Social media is something most teens and even adults are using all the time. Instagram, SnapChat and Twitter has taken the the world by storm and is growing every second before our own eyes. It has become one of the top forms of communication and has become an essential part of our generation’s lives. As a result, social media affects everyone in a unique way. For some, a life without social media is near impossible. Just a few taps on your smartphone and you could be chatting with someone across the world. With the benefit of global communication, however, come risks and negative impacts. Most people believe that social messaging is more of a beneficial than detrimental, but using social media can actually be harmful.

CARTOON 

Genre: I chose a cartoon as my first genre. It allows me to catch my audience’s attention as well as keep it. It also doesn’t have excessive detail that can get confusing and hinder the audience from focusing on my main points. I think that this cartoon conveys my argument very effectively and is easy to follow. I drew this with colored pencils.

Audience: My audience would be young people who use social media. I feel like the cartoon mostly addresses teenagers, as they are probably the age group that use social networking sites the most. Since most people who use social media are young and have short attention spans, a cartoon will appeal to them.

Purpose: This cartoon shows that immediacy of social networking is so tempting that many people get hooked to the devices to the excess. And because of such preoccupation, they are at risk of getting themselves isolated from the real world. We want to be with each other, but also elsewhere at the same time. This cartoon also exposes just how social media can be a threat to human relationships. We become almost “zombies”, attached to social media so much that we feel inutile without it. This is evident in my cartoon as you can see the people muttering “Brains!”. In this cartoon, I made the Facebook building stand out from the other buildings in the skyline. I also colored it blue so that it would catch the audience’s eye. I chose Facebook because it is the most popular type of social media and has been for years now. It has billions of users, so I know a multitude of people will recognize the logo when they see it in this cartoon and they will be able to understand what I am talking about. It is meant to have a comedic tone as obviously it is an exaggeration of what could happen in the future if we don’t change our outlook on social media.

Stance: I have taken a critical stance against social media. Growing up in New York City, I observe people attached to their phones daily. They wouldn’t even see where they’re walking. I always compare society to zombies, the way they are so invested into a digital profile that it is all they think about. Having people on their phones all day long is not only disappointing, but also damaging. Instead of talking to someone face-to-face, people prefer just going on a social network. I want people to put down their phones and start to appreciate the outside world. There is so much more to life than constantly worrying about what you look like on Instagram.

POEM

It seems we’re stuck in a constant cycle,

Scrolling and refreshing, scrolling and refreshing

It really is depressing

Glued to our screens

We have really become feens

For the attention

It is now a convention

Locking our minds in cages

Gaining satisfaction from a couple of likes and comments

Getting high off of it

Even though it might have brought humanity closer

We are now more alone than ever

Think about it..

Genre: I chose a poem as my second genre because I feel it would appeal to the emotional part of the audience, the ethos. A poem allows me to express my feelings and opinions with style. It speaks to the heart and can convince my critics. I tried to make parts of it rhyme to structure my writing and make my message more effective. I also used repetition in the second line to emphasize what was said in the first line about us being stuck in a cycle. A poem speaks to the heart and can convince my critics. I typed it up using Microsoft Word.

Purpose: This poem warns society that we need to be prudent on how we use social media platforms, as it can become an addiction. I compare it to a drug in the way that we are looking for pleasure from other people’s comments and likes.  The Internet can be a vulnerable place. I think this poem will make people think twice before using social networking sites. It will make people reflect upon the last time social media wasn’t a part of their day. I also feel it instills fear and pity into the audience when they realize the extent to which social media has taken over their lives. The poem also supports what is depicted into the cartoon.

Audience: This poem is targeting an older audience. In order to understand my poem, you need to analyze it. More specifically, anyone who believes social media is doing more good than harm. I think a poem allows me to speak to my audience directly.

Stance: My stance is the same as in the cartoon. I don’t condone the addiction our society has with social media. I encourage society to reflect on the ideas presented in my poem. We can’t allow Facebook or Instagram to have any more influence in our lives. We need to be in control of it, rather than let it control us.