Jacobson 1 Joel Jacobson English 102-901C September 17, 2012 Essay 1 Social Networks Valuable if not abused The

book Elements of Argument: A Text Reader by Annette Rottenberg and Donna Haisty Winchell explores the subject of social networks and their impact on human interactions. The book takes excerpts from numerous authors who have varying points of view on the subject. Susan Greenfield, a neuroscientist who addressed the House of Lords to speak about the effects of social networking on the minds of children. She goes on to say that exposure to screens with rapidly changing content and require fast reaction may lead to short attention spans, and in particular ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)(511). Greenfield arguments are not very convincing. Many children are diagnosed with ADHD well before they even know what a computer game is, and have never heard of Facebook. One of the reasons that ADHD has increased threefold is because it is much easier for healthcare professionals to diagnose the disease than it was in the past. In Isaac Gilmans article Online Lives, Offline Consequences, Gilman talks about ocial networking and professionalism. Professional students should not have explicit photos, or talk about or talk about inappropriate topics. (535). Gilman is correct that professional students should watch their online persona. However, he didnt talk about the fact that perhaps the people who are potential employers are being too nosey in looking at the Facebook pages of students? They were, after all, students themselves at one time or another. It is more likely that these high ranking corporate leaders were also partygoers themselves. Does that make it okay to post inappropriate pictures on Facebook? No. But potential leaders should not disqualify students for being human and having fun.

Jacobson 2 One social networking site he did not mention which should be used for learning more about business students is LinkedIn. The site is geared to creating a professional online presence for both students and professionals. The goal is to network with other professionals and to show your achievements and what you are looking for in a professional career. In David Disalvos piece Are social networks messing with your head, he talks about Scott Caplan, a University of Delaware researcher who says people who prefer online interactions over face-to-face interactions scored higher on compulsive internet use to alter their moods. (507) Caplans sample size of 343 students is very small and is not a good indicator how compulsive internet use compares to face to face interactions. The authors of the articles all make some very compelling arguments for the negative aspects of social networking and how it is changing our perceptions. However there are some positive aspects that have come from social networking; reacquainting with long lost friends, meeting new friends, and so on. We as individuals need to control our own reality, not social networks.

Works Cited
Rottenberg, Annette T. and Donna Haisty Winchell. Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012.