Our View: Too much of a good thing?

Today, we are bombarded by Twitter updates, Facebook photos and blog posts. Most of us are frequent users of Twitter,  Facebook and other social media. Sites like these are allowing communication with others in ways thought impossible decades ago.

Certainly, there are great benefits to our use of social media. For example, we are able to keep in touch with others and see glimpses of their lives through the various photos, status updates and contact information our friends and family provide.

Social media is also not limited to friends, of course. Many of us receive daily news updates and promotions through these means.

But while it's easy to point out the many benefits of social media, it is not very difficult to see many of the drawbacks social media presents.

It goes without saying that our increased use of social media has dramatically changed our relationships with other people. In many ways, viewing our "friends" on Facebook, while interesting, are typically false views of their lives.

The vast of majority of social media users present themselves so as to make a good impression. While this is not to be unexpected, it does show how social media is often very far removed from reality.

Blogs, Facebook profiles and Twitter updates do not always reveal the struggles people go through on a daily basis.

Sometimes, our obssession with the newest piece of juicy information on the Jones' takes away the quality time we could spend in developing a relationship with someone real.

Is it any wonder that as we continually add to our list of e-friends on a daily basis, our relationships with our real friends seem to suffer?

In light of Depression Awareness Week, it is important for us to take a step back from social media, if we use it constantly, and look for others who are in need. There are hundreds of students at ASU who would much rather have a genuine relationship with someone than become friend number 486 on a Facebook page.

"Our View" is written by the editorial staff. The opinions are not necessarily reflective of the student body, faculty or administration of Arkansas State University.