Joshua Edwards

English 1010

1.96 billion people use social media worldwide. One such social media user, author

Benjamin Gordon wrote, Social Media Is Ruining Everything, published in 2015 in Huffpost,

and he argues that social media is ruining everything. Gorgon begins building his credibility with

personal facts and situations he goes through. I believe that social media is ruining everything

and that if we just limit our self each day we will fill happier and notice and be satisfied with

what is right in front of us.

The authors purpose of this article was to help people realize the importance turning off

or getting rid of social media. He has a moment when he says,

I dont remember it ever existing, but Id like to believe that there was a time when

people relished in open, civil discourse. A time when people discussed ideas with relish

and people on either side of the discussion, regardless of what is was about, treated

each other with the respect we deserve as humans. I want to believe this is the case

because I believe in the best part of human nature: our ability to band together as

equals, regardless of our petty differences, united by the fact that were all impossibly

unlikely creatures, living together on this tiny little speck of dust in a sunbeam,

surrounded by an inhospitable void that extends for eternity, and all we really have is

each other. (Gordon)

That is why we wrote this article.

In his article, Gordon first sets the stage by describing the everyday scenario of starting

is day with turning off the alarm and immediately taking the opportunity to check all of his

texts, instant messages, emails, and status updates. He then goes on to explain that the vast
majority of our generation is hooked up to a great big internet advertising machine that is doing

more harm than good. Gordon continues by discussing some of the reasons why social media is

harmful: designed to keep us tethered to it as much as possible; its like we each carry around

our addiction every day in our pockets; we remove the people we disagree with from our online

lives as if ignoring them will make them go away; and lastly, they distract us from our finest

moments. A possible solution to the problem Gordon suggest, is simply just putting your phone

down or leaving it at home sometimes so you arent distracted and miss what right in front of

you.

Throughout his piece, Gorgon uses many examples from his own life to build his

argument. These examples included, the time he went to a concert and recorded it to post it as

evidence he was there; and a story about a date with him and his (now ex) girlfriend went on

and planned to watch the sunset and he was glad he didnt bring his phone that day, because it

made him fill fully present in the place and the moment, in a way he says he finds increasingly

difficult to achieve these days. These examples show that he has a personal stake in and

firsthand experience with the problem.

Gordon effectively makes appeals to ethos when he says, I cant recount how many

times Ive gone to a concert and seen multitudes of people holding up their phones, shooting

video to send to their friends. Youre probably guilty of it yourself, I certainly am. Hes relying

on his reputation for honesty or his experience in a particular field.

He also appeals to pathos in the middle and end sections His body is full of emotionally

charged words and phrases that create a sympathetic image; Gordon uses words and phrases
such as, judge, shame, petty, ignoring them will make them go away, painful,

challenging task, angry (Gordon). All of these words evoke negative emotions.

In this article, Gordon uses logos when he says, Studies have shown definitively that

increased time spent on social media is correlated with higher rates of depression... This uses

data to support his claim that it is a substantial and real problem that social media is ruining

everything.

This text is organized with him waking up in the morning, talks a little about his day and

end with a sunset. Though all of these instances may not have happened all in one day its

organized so we are following him throughout the day. It starts off with him in bed waking up

and checking social media. It then moves to when he is on his way to class and checks social

media again, but it ends with him at a sunset with his girlfriend with their phones at home

feeling closer to each other and more in the moment.

Inconclusion, we need to be careful when using social media, one moment you can be

doing your homework and the next on Netflix watching your favorite show. There are many

instances of depression getting so bad from social media, and in some cases, it can cause

suicide. Limiting ourselves from those harmful websites will make us feel a lot better and notice

that the best things in life is what is right in front of us. It cant be found on a little screen that

can easily be cracked and destroyed. Also, dont worry about whats happening on social media,

most of the time if not all, its just a waste of time and energy better spent somewhere else.

Works Cited
Gordon, B. (2015, May 11). Social Media Is Ruining Everything. Retrieved from HUFFPOST:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/benjamin-gordon/social-media-is-ruining-
everything_b_7253558.html