based on mutual interests and hobbies. Anyway, when people friend each other on Facebook or other networking sites, they start talking on some general topics that help each other to get the idea of what kind of a person one is.

Still, there are some negative sides to this aspect. When people communicate online too often, they have a tendency of worsening their face-to-face interaction with others. In other words, with all this online atmosphere of communication people forget how to do it properly in reality. Often they cannot properly express themselves, cannot provide a constructive dialogue, and cannot solve a conflict. Despite the fact that there is vast number of people online to communicate with, it only provides an illusion of closeness but instead instills the fear of loneliness and solitude. Besides, many people are prone to depressive moods when they observe lines of others online. For example, if a person has a low-paid job and usually sits at home, he/ she might become depressed when looking at some friends’ photos where they hang out at some parties or are travelling the world. It has been estimated that Instagram photos have such a negative effect on people’s self-worth and self-confidence. A woman is more likely to lower her self-esteem when she sees photos of her acquaintances who regularly work out in the gym and have sexy bodies. All in all, the positive and negative sides of social media depend on one’s perception.

In terms of relationships with self, social networks give a chance to people to shape their social identities. Many psychologist and sociologists have noticed that people pay more attention to provide a positive impression online than they frequently do in real life. For example, they work on constructing their image in their personal profile. Starting communication online may also help to shy and introverted people make friends. As such, when they meet their new acquaintances in reality, they feel more freely.

In conclusion, the effect of social media networks cannot be claimed either positive or negative. It can bring both pros and cons alike depending on the usage and purposes. When used wisely, even in the context of interpersonal communication, it will help people to maintain contact when they live far away from each other. On the other hand, when used for some other purposes such as spreading fake news to inflict revolts, social media may prove to have a negative impact.

Social Media Argumentative Essay Topics

If you have not been assigned a specific topic by your professor but need to come up with your own social media argumentative essay topics, you may consider the following ideas:

1. Do you agree that frequent social media usage has a detrimental impact on people’s health?
2. Argue whether you believe there is a relation between the problem of obesity and excessive usage of social networks in free time?
3. Can the culture of selfie be regarded as the art of the 21st century?
4. What complications can frequent social network usage create for face-to-face interaction among people?
5. Is there a high risk of privacy breach when you reveal some of the personal information online?
6. How should parents react when they have noticed that some children bully their kid online?
7. Argue what should be done to avoid the risk of cyber crimes. Focus on a specific side of this problem.
8. Do you agree that excessive social media usage and life online can lead mental and physical disorders?
9. What benefits can social platforms have for schoolchildren and teenagers? How to make only the best of social media?
10. Why do some people experience more happiness and a boost of self-confidence when they use social media platforms?

If you think that writing argumentative papers or articles on the topic of social media usage is a senseless activity, you are wrong. Actually, an argumentative essay on social media is beneficial to the society as it draws people’s attention to the burning problems revolving around the social media usage. Who knows: maybe the academic paper or an article written by you will become one of the most successful persuasive speeches that your group mates have ever heard? It is not even obligatory to choose some complicated topic – select an easy topic but discuss it in such way that your audience will be excited about it and motivated to change something for the better. Therefore, if you were prone to think that social media is bad argumentative essay, the abovementioned points are hopefully persuasive enough to change your mind.

Writing an argumentative paper will teach you how to properly develop your argument and clearly state why others should accept your standpoint. The structure of an argumentative essay is actually the same as in a regular essay. You should begin it with an introduction, where you provide background information on the topic and help readers understand specific reasons of bringing the issue to the surface. At the end of the introductory paragraph, you should make sure you have written a strong and clear thesis statement, where you actually put forward the central claim of your paper. Then you switch over to developing body paragraphs. After the main discussion, you move on to writing a conclusion, where you sum up the core aspects of the paper that are worth reconsidering.