Social Media Or Socialising?

In today’s world, the line between being “social” and being “social online” has blurred beyond recognition. We live in an age where one can have thousands of followers but not a single friend to meet for coffee. This leads us to a crucial question: which is more important today—social media or socialising?

Virtual Connection or Human Contact?

Social media platforms were created to bring people closer together, but ironically, they have often replaced genuine face-to-face interactions. Many individuals now prefer to live through their screens—posting to others, joining endless chatrooms, and carefully curating a digital version of themselves. Instead of enjoying a friend’s company, we scroll through their vacation photos and “like” their memories.

This virtual socialising can feel convenient and safe, yet it lacks the warmth of real human contact—the spontaneous laughter, the comfort of a hug, or the unspoken understanding that comes from sharing space with another person. As a result, while we are more “connected” than ever, many people feel lonelier than before.

What Has Virtual Socialising Done to Us?

The rise of virtual socialising has changed not just how we communicate, but who we are. It has shortened our attention spans, fostered comparison and anxiety, and often made our self-worth dependent on notifications and “likes.” Relationships can now dissolve with a simple “unfollow,” and empathy struggles to survive behind screens.

Yet, it’s not all negative. Social media has given people platforms to express themselves, mobilize communities, and share ideas across continents. The challenge is balance—using digital spaces to connect without allowing them to replace authentic living.

The Impact on Persons with Disabilities and Seniors

For persons with disabilities and seniors, the effects of virtual socialising are more complex. On one hand, social media can be liberating. It breaks down physical barriers, allowing those who face mobility challenges or social isolation to participate in communities, access information, and build friendships they might not have otherwise. For many, these platforms are windows to the world.

However, virtual spaces can also be detrimental. Overreliance on online interactions can deepen isolation if digital exchanges replace human contact entirely. Seniors may find technology intimidating or alienating, and persons with disabilities may face accessibility barriers online. True inclusion means ensuring that technology supports, rather than replaces, real-world connections.

Which Is More Beneficial?

While social media offers undeniable advantages—especially for those with limited mobility—face-to-face socialising remains irreplaceable. Physical interaction nurtures emotional health, empathy, and community in ways no app can replicate. For persons with disabilities, the ideal world is one that embraces both: accessible digital platforms that complement inclusive, barrier-free environments where real socialising can thrive.

Conclusion

Ultimately, social media should be a bridge, not a wall. It should help us reach out, not retreat inward. The challenge for our generation is to remember that “likes” are not love, and “followers” are not friends. Real socialising—eye contact, laughter, shared experiences—is what truly makes us human.

 

I’d like to leave you with this for your consideration.

Imagine a cozy café at twilight — the warm amber glow of hanging lights spills onto polished wooden tables. At one corner sits a group of friends: four young people gathered around a table covered in half-empty coffee cups and untouched pastries.

Yet, instead of talking, each one’s face is lit not by the café lights, but by the blue-white glow of their phones. Their fingers move quickly, thumbs scrolling, eyes focused downward. The hum of conversation that once filled such spaces has been replaced by the faint clicking of screens and the occasional soft notification chime.

In the background, a barista wipes the counter and glances at them with a small, knowing smile — a silent witness to a new kind of togetherness that feels oddly apart. Through the window, passersby hurry past, some laughing, some walking with earbuds in, all tethered invisibly to distant voices.

Above this scene, you might imagine a split visual:

On one side, a swirl of social media icons — likes, hearts, hashtags — rising like digital smoke.

On the other, the faint echo of real laughter fading into the background, replaced by the glow of screens.

 

Mood and Symbolism:

This image captures the tension between connection and disconnection — the irony of being surrounded by people, yet isolated within personal digital worlds. The café, once a place of lively social exchange, now symbolizes a quiet digital coexistence.

 

Image = A group of diverse individuals stands in a circle, holding colorful smartphones toward the center and pointing them inward, creating a radial pattern against a bright sky. The photo is taken from a low angle, emphasizing the symmetry and energy of the moment. Each person has a different phone case, including yellow, blue, orange, black, and red, with visible hands and wrists adorned with rings and casual clothing. The lighting is bright and natural, suggesting an outdoor setting during daytime.

 

To learn more about me as an award winning  sight loss coach and advocate visit http://www.donnajodhan.com