Assisted by Brendan Shorey
From Snapchat to Facebook, over 2.89 BILLION people are on social media. These platforms connect over 39 percent of the world population.
At Jesuit, the student body has differing opinions when it comes to these platforms, specifically whether they are beneficial or detrimental. We asked a student from each grade and one staff member about their views on social media. Should students use social media, and for how long?
Student Opinions
The first student interviewed was Joseph Amador ’23, found sitting, of course, on the freshman steps. He told us that his social media use is only in small amounts, maybe thirty minutes at most per day. Although he uses social media relatively less, he had a favorable opinion, saying, “it’s an okay thing just as long as it’s used in moderation.”
The second person we interviewed was sophomore Charles Moran ’22. He stated during the school year he averages about an hour on various platforms each day. Similarly, he had a positive point of view, commenting that social media allows him to “ interact with people [he] doesn’t get to see every day.”
We also interviewed Junior Miles Dikun ’21, and he said he could spend “nearly three hours” on social media per day. When asked about the harmful elements of social media, he added that social media is “overall pretty positive.”
The last student we asked senior Tommy Hovivian ’20. He said he spends “at most 40 minutes” on social media per day. Unlike the other three students, Tommy had a very different opinion regarding social media platforms, arguing that he “hates social media because everyone is so fake” and pointing out the negatives outweigh the positives. Even after the interview, Tommy mentioned that he had to “restrain himself from cursing” just because he hated social media so much.
Faculty Opinion
After we interviewed our classmates, we examined the freshman counselor, Mr. Corey Marr’s stance on social media. He spends about ten minutes per day on social media, limiting his use to current news and sports updates. He also said a problem with social media is that it often “leads to political feuds,” which he does not like to see.
We also interviewed the head of the theater department, Mr. Acevado on his perspective on social media. While he does not use social media often, he believes that there are both pluses and minuses to social media, as things like Snapchat can really be a problem. Overall, he sees it as a positive. “In my understanding of how the boys use [social media], it gets in the way of being productive. I’ve also seen people reach out using social media and that warms my heart… I just hope the boys can draw a line between sociability and productivity.”
Mr. Acevado continued by acknowledging the drastic effects of social media: “You gotta be careful when using social media and be really responsible with what you say and do. You can’t make up stories and talk about people in a way that is just gossip. It can be really hurtful to both people and to the school. So, you have a big responsibility, and it’s not just yourself. It’s also the things you represent in terms of your community.”
Overall, it is clear that the Jesuit student body has diverse opinions and viewpoints when it comes to the complex discussion around the presence of social media.
Check back to the Roundup for more viewpoints on Jesuit culture!
