Write your debate brief with 3 contentions – i.e. 3 warrants – in support of your side of the topic.
Each contention should use the Narrative Toulmin format.
Label and separate the contentions: Contention 1, Contention 2 and Contention 3.
Each contention must have at least 3 sources that are put in bold and at least 1 counter-argument that is put in italics.
Remember to put the dates of publication with the sources.
Each contention must be at least 1 full page.
At the end of your debate brief, write a Summary that is at least half a page long.
In the summary,tell me why you picked the arguments you did and justify the order you presented them. Explain your strategy on winning the debate. What type of rhetoric are you using? How are you applying ethos, pathos, and logos?What is the enthymeme?
Social Media Does More Harm Than Good
Contention 1: Social media is contributing to increased loneliness among users. According to Mercado, social media has increased loneliness, anxiety, and depression (para 10). The uncontrollable urge to share everyday life with others on social media contributes to long-term effects on the psychological wellbeing of the user. In the age of social media, people are excited about technology at the expense of their psychological lives. The Newport report indicated that adolescents with addiction issues and mental illness had reported increased use of social media (Mashiyat para 5). Addiction indicates a lack of social intelligence and interpersonal relationships that isolate users in their additions. For this reason, social media contributes to significant issues of loneliness that affect how people relate. People connect to all the places, which gives the impression that they do not need traditional, physical interactions. According to Miller, social media have adverse effects on socialization, making people more lonely (para 4). People spend less time on social media than what they spend with families and friends in actual interactions. Addiction to social media distracts people from accessing real-life interactions. As a result, most users in society have experienced distorted social and emotional development. There are significant cases of children who lack interpersonal skills because of increased reliance on social media. Social networks such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok give children the space to spend their time, making it difficult to learn social skills like relating and communicating. Social media can be harmful to society by creating an addiction that leads to loneliness. Policymakers need to create awareness of the negative impacts of social media on loneliness. People need to engage in physical and social interactions to reduce the likelihood of addiction to social media and, thus, suffering from loneliness.
Contention 2: Social media causes depression. A Lancet study found that people who frequently use social media, especially Facebook, late at night have a higher chance of feeling unhappy and depressed (Nittle par 6). Facebook users tend to spend more time on social media, thus manifesting symptoms of depression. There is a correlation between social media use and depressions because some users view their lives as failures while comparing it to what they see on social media. As a result, social media users feel discouraged about the kind of life they live. Social media has affected the majority of users by causing low self-esteem. According to Mercado, social media has increased the likelihood of people suffering cyberbullying and depression (para 14). A case in point is among teenagers. High school students of ages thirteen years to seventeen years have reported suffering various forms of cyberbullying, harassment, and sexual manipulation on social media sites. As a result, these cases contribute to increased cases of depression among young people. Experts indicate that the less human being interact n a personal level, the more they stop being empathetic, hence suffering from a lack of social interactions (Miller para 9). Psychologists reveal that one of the most significant differences in the life of contemporary teenagers with those from earlier generations is the time they spend on social media. Although much of this time goes towards connecting with peers, it reduces in-person interaction, potentially increasing self-esteem and other mental health issues. For instance, young people suffer from isolation due to the increased use of social networking sites. Social media users are potential victims of cyberbullying and become more aggressive. Most of the victims of social media bullying have reported the need for privacy, regular life, and the benefits of social interactions.
Contention 3: Social media has increased the fear of missing out. The fear of missing out is a phenomenon that emerged with the rise in social media (Stegner para14). All adverse effects of social media in society stem from the anxiety that a person will miss out on the positive experiences their friends are having. In essence, young people want to constantly check their phones, keep a tab on the messages and follow up on whether s their friends have invited them for something fun. Nittle portends that multiple studies have illustrated a strong correlation between using social media and the increased feeling of inadequacy (para 10). Teenagers who frequently use social media tend to have fears of missing out. The high association between teenagers using social media and the fear of missing out is evident among young people who have internet access. Instagram and Facebook increase teenagers’ feelings waiting to live better (Miller para 15). The notion of missing out triggers anxiety and other mental health issues. For his reason, psychologists have attributed social media to be a tool that fuels the feeling of inadequacy and compels teenagers and young people from being content with their lives. As a result, there is a high tendency to use social media apps, check for updates on their friends, and keep track of the happenings in the lives of their friends. With social media, you people are obsessed with the feeling of remaining relevant in the eyes of their friends of networks. Thus, the fear of missing out increases each passing day with the increased use of social media. Every time a person sees the other having fun, they start feeling that they are missing out wising increases this fear.
Contention 4: Social media has unrealistic expectations among the youth. Most people who continue to use social media have formed unrealistic expectations of friendship in their minds. According to Stegner, most social networking sites do not have online authenticity (para 14). People use Instagram and Snapchat to share their experiences and exciting adventures by posting how much they love their lives. They show various experiences that paint a picture of life in paradise, thus creating unrealistic expectations among their followers. For example, several people have uploaded photos showing that they are on holiday. However, the reality is different. It is practically impossible for all people to show that their life is in adventure. In most cases, life is realistic, and most of the people who show that their life is glamorous tend to live a different life altogether. Miller asserts that social media has hidden dangers (para 13). Although it may look great on the surface that people have a perfect life, the reality is different. The person could be in massive debt or not in talking terms with their significant other but still indicate that their life is perfect on social media. Social media becomes a tool where people are desperate for different types of validation (Stegner para 15). Different cases exist where teenagers post nude pictures of themselves having a tattoo. They later came to regret this action since they could not undo what they had posted before. Such actions can haunt social media users leaving them with significant ramifications on their future and behaviour. Also, social media has replaced the role that parents and caregivers play, thus leading to moral degradation. As a result, people who extensively use social media manifest social and cultural identities that are misleading.
Work Cited
Mashiyat, Ahmed. Does social media do more harm than good? 2020. [Accessed from] https://inewsnetwork.net/7783/uncategorized/does-social-media-do-more-harm-than-good/
Mercado, Raul. Does Social Media Do More Harm Than Good for Society? 2021. [Accessed from] https://www.makeuseof.com/does-social-media-do-more-harm-than-good/
Miller, Caroline. Does Social Media Cause Depression? 2020. [Accessed from] https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/
Nittle, Nadra. How Does Social Media Play a Role in Depression? 2021. 2020. [Accessed from] https://www.verywellmind.com/social-media-and-depression-5085354
Stegner, Ben. 7 Negative Effects of Social Media on People and Users. 2020. [Accessed from] https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/negative-effects-social-media/
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