PARAGRAPH WRITING "Explanations and Exercises" #BOOK 5

Example 1

The Positive and Negative Effects of Facebook

     Facebook is a very popular social networking site with over eight hundred million users. As an avid user of Facebook myself, I find it hard to believe that at one point it didn't exist. In fact, it has become so much a part of people's lives that you can learn their life story just by checking their page. Their friends, likes and dislikes, relationship status, phone number, address, everything. Sounds a little dangerous. There are positive and negative effects that Facebook has on people, and they can be quite significant.

The Positive Effects:

1.Keeping in touch with family and friends
     Facebook is a great way to keep in touch with your family and friends that live far away. With instant messaging and even video chat, Facebook is the perfect environment to stay connected. With the status updates, photos, and profile information, it can keep you up to date on the happenings of all of your close ones.

2. Making new friends
     Facebook makes meeting new people extremely easy due to the fact that it allows you to add up to thousands of friends, and acts as a social melting pot of the internet. If you comment on a friends status, and one of their friends comments on it, maybe you two will strike up your own conversation. This can lead to a great friendship down the road. Most people find it a lot easier to start a conversation with someone over Facebook than in real life, so a lot of high-school relationships tend to start there. It's as simple as a "You should text me some time."

3.Expressing yourself 
    Facebook makes expressing yourself very simple with status updates. Between showing off your favorite song lyrics, to posting pictures of your new outfit, Facebook is the most common way that people express themselves these days. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the internet than in person, so people find it easier to "vent" their feelings on Facebook.

4.Improvements in moods
     As one is able to communicate with far-off friends. By being in touch with friends one feels good. Mood uplifts and one feels close to one’s loved ones.

5. Shyness goes away
    Many teenagers go through a phase when they do not want to interact with others. Browsing on Facebook helps them communicate with others without interaction. Perhaps, the interaction can be after a relationship has developed so that the comfort levels are high when one meets each other. It is a good forum for shy children to socialize.

6. Permits one to develop self-identity
     Facebook is a ground for face-to-face communication which improves self-identity. One can improves one’s communication skill and also relate better to people.

The Negative Effects:

1.Cyber-bullying
     On Facebook it is very easy for cyber bullies to thrive. They can harass and/or gang up on one person even easier than they could in a school environment. There aren't moderators that go around monitoring what people say to each other. Anything can be said. There are also a relatively small amount of parents that have Facebook accounts and keep up with their children's. More than once I've witnessed this form of bullying, whether it be about race, appearance, intelligence, etc.

2.Ruined relationships
    Facebook is notorious for causing couples to break up. Let's face it, no one wants to see their girlfriend/boyfriend telling other people that they look cute, or liking their pictures, or instant messaging them constantly. It builds up jealousy, which causes quite a bit of tension in a relationship. The fact that many people try to hook up with others over Facebook while not realizing that these people are in a relationship doesn't help the issue.

3.Distraction
     At the end of the day you may have seen your cousin's new outfit or talked to your sister who is in college, but you still haven't really accomplished anything in the hours that you were on. Critics of Facebook claim that it is a worldwide distraction and even obsession that amounts to nothing except for significant amounts of time wasted. There is even a group that is trying to stunt the influence of Facebook called "Facebook Detox."

4.Insecurity
     Facebook is a cause for insecurities due to the fact that it makes people compare themselves to others. How can you not when all you see is pictures of your friends and acquaintances on your newsfeed?

5.Stalker friendly
     Facebook is a very stalker friendly website. Theoretically, someone that you don't even know can say that they go to your school, add you, and get all of your information. This may include your phone number, house address, and locations you visit frequently. Not to mention the fact that they will be able to go through all of your pictures and get to know you completely without you ever knowing. This is a scary thought, but it is a real issue.

6. Isolation
     One can suffer from isolation as one will tend to be glued to the computer and move out of the house and meet people. Normal socializing that is interacting with people is also essential. A shy child might prefer to communicate only through Facebook only and otherwise.

7. Putting on weight
     One may put on weight also as one will sit in front of the computer for a long time and eat. Naturally, one will not have many exercises and they will suffer from obesity.

8. Abnormal symptoms
     Surfing Facebook does show abnormal symptoms among many teenagers such as depression, excessive aggression, abnormal anxiety or even normal anxiety. Those suffering from social anxiety tend to immerse themselves in front of Facebook. Teenagers usual have emotional problems and are very conscious of their self-image, their bodies, and their looks. If socially, they feel inferior they tend to avoid social interactions. Obviously, they would like to spend hours sitting writing for the Facebook.

9. Bad for the eyes
     Too much exposure to the computer is bad for the eyes. Teenagers must go out and spend time in outdoor activities and relish the fresh air, rather than remain glued to the computer.

10. Communication with strangers
     On Facebook communication, it is possible that one might end up building up relationships with strangers, who can turn out to be criminals as well. Teenagers are vulnerable and are easily susceptible to outside influences. Their lifestyles are changing and want to build up relationships with people who are very hi-fi in their outlook. In this process, they try to communicate with strangers who perhaps can be very harmful to them.

11. Lacks emotional connection
There is lack of emotional connectivity since one does not meet the other person. Feelings, when shared in person, have more impact than on Facebook. The feelings of care and warmth are there when the communication is face to face. There is a decrease in face-to-face communication. Face-to-face communication helps better messaging.

12. Promotes laziness
     Sitting in front of the computer and browsing through Facebook can lead to laziness. It is a sheer waste of time.
13. Causes distractions
Browsing Facebook does distract one’s mind from many other activities. One can be involved in constructive activities that keeps one’s mind healthy. Merely spending hours on Facebook and conversing via it is not healthy.

14. Lack of body language communication
     Body language conveys a lot. In Facebook browsing, there is nobody language communication as one does not interact with another person.

15. Unhealthy sex approach
     On Facebook one tends to communicate on unhealthy sexual practices. There is no healthy sexual interaction as one is not meeting each other physically. Merely communicating via Facebook can prove to be detrimental to one’s overall self-image and also to mental growth. Perverted practices can be discussed or the person on the other side may be a pervert and wants to communicate sexually. Later on he or she may take undue advantage of the person’s weaknesses and try to meet the person.