What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
Whether this means that we actually have fewer strong social connections in our lives is up for debate, however. It is likely that our ability to make good friends is already limited.
According to Dunbar’s research, this number is determined by cognitive capacity, suggesting that social media has less of an influence than we might think.
One final argument is that social media encourages us to value quantity over quality when it comes to friendship, and that this devalues the connections we make.
Social media allows us to connect with a wider group of people than we would otherwise be able to, and to find support and solidarity where it might otherwise be difficult.
It might also be argued that basing our friendships solely on shared views and experiences does not make for a strong friendship at all.
This, of course, may be true. Most of us can think of at least one person we love and admire despite them having different views and interests to us.
It is not as if, before social media, people made friends with people from all different walks of life. Even though that may be desirable and healthy, of course.
There are also benefits to social media when it comes to surrounding ourselves with people who have similar interests and experiences to us.
One argument commonly put forward by social media skeptics is that it promotes echo chambers, the groups we sort ourselves into based on shared ideas and interests.
This may well be true, but as philosopher Rebecca Roache argues, echo chambers are nothing new. We have long since surrounded ourselves with like-minded people.
Echo chambers are considered dangerous by some; it is thought that by exposing ourselves only to people who share our ideas, we become more entrenched in our thinking.
Of course, neither of those concerns has any real merit. Both letters and telephones serve the important purpose of being able to connect us with those who are physically distant.
Indeed, it is communication via these channels that many now fear will die out at the hands of modern technology and social media.
Similarly, in the early 20th century, many people feared that the new-fangled telephones would dilute friendships and/or encourage unhealthy social relationships.
Sources suggest that more than 2,000 years ago, Socrates expressed concern that writing letters would be damaging to friendships. He found face-to-face interactions to be far superior.
We often hear people bemoaning the fact that kids no longer talk to each other, but sit transfixed by their smartphones instead.
The way in which technology, and in particular social media, has impacted and continues to impact the way we interact with one another cannot be ignored.
We also hear that selfie culture has taught us to indulge our narcissistic side and care more about the way we present ourselves to the world than establishing connections with others.
Rather than going to the supermarket in person and risking spreading the virus, many of us ordered groceries online and waited for them to be delivered.
Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic provided a good illustration of how much we have come to rely on technology, and of the important social role it plays.
When it comes to technology, it seems safe to say that it has pervaded pretty much every area of our everyday lives.
The concern that modern technology may devalue our friendships is as old as time. In fact, there is evidence of it going all the way back to Socrates.
It seems, then, that while the way we interact with each other via technology may look different, in fact there are still many parallels with the friendships of days gone by.
Sources: (BBC)
When it comes to modern technology, a common complaint is that people don't connect with each other like they used to, that we're all glued to our screens, etc. Of course, with social media making it possible to connect with more people than ever before, it would be hard to argue that modern technology has no impact at all on the way we interact with each other. But is the fate of friendship at the hands of social media really so dismal?
Check out this gallery for some ideas as to how technology is changing friendships.
How technology is changing friendship
Does technology influence how we connect with others?
LIFESTYLE Internet
When it comes to modern technology, a common complaint is that people don't connect with each other like they used to, that we're all glued to our screens, etc. Of course, with social media making it possible to connect with more people than ever before, it would be hard to argue that modern technology has no impact at all on the way we interact with each other. But is the fate of friendship at the hands of social media really so dismal?
Check out this gallery for some ideas as to how technology is changing friendships.