How Facebook and Social Media has had an Impact on American Culture

McLuhan and Social Media

Inevitably, Facebook has changed the way people interact within its ten year existence. In our evolving world of technology, things are constantly changing; however, Facebook has had one of the largest impacts on American culture thus far. Facebook replaced email and allowed society to communicate in a less formal manner. It allows people to connect from places all over the world and makes maintaining long-distance relationships easier. Marshal McLuhan, a Canadian philosopher, famously stated, “the medium is the message.

” McLuhan concludes that the content of a medium is not what affects society, rather the medium shapes society’s actions. We apply this to our generation because Facebook as a medium has shaped many aspects of our culture, including social interactions and the ability to obtain news.

Today, technology and social media play a significant role in peoples lives. Some of the positive effects of these tools include staying updated with the news, using technology as a tool for learning, and keeping in touch with friends and family.

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McLuhan would agree that the medium of Facebook changed human affairs. Social media, and Facebook in particular, has changed the way people interact. Facebook is paradoxical in its effects because it decreases face-to-face communication yet increases social interaction. We believe that Facebook does not control our society because it is our choice to join social media. The usage is entirely dependent on the user, therefore, we are in control of Facebook. McLuhan states, “the products of modern science are not in themselves good or bad; it is the way they are used that determines their value” (McLuhan 3).

On the other hand, many people are completely engrossed in the virtual world of social media and as a result many lose touch with reality.

We believe that aside from the content shown on Facebook, some of the “real” messages Facebook promotes is laziness. Technology has evolved to finding the most efficient way to do daily tasks. For example, Apple’s new iOS8 simplifies many tasks including tracking your health, answering text messages and sharing purchased media within your family. In essence, iOS8 encourages laziness. Another message that Facebook sends is its peer approval. In the novel, The Accidental Billionaires, Ben Mezrich states that MySpace was “one big narcissistic playground” where you would hope “someone paid attention to you” (Mezrich 139). At the time “Friendster was a dating sight and MySpace was a branding tool” (Mezrich 139). This is ironic because today Facebook, for many teenagers, has become a place to seek attention and a sense of acceptance from their peers.

Examining Facebook as a social sphere made us realize how it has evolved throughout the years. Mark Zuckerberg originally intended for “thefacebook.com” to be “an online community...kind of like the real world - real social circles - but put online, by the people in the social circles themselves” (Mezrich 79). Zuckerberg’s creation revolutionized social media; it began at Harvard University and soon spread across the nation.

In conclusion, the creation of Facebook, whether it was ultimately good or bad, has had a tremendous impact on the lives of Americans in many different aspects. Using McLuhan’s theory, the medium itself has shaped the way people interact, rather than the content shown on Facebook.