DESIGN BY NAOMI MITCHELL
16 | THE HUMAN CONNECTION
MEDIATED The digital world affects dynamics on relationships. By Nathan Judd Reporter
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ewspapers, magazines, television and internet are all different types of media and they all influence our relationships differently. Media is considered as one of the best sources to know about what is happening in the world; it plays an important role and has influence in almost every aspect of our lives. These influences can be positive or negative depending on the media. Some of the positives of social media are being able to communicate with friends and other people we are in relationships with. Another positive impact of social media is being able to keep up with current events around the world so you have more things to talk about. Social media can also positively impact relationships by helping us meet new people and talk to different friend groups. Social media also makes long distance relationships way easier with apps like Facetime or Skype. “I think the best part of social media is being able to be in touch with my boyfriend. I use Snapchat the most, but I also use Instagram,” junior Maddie Schulte said. Although there are positive aspects of social media, it can also impact our relationships negatively too. One of the negative aspects of
social media is that it can decrease face-to-face communication in relationships, limiting the time you actually spend time together. Seeing interactions that aren’t real in shows or movies can even lead certain people to think that they need a relationship in order to be happy. Social media can also cause jealousy and lower self esteem in relationships because seeing other people’s social media can make you feel more insecure. Social media is essentially a highlight reel of everyone’s lives, which makes many people feel insecure. It can also negatively impact the dynamic of relationships by enforcing edited versions of other people’s lives as our own personal goals. “I guess a lot of people wouldn’t know I’m in a relationship because I don’t really post very much. I think it really just depends on how much trust you have in your relationship,” Schulte said. Overall, the media can help and hurt a relationship depending on how you use it. There are both positives and negatives, but if you are careful you can try to limit the negatives. The internet never turns off, so we have to learn to maintain a balance between digital and reallife relationships.
