It seems silly to complain about free websites the Internet offers. However, I have a bone to pick with some of the more popular ones. Despite their obvious flaws, the overarching pros are the reasons we come back to them again and again. I would like to offer a glimpse into my love-hate relationship with social media.
iTunes
Pro: This music application created the ability to buy as many songs as you like from one album without having to buy the whole thing. This way you can skip all the crappy Ke $ha songs and go straight for “Your Love is My Drug.”
Con: Every time you open iTunes, it asks you if you would like to update to version 24.12.03. And, if you’re anything like me, I never want to deal with downloading it when all I’m trying to do is download the latest Coldplay album and get on with my life. Of course, Apple seems to get you eventually when iTunes has some mysterious problem and forces you to update.
Pro: The ability to stalk your frenemies and exes without needing a pair of binoculars or having the agility to climb a tree.
Con: You never really know how to use Facebook because every time you log on, there’s a new feature and the ones you just got used to using have been moved to some obscure location on the page which I’m sure will only take you five weeks to find.
Pro: The supreme lack of reading involved in each tweet makes the information perfect for students, whose attention spans won’t even last a whole 50 minute class.
Con: The con is the same as the pro. Because tweets are short, some things are impossible to tweet about without committing some type of heinous grammar sin, such as “u” instead of “you”.
Pro: It’s a woman’s dream life in website form: weddings, baking, babies, crafts and pictures of Ryan Gosling. There really isn’t anything better than that. You can repin without having to leave the page you’re browsing on and finding something previously pinned is a piece of cake.
Con: Pinterest is the biggest time-suck on the Internet. Pinning one or two things sounds like a five-minute study break max. But, two hours later, you’re neck deep in skinny enchilada recipes and Channing Tatum’s abs.
Google+
Pro: It’s created by Google so obviously it’s awesome.
Con: Nobody uses it.
StumbleUpon
Pro: Stumbling not only has the power to alleviate boredom but, once you’re bored with what you were viewing to become less bored, you can stumble on. It’s a constant stream of entertainment.
Con: It has recently been outshined by the likes of Pinterest and other photo viewing sites, such as Reddit and Imgur . Its honeymoon phase has ended and the Internet seems to be filing for divorce. I wouldn’t be surprised if StumbleUpon found itself at the status of FML soon.
Tumblr
Pro: Comments are done not with words, but with gifs . Tumblr eliminates the inability to read emotions on the Internet. Now, you can have the same facial expression as Neil Patrick Harris and no one will question what you’re feeling.
Con: It’s the hipster of websites. It’s not mainstream enough for everyone to be on it, but it has enough of a following to thrive in full force.
Pandora
Pro: Free music. Enough said.
Con: The worst part of Pandora is when you turn it on and begin doing something else with the music playing in the background. Abruptly the music stops and Pandora asks you if you’re still listening. This drives me crazy. If I wasn’t listening, I would turn it off.
All of the cons and all of the pros are outweighed by the fact the services are free and keeps us coming back for more.
