The Role of Social Networks in Society
Emile Durkheim is known for his sociological research on the structure, evolution and function of society. The Collective Effervescence coined by Durkheim is described as when a society comes together and shares the same thoughts and actions and become unified. Protests, concerts and church services are all examples of a collective effervescence. Many revolutions taken place throughout history are due to a CE gatherings.Many would assume society has lost social cohesion because society no longer has strong traditional mechanisms of having face to face interactions and common collective values. Cohesiveness created when there is shared similarities, group success and exclusivity. Social changes due to the technology revolution has many wondering if society is still able to have the same connection it once had as many are choosing to be more active online. Social facts a social concept created by Durkheim studies the norms of society.Social facts reviews the norms in a society and its effects on each individual and creation of social control . Through this concept he created the theories of anomie, social integration, and the division of labor. The division of labor concept studies how the specialized roles and responsibilities hold a society together. Social solidarity, a sub-theory created by Durkheim under his division of labor theory can be applied to our analysis of social media and its affect on the CE. There are two types of social solidarity, mechanical and organic solidarity. Social media promotes social solidarity as it creates a bubble allowing users to only choose topics relating to their interests. Social media somewhat avoids complete anomie, breakdown of social bonds, because it allows a mass connection to others. Social media promotes social cohesion as it creates new pathways to bring societies together. Social media has provided a both positive and negative impact to society. Due to the internet giving individuals the option to select which type of interests and news they want to see, it encourages individuals to mostly connect with like minded individuals . This has a negative effect on the population because it can bring a society further apart than together due it catering to anyone with special attitudes and beliefs, allowing bias media. At the same time, being in like minded groups causes cohesiveness when it comes to advocacy. Conflicts broadcasted online relating to activism were able to gain support due to the spread of the issue through social media. Social needs are able to be met by more people joining a community and bring awareness. Secondly, social media now has been able to replace the audience for those who once relied on a tv audience for support. Having more communities support an issue allows a larger solution and consensus as to what a society is thinking.
Overall, Durkheim would find social media to be neutral when it comes to the social cohesiveness in a society because it separates and brings together a society at the same time. Social media does not bring national cohesion but brings smaller group cohesion. It can be debated whether or not the internet has caused an actual division and just may be showing a reflection of what has always existed. The collective effervescence is still obtained via social media through various groups. Although the gathering may not be physical, people are still able to be connected with like minded individuals .
The rise of social media has not only effected the function of society but also the mind of the individual. As an individual decides to join an online platform a new identitity is created to connect a the real person online. The same issues regarding the self in real life is also present online. The presentation of the self falls under the dramaturgical approach a theory created by Erving Goffman. Goffman compares social interactions to stage performances, and each indidual is an actor. . Social networking sites create a mini society around each user and the others they select to connect with. Using Goffman's dramaturgical approach to describe the positions online, the actor on social media is the owner of an online account, their profile is their stage where they can present themselves. When using social media, there is an unlimited amount roles one can play with their profile. On social media, the term impression management is used heavily on apps, especially those such as Linkedin and Facebook where current and future employers are able to find an employee. This is where the front, back and outside regions are applied. On a social networking account, a user’s profile content is the front stage for it shows the information the actor chooses to display. The backstage is the direct messages/inbox, profile settings changes because the only the actor can view and change it. The outside on a social network are people who do not follow or friend a user. On every social network platform there are different impressions created. Goffman states in order for an optimal performance for an actor, segregation must take place to deliver the correct face to the intended audience. Most users would have to censor their content if their friends, family and coworkers are added to one profile.This is why segregation is usually taken place online for different audiences. For example, a linked In account will have a specific performance of professionalism to only engage with a professional career based audience. Social media can create blurred lines of the front and backstage of based on what private and public information is shared.
