Cell phones & Social Media: 3 Reasons Why They are Ruining our Lives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=195&v=5DU1B_XkyIk

Everyone has a cell phone, and everyone has some form of social media. It's the way today's world works. After watching this YouTube video, I realized that it really is an accurate representation of how we interact and live our day-to-day lives. Having a personal device and social media accounts at all times changes the way we live, think, and act. Knowing this way of living won't be changing any time soon, here are some reasons to consider reducing your cell phone/social media time and why these platforms make a huge impact on society today.

1. Cell phones take away the opportunity to work on our social skills

Today's generation has a serious issue with speaking professionally and using basic social skills due to the over-use of cell phones. Interacting digitally is more convenient and less awkward. Although these sound like pros, they can easily be translated into cons. Without these basic social skills of speaking directly to others and feel comfortable in uncomfortable situations, kids won't know how to behave in a professional scenario, due to their serious lack of social experience.

2. Society as a whole feels the need to document every moment and upload it to social media

This may sound like a minor issue, but our world today is more focused one the amount of likes on a post, than actually enjoying themselves and the moments they just documented. At the end of the day, it's your life, so why are we so focused on what our followers think of it?

3.  Social media leads to self consciousness

The posts we see on social media (from celebrities or friends/family) always leave us comparing others lives to our own. This is an unhealthy obsession that constantly reminds us of what we don't have or "what we should have."

https://www.thedailybeast.com/umberto-eco-decodes-the-secret-meaning-of-the-cell-phone

Greta Thunberg

I found an article on www.theamericanconservative.com discussing the Greta Thunberg's obsession with climate change, and how it relates back to her diagnosis of depression, autism, OCD, and an eating disorder. As most of us know, Greta has gone viral on the internet and social media for her aggressive efforts to spread awareness on climate change and shame the government for not doing enough to make a difference. Her young age and well-spoken speeches have caught the attention of millions,  bringing both good and bad publicity upon herself. The article points out that although her arguments are valid, it is unsettling to watch her parents allow this climate issue to torment a teenager with social issues in to a frantic state. It states, "It’s perhaps the greatest tragedy in world history. But at this stage, I don’t see how we avoid it. Anyway, I think it’s a fair point to say that if I accept that this catastrophe is happening — and I do — that it’s not terribly logical to get my back up so high over a too-emphatic teenager’s freakout." I'm going to have to agree with the the author of this article because yes, climate change is a scary discussion that does need to be addressed, however it is a bit unsettling to watch this young girl be so involved with big 'real-world' issues. Some would call her inspiring, and others would wish for nothing more than a normal happy childhood for Greta. However I must say, her public speaking and writing skills are impressive.

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/greta-thunberg-freaks-out/
https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/climate-change-greta-thunberg-comes-to-rome.html

Facebook's Gaping Loophole in Fight Against Fake News

One of the biggest flaws within today's social media influence is misinformation, or as some like to call it, fake news. In recent years, it has become common knowledge not to believe everything you read on social media, especially on Facebook. Facebook has become notorious for displaying misinformation that is portrayed in a way that appears to be distributed by a credible source. Over the years, Facebook has taken action to stop the spreading of this fake news throughout their platform by attempting to shut down the accounts responsible. Studies have proven that these steps the Facebook team has taken have in fact been working...However, a loophole has been discovered that shows this company has a lot of work to do in order to stop this fake news epidemic completely. "Mashable has learned of glitch in Facebook Groups that allow Facebook Pages to easily create and spread fake news and misinformation via a feature that was previously shut down 2 years ago: editable link previews." However in June of 2017, Facebook announced that they were disposing of the ability to edit link previews in an effort to stop the flow of fake news on their site. A recent viewer noticed a glitch in the system that still allows users to edit these links, therefore obtaining the ability to showcase more fake news to the world. This article published by Mashable.com stood out to me for a few reasons. First of all, why were links  editable in the first place. This feature is a recipe for disaster to begin with. Second, I find it interesting that Facebook couldn't figure out how to disable this feature, being one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Something just isn't adding up here. This leads me to believe that Facebook wants to keep this feature, because it draws attention to the feed on a daily basis, despite giving the website a bad reputation.

https://mashable.com/article/facebook-loophole-fake-news-link-preview/

https://thenextweb.com/facebook/2018/07/31/facebook-uncovers-yet-another-fake-news-campaign/

History and Workings of the U.S. Supreme Court

After watching videos on the Supreme Court justice system, I have come to realize that they hold the highest power, not just because of the character of those selected to be a part of it, but because they make every decision revolved around the original foundation of this country, which is the Constitution. I find it amazing how even 200 years later, our Supreme Court can still use the Constitution as a stable law system that remains relevant to our society today. Although there are apparent differences between society back in 1789 and 2019, some issues have continued to create a country divided throughout all these years, such as immigration laws. I found this quote from the video to be especially intriguing: "If the court ever stopped defending the constitution, or the people ever stopped listening, then one of the treasures that keep this the freest nation in the world cease to exist." This to me sums up the entire baseline of American culture. If our Supreme Court didn't strictly follow the guidelines given to this country 200 years ago, or the people refused to respect and accept the judgments of these Justices, the United States would not remain the "land of the free." This unique law system we have in the U.S. is what defines our nation and sets us apart from the rest of the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWRoXYRsaeo&feature=youtu.be
https://images.app.goo.gl/St5RdY9Jne1StwFL6