Critical Analysis Of “Can Facebook Make You Sad.” Essay Samples

In the article “can Facebook make you sad” by Justin Mullins, the writer seeks to explain the effects of Facebook, to the society. He presents a strong argument on how Facebook affects its users negatively by giving excellent evidence to support his arguments from research carried out by different groups and institutions. Mullins claims that Facebook reduces the level of satisfaction its users feel about their lives and does not necessarily make them happy (Mullins). Mullin introduces his article by drawing us 50 years back about an article written by Eliot about television. Eliot had called television a form of entertainment that allowed millions of people to listen to a similar joke at the same time (Mullins). He confirms that these sentiments could have easily been used to apply to the internet and social networks when it was invented which would have been false. Mullin, reports that Facebook has only been operational for a decade but has attracted more than 1.3 billion people. Half of these users visit the site on a daily basis spending an average of 18 minutes. The writer argues that from a study conducted by the University of Michigan, the use of Facebook corresponds with a feeling of unhappiness rather than encouraging a sense of well-being and satisfaction (Mullins). The article further explains that, Facebook makes people compare their lives with other people’s lives on social media (Mullins). He calls this the ‘friendship paradox’ that he says is the central feature of social networks. The paradox proposes that, friends on social media will always have more friends than you do and consequently have more sexual partners. He argues that Facebook allows a person to see how popular other people are unlike in real world friendships where you only spend time with one friend at a time (Mullins). He further explains that the possible reasons for this could be that individuals who often visit Facebook felt a sense of jealousy when they saw how other successful people were. Similarly, he claims that researchers discovered that a social network breeds a sense of dissatisfaction emanating from having fewer friends than your contacts. He concludes by stating that a person on social media will always have one person wealthier or happier than them which could make them feel down (Mullins). Mullins article is well written and contains sufficient research evidence to support his theory and thesis on the detriments of social media can be to society. However, he should have also included in his article how Facebook users overestimated other people’s happiness. Social media tends to persuade people into believing that others are happier by showing the wittiest, joyful and better versions of people’s lives. Women especially were found to be the most affected by this because they tend to be more active than men in social media. He, however, fails to mention its many advantages prompting the reader to assume that Facebook is not beneficial to society. Mullins should have included research that supports the use of social media in his article to give his readers a clear understanding. His article does not allow his readers to make an informed decision about Facebook and social media. In an attempt to further his thesis, Mullins should have presented more evidence to support his theory. He claims that the use of Facebook corresponds with low self-esteem but according to research conducted by Cornell University spending time on social media also boosts self-esteem (Brooks). Facebook users choose what to share with the rest of the world therefore presenting them as successful and happier to the world. Similarly, Facebook has helped millions of people land a job therefore giving them a sense of satisfaction contrary to Mullins article. According to study conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Milan, spending time on Facebook can help some people relax, slowing down the heart rate and hence reducing their stress levels (Brooks). Contrary to Mullins article, a study by pace University suggests that the popularity of a company on Facebook has been found to raise its stock prices, and the vice versa is also true (Brooks). Taking breaks from work to visit Facebook, increases productivity of workers by making them happier and healthier (Brooks). Mullins refuses to see social media as a tool that is used to spread useful content. Facebook has been found to help scholars attain a university degree because research has shown that active Facebook users in college are more enthusiastic than non-users. While, 59% of students with access to social media have reported that social networks discuss educational topics (Socialnetworking.procon.org). Contrary to Mullins article, Facebook has been found to increase chances of finding love and matchmaking. It also allows people to improve their relationships and make new friends (Socialnetworking.procon.org). This article did an exceptional job in presenting sufficient research to support the author’s theory about social networks. The research conducted on social media clearly shows the problems that come with using Facebook.

Works Cited

Brooks, Chad. '7 Unexpected Ways Facebook Is Good For You'. BusinessNewsDaily.com. N.p.,
2012. Web. 6 Mar. 2015.
Mullins, Justin. 'Can Facebook Make You Sad?'. BBC Future. N.p., 2014. Web. 6 Mar. 2015.
Socialnetworking.procon.org,. 'Social Networking Procon.Org'. N.p., 2012. Web. 6 Mar. 2015.