Do you believe that the Internet and social media help bring people together? Why or why not?

In the past, information moved slowly and was difficult to spread, but today a tap of a finger can connect one person to another anywhere in the world. The medium of communication that makes this possible is the internet generally and social media specifically: two recent inventions.  The internet and social media are bringing people together by connecting them with others around the world, allowing millions to share forums in which ideas and perspectives are exchanged, and enabling more introverted people to become closer with others.

Strangers around the world can now connect with others in ways that had been virtually impossible before the creation of the internet. It has been possible to communicate with people around the world with modes of communication like the telegraph and telephone before the creation of the internet, but forming relationships with strangers with these older technologies was virtually impossible. If such long distance relationships were formed, maintaining those connections would be difficult at best. With the internet, it is possible for two strangers on opposite sides of the globe to meet each other through a social media platform and form a relationship. Because of this, it is very common for people to have friends whom they have never met in person, and would not have met had there been no internet. This underscores how the internet helps bring people together because of its ability to connect complete strangers in cyberspace.

The internet also creates forums that allow for the mass exchange of ideas that has never been seen before. Historically, the dissemination of information was mostly done by town criers, in town halls, by way of newspapers, magazines and on radio and television.  These media have allowed for an effective flow of ideas and opinions; however, none of these compare with the unimaginable number of people who participate in internet’s forums. While previous methods of communication were restricted in their flow of ideas because of the physical limitations of town hall meetings and the technological limits of telegraph and telephone wiring, the internet is infinitely more flexible and allows for forums spanning the globe. Millions of perspectives and viewpoints of people in vastly different scenarios are exchanged across this medium of communication, and those who share their ideas gradually learn about the numerous different views of people living around the world. The insight into different views on such a large scale, which allows people to have a much greater understanding into what others value and think, could not have been possible without the internet. It is fair to say that this wider knowledge of how others feel has brought people and societies closer together.

In addition to speeding access to almost unlimited amounts of information and opinions, the internet has made it possible for taciturn people to more easily make connections with others. There are some people who struggle talking face to face with others because they are shy and feel nervous when meeting new people. For such individuals, it has always been challenging to approach people directly in order to spark conversations which may create friendships. However, socializing through social media and the internet eliminates many of the social anxieties associated with speaking face to face, and allows for such people to more easily make friends. Before social media, introverted people were more likely to be sad and lonely, but because of the internet, these people can now make friends in a much more comfortable way. The inclusion of introverted people in social circles online is another example of how social media has brought people closer together.

The internet and social media have provided a great service in connecting many people, regardless of financial status or geographical location, into a large network of friendships and discussions. It may seem as though almost everyone is already connected to the internet, but there are still many around the world who do not have access to this luxury because of political, financial and environmental barriers. Still, these are problems that will not last. Internet coverage continues to spread throughout most of the free world where internet service is becoming more affordable and available to those in remote regions. In the near future, it is hoped that societies will reach a point at which every single person across the globe will have access to the internet and social media, connecting every single human being with one another; a feat that would have been unimaginable in just the near past.