By Sherry Long
Social media fosters human connection; it gives us another way to connect, which increases our happiness. Moreover, now more than ever, we have seen the impacts of Covid-19 depriving humanity of its connection. Especially in cases of distance, social media enables people to communicate and share and feel connections when we have been stripped of it. Social media connects during periods of unpredictable distancing. In times where meeting people in person was not an option, we resorted to social media as a mechanism of coping with that loneliness. For example, during quarantine, many teens are more lonely than ever before, making them feel isolated and therefore excluded and inextricably separated from society. Social media reaches a wider range of people than without. With it, people of all abilities and statuses can share their uniquenesses and connect to a greater capacity. For example, people with disabilities can find communities online where they will feel welcomed and strengthened. without it, in the real world, they would only face discrimination and hate with no way to voice their feelings on the subject. In reality, discriminated people are shut out from voicing their opinions. However, online social media targets the root of the issue, providing the world with more exposure to the lives of those harmed, increasing awareness and discourse on such subjects. Oftentimes a tough situation can be helped by reaching out to someone who understands what you’re going through. You can’t always find that in person, but you can find that online. (ex: bereavement Facebook groups) but overall, social media brings people joy. Tt promotes happiness and provides entertainment. Social media is an outlet to see and connect to people like them, bringing them joy, which acts as an independent good that cannot be contested.