Aimee Pierce Causal Argument English 250H HB December 1, 2013 The Social Network In the last two decades,

social networking has been growing more and more popular. From the very first email in 1971, to the dozens of social networks that exist today, people have always wanted to be in connection with others. Facebook reports 1.1 billion users worldwide, Twitter claims over 500 million accounts, and Instagram reports more than 150 million active users, so there is always something to share, post, or comment on. It is obvious social networking plays a large part in our society today, as people continue their desire to plaster their lives on a canvas of the internet, and it is true that these social networking sites connect one another. However, social networking also creates a platform for narcissistic people to binge on their own selfimportance, which is the true cause of their surge in popularity. In the history of social networking, Friendster paved the way in 2002. It inspired the creation of MySpace in 2003, which was eventually overthrown by Facebook, founded the year after. Thriving social networking sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr have also gained popularity in recent years. All of these social platforms enable users to share content, create profiles, and also view and comment on content of other users. This way, they all create a sense of community and connection. Nonetheless there is nothing communal about these social networks. They are simply individuals posting things about themselves, to update their friends about the caramel macchiato that was so delish, or show how much fun they are having at a party wh en they are really just sitting on their phone, uploading photos to their profile. These networks are not places for communication, and users are not participants in a global web; they are individual islands that just so happen to be in the same ocean. It is only natural for humans to crave approval, and social networks have created an easy channel to self-worth. The click of a button - like, retweet, favorite - gives instant gratification. This only fuels the narcissistic attitudes of users, as they continually seek that approval, that feeling of importance. In Dale Carnegies classic book How to Make Friends and Influence People, one of his guides for success is Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely. It might not be obvious, but with the countless amount of hours invested, social networks may have become our best friends. Think about how much time you spend on Facebook looking at what your friends are posting, rather than actually spending time with your friends. There must be a reason for a website taking priority over your real life. Look at it this way: Facebook is popular, always available, and makes you feel good about yourself all the qualities of a perfect friend. Its not hard to believe that youth and adults alike are investing their time and effort into a relationship with a social network, rather than actual human interaction.

Users feel a sense of importance when they are use social networking; polishing their image, showing all of the interesting things they are doing, building their virtual portfolios. Whatever social network is used, it is always about you. The number of likes on your profile picture or favorites on your Instagram, all go towards building an ego. Social networks are not a way to communicate with others, they are a way to communicate self-importance to others. That is what makes social networks so attractive. Narcissistic attitudes may have fueled the popularity of social networks, but ultimately, is that such a bad thing? We all want to feel important. We all want to look good, or cool, or pretty. We all want others to think highly of us. Social networking is popular because it gives us an outlet for our narcissistic selves, it enables us to look cool and feel important. It is no wonder social networks are so popular; they are giving us something we all want. They are creating an environment that is all about you.

Works cited Curtis, Anthony. "The Brief History of Social Media." The Brief History of Social Media. University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. "Facebook Statistics." Statistic Brain. Statistic Brain, 23 June 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. Carnegie, Dale. "How to Make People Like You Instantly." How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981. N. pag. Print.w "Instagram." Instagram Blog. Instagram, Oct. 2013. Web. 02 Dec. 2013. "Twitter Statistics." Statistic Brain. Statistic Brain, 5 July 2013. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. As young people, you understand how important it is to be connected English next week: Portfolios!!

Assignment sheet online Rhetorical reflections: 1A 1B 1C 2A --- also upload to portfolio Final Exam: Portfolio closing reflection Opening reflection: -OVE:

Can use presentation for oral/visual. Use website for electronic. reflections under more than one tab Final conclusion: make goals for writing for the futurehow will you continue to improve your communication skills? Write the conclusion, get it set, 300-500 words, read it out loud, remember it, THEN make the outline. So you can regurgitate it on the final date.