Social networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social networking - Essay Example According to Gabler, the fact that Facebook exists, and that people make friends on this social networking site, does not mean that they make real friends. Indeed, because of the development of virtual friendships between individuals who are not in any way related has created a situation where there is no interpersonal relationships that have traditionally defined friendship. In arguing his case, Gabler goes as far as stating that Facebook offers what he terms as ‘friendship lite’ where individuals who claim to be friends do not have any personal relationships or any shared history that they can look back upon. There has developed a tendency among many individuals to want to become famous through social networking. This has been through their having more friends on these social networking sites than others, making having these friends a sort of popularity contest. The need to be popular within social networks has come to be termed as being pathetic because of the belief that individuals have ceased living a real life and have instead gone virtual. The fact that these individuals have chosen to live a virtual life has been detrimental not only for their own social development, but for individuals who have their own families, it has had an adverse effect on their children as well (Daly 480).