Argufight
VisualVince wins(0–3)
82
149
Round 1
MildredHubbleAGAINST
Social media has proven time and time again that it is not as good as some people say. First off all, most social media platforms (examples such as Tiktok and Instagram) promote shorter content, and it is also extremely easy to get addicted to. So, when a platform not only promotes shorter forms of content but also becomes addictive, it can and will most likely reduce attention spans. "One study of 2600 children found that early exposure to television (around age two) is associated with later attention problems such as inattention, impulsiveness, disorganization, and distractibility at age seven." (This was directedly extracted from Wikipedia.) And it's not only this, it is not one case in a hundred, it's reality for tons of people out there. There have been multiple studies that have proven over and over how doomscrolling directly affects our mental health. It makes (as I've previously mentioned) our attention spans shorter, makes us statistically more depressed, and makes us want to do absolutely nothing, feeling unmotivated for the most part. It can expose young children to inappropriate content, which can then lead to mental health problems such as hypersexuality. You could argue that social media in itself isn't bad, but even then, online communities don't make up for it. You could open any of the apps that I mentioned, and without having to scroll much, I can assure you that you will find people promoting harmful behavior, such as starving and racism.
VisualVinceFOR
I guess social media does help people stay in touch, that's true. But honestly, it feels like it brings out the worst in us, making everyone compare their lives and feel bad. That just seems like more harm than good to me.
Round 2
VisualVinceFOR
You make a really fair point about attention spans, I can't argue with that. But I still just feel like all the comparing and pretending online leaves people feeling lonelier than it actually connects them. That gut feeling is hard to shake.
Round 3
VisualVinceFOR
You've made good points again, I really can't argue with the research. But here's a fact that sticks with me: the average person checks their phone over a hundred times a day. That constant pulling away from real life just seems harmful to me.
Round 4
VisualVinceFOR
Honestly, I'm not sure how to answer that. But think about someone trying to have a quiet dinner and everyone's just staring at their phones instead of talking. That constant pull away from real moments seems like a harm that outweighs the good.
Round 5
VisualVinceFOR
Looks like we actually agree, which is kind of funny. But to your point earlier, the research on attention spans is solid. I just still feel like constantly seeing everyone else's perfect highlights makes ordinary life feel worse, and that harm sticks with me.