During the last ten years, social networks have developed fast, evolving from simple communication hubs to platforms for exchanging experiences, ideas or even for advertising and marketing. It is estimated that today, more than 600 million users worldwide are active on Facebook, approximately 200 million people on twitter, and about 806 monthly active users on WeChat, which is the most popular social network in China. Some people think that these social networks enable users to upload their profiles, and share their feelings and ideas with friends or even strangers, which highly boosts intimacy among people. Others, however, believe that social networks distract people from developing regular, normal relationships, bring about delusion of intimacy, and hide many traps that may do harm to their users.
What do you think of the role of social networks in our life? What suggestions would you give people, particularly young people regarding using social networks?
My Views on Social Networks
It is undeniable that social networks have utterly changed people's ways to interact with others. Indeed, they bring unprecedented convenience to modern life, which is understandable since technology allows people to connect with anyone anytime and anywhere. Nevertheless, hardly can anyone disavow that social networks are taking individuals places that they do not want to go. It is a trend that the public are becoming more distant and less intimate with each other.
First of all, individuals are prone to neglect people around them. When they are busy posting the latest news on WeChat, they don't care if their families are waiting to know how their life goes at school. When they sit in a coffee shop, staring at the screen of their cell phones and chattering with friends while giggling, they hardly notice anyone around them who would like to say hi or make an exchange of friendly news.
What is more, a sense of alienation can be provoked, contributing to a greater distance between individuals. In the modern world, individuals have less face-to-face communications and they bury themselves in their cell phones at any moment, even in the parent-child relationship. To name only a few, parents text and do email at breakfast and at dinner while their children grumble about not having their parents' full attention. Consequently, they are increasingly becoming distant with each other.
In such a condition, social networks will result in a negative development in the relationships individuals make, especially young people. To cope with this issue, they should develop a more self-aware relationship with technology, with each other and with themselves. Restraining themselves from using these social networks and spending time with their friends are best ways for them to cultivating a normal and intimate relationship.
In conclusion, social networks will give rise to a negative development in the relationships individuals make. To tackle this issue, people should pay attention to the real world and develop a more self-aware relationship with technology, with each other and with themselves.
第一段作者提到社交网络极大地改变了人们的交流方式，随时随地可以交流给人们的生活带来了方便。但 是社交网络使得人们之间的距离越来越远，人与人之间越来越不亲密。第二段和第三段作者给出了自己的 两个理由。第二段提到人们过多依赖社交网络会使得他们忽视身边的人。第三段提到由于缺少面对面交 流，社交网络会使人们更加疏远。第四段作者给出了自己的意见：人们要限制自己过多使用社交网络，多 和朋友待在一起，回归到现实生活，培养一种自觉的与技术、彼此和与自己之间的关系。最后一段作者对 上述内容作了总结。