Social Media as a Distraction

Question: “Social media is nothing more than a distraction.” Discuss. Step 1: Identify your key words in the question • “Social media” – give examples: Twitter, FB, Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. • “Distraction” – from what? Distraction from studies (from students’ POV), distraction from work (adults’ POV), distraction from real news? (For the public – especially with the new concern over the spread of fake news) • “Nothing more” – this prompts you to consider the multitude of functions that these social media platforms have Step 2: Setting up your conditions Ask yourself: 1. Is this an absolute question? (Are there absolute terms such as “definitely”, “always”, “constantly”, “will”, etc.) 2. Does it require that you set conditions for when something would happen? Yes, it is an absolute question because it contains the absolute term “nothing more than”. Surely, if you think closely enough, you would realize that these social media platforms are more than just tools to distract you. 3. So the question comes now: under what conditions do social media become a form of distraction? ***SOCIAL MEDIA BECOMES A DISTRACTION WHEN:*** 1. The person using it does not practice self-control and limits his usage on these platforms 2. The individual on social media platforms do not browse these websites to gaining greater knowledge about what is happening in the world around him? 3. The individual on social media platforms are viewing content that will not contribute to making him a better, more informed, well-aware person? 4. The individual is abusing the anonymity on social media platforms to post up fake news, distract others online by posting hurtful insults or slanderSing others, etc. 5. The person uses social media at inappropriate times and places (school, lesson time, working hours, etc.) So as long as these conditions are NOT fulfilled, does it mean that social media platforms can actually serve more purposely functions than being a distraction?

Yes, social media is a distraction if/when… No, social media has other useful functions as well… 1. Social media can be a major distraction for both students and professionals when the individual is unable to practice self-control and spends excessive amount of time on these platforms  Despite the fact that there is no actual medical diagnosis for the existence of a “social media addiction”, the trends of destructive habits/behavioural traits that certain social media users have  garnered the attention of researches to delve deeper into this issue  So cial media can pose as a huge distraction for many people today because of how influential of a role it plays in our lives today  M ost of the communication we do in today’s world is done online, through these exact same platforms  W e know about our friends’ and idols lives through the pictures they post on Instagram, the snippets from their day’s activities uploaded on Snapchat, their thoughts through their tweets  When social media offers so much entertaining content from all around the world, it is increasingly difficult to resist the temptations of these sites  Distractions posed by SMPs can be serious consequences on both academics and professional lives 1. Social media platforms are effective communication tools to allow critical debates and engaging discussions between individuals from all around the world  The globalized nature of the Internet and thus these SMPs has broadened both the scope of discussions held online and who are the people involved in these discussions  These widely accessible international platforms therefore allow individuals to exchange diverse opinions on a large spectrum of topics  Social media platforms can engage large audiences across the globe on a diverse range of topics, gathering interesting opinions in free debates on the latest contemporary news and issues  getting refreshing insights and being able to understand various perspectives 2. So cial media platforms are good way to keep in contact with your loved ones  E specially when in today’s societies, people are often kept busy on very hectic schedules, catching up with one another over meals/outings are increasingly harder  I t can be a heartening experience to see updates from loved ones on SMPs: a convenient way to know what is going on with those around us that we care about 3 . Social media platforms are also ways for people to communicate with their governments/representatives  M any officials and authority figures have Twitter, Instagram or Facebook accounts that are regularly updated  T hey understand the power of social media platforms in communicating with their people and understanding the challenges that their people may face  So cial media platforms also serve as a convenient and flexible space for citizens to air their concerns, though one should ensure that it is within respectful boundaries 4. Social media platforms for charity purposes? To get help in one’s personal issues? (Lost and found?)

Part 1: Write an introduction for the above question. Make sure that your introduction highlights the significance of the question, introduces your arguments/points, have a clear stand and includes a balance point. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 2 instructions: Select one of your points above to elaborate further and create a strong argument based on what you have brainstormed earlier. Make sure you follow the PEEL structure, and check that your examples are present. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

New York Times: It’s Time for Apple to Build a Less Addictive iPhone Farhad Manjoo JAN. 17, 2018 It’s not Apple’s fault that you feel enslaved by your phone. But the company that gave the world the modern smartphone has a perfect opportunity this year to create a brave and groundbreaking new take on that device: a phone that encourages you to use it more thoughtfully, more deliberately — and a lot less. Tech “addiction” is a topic of rising national concern. I put the A-word in quotes because the precis