“Facebook Isn’t Making Us Lonely”

In contrast to Marche’s piece, Eric Klinenberg’s work “Facebook Isn’t Making Us Lonely” describes how Social media isn’t actually making us lonely, it’s the strain we put on ourselves that makes us feel alone and isolated. He pulls examples from Marche’s article and rechecks his facts on the matter. He insists that Marche is unaware and uses research that is not accredited to explain recent times in comparison to the technology use of the past. The research of Marche was highlighting the golden age of a lost era and why our society cannot get back to how it was; however Klinenberg explains relationships have always been the same throughout time. The development of technology such as the car and phone as Klinenberg’s described, did not make neighbors not “knock on the door anymore,” it simply made it easier to call, then drive over, and then knock.

Furthermore, he explains the notion that those who do research on loneliness do not expect or believe that social relationships online make up for the real thing. The author comments on how loneliness should be measured by our frayed ties rather than loneliness; insisting “what distinguishes Americans is not that we are more isolated, but that we spend more time and energy worrying about whether we are.” Klinenberg has many great arguments against the thesis “Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?” although I gather a fault in the article, which he analyzes the piece at one fault. He never mentions how social media is making our relationships tatter, but solely asserts that relationships throughout history have always experience it. He fails to compare notion of relationships with the multitude of social media platforms, along with the perceptions and attitudes of individuals connected to their social contracts.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *