The Happiness Effect, written by Donna Freitas, is a book that dives into the effects social media has on the current generation and the image it is constantly trying to portray. Freitas does this by conducting multiple different interviews and surveys within different college campuses which seems like the heart of where your answers to social media effects and usage would come … [Read more...] about The Happiness Effect: How Social Media Is Driving a Generation to Look Perfect at Any Cost
Author Profile: Francesca McCaffrey
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Student
Francesca McCaffrey is a third year college student growing up in the generation where social media holds more power than really anything else. After reading the book, McCaffery says, “I have fallen victim to the extreme attachment our generation has to social media, it’s almost impossible not to. The constant worry of what I post, how I do it, and who likes it is something that has become a rush, which is very shallow. Being a young adult in this era, you are prone to live an aspect of your life through a screen hoping it portrays the image you want it to even if that’s not really what is happening. I feel trapped in social media sometimes craving and scrounging for real life interactions and being able to take in adventures without having to whip out my iPhone to take pictures and post it. The way any addiction strings you along so powerfully you begin to lag in life, social media is an addiction of the same nature for many, including myself. This read made me feel like I’m not alone in this generation, and maybe there is some hope for it after all. Realizing the problem is the first step, right?”