Cause and Effect Essay Sample on Social Media

Cause and Effect Essay Sample on Social Media Cause and effect essay is one of the basic types of academic writing assignments that is aimed at investigating reasons and outcomes of the particular event. Writing cause and effect essay helps the student to understand the causal relationships of various things and their dependence on each other, and to evaluate the ideas in detail and accurately as well. This kind of essay has a specific structure, as its primary purpose is to research the logical parallels between some aspects and their consequences. Thus, it may not meet the basic three-paragraph form. The number of paragraphs may vary depending on the content: the more causes and effects are presented, the more paragraphs should be included. There are several specific patterns, which are useful for this type of essay. One might focus on multiple causes that lead to the same effect; otherwise, one cause may produce various effects. Additionally, there is also a causal chain pattern that consists of several principles, which are interconnected as one of them leads to another one, and so on. However, one should not forget about the introduction with the strong thesis as to present the topic to the reader and state the position of the essay. Cause and effect essay sample has to include the conclusion paragraph, which summarizes the main points of the writing. ‘How Social Media Influence People’s Lives’ Essay Sample It is challenging to imagine the modern world without the rapid development of science or access to the Web. Surfing online has become a common hobby and a popular way to communicate. Social media plays a significant role nowadays as people use it on a regular basis for numerous purposes. The use of this innovation, however, has led to several consequences. As people become constant users of social media and spend much time online, the web starts affecting their lifestyle and bringing noticeable changes to society, both beneficial and negative ones. Introducing social media has affected the overall approach to communication. Nowadays, it is much easier to keep in touch with friends and relatives than ever. With access to the web, people chat online that is quick and easy. It is possible to text someone in another part of the world and receive a reply in seconds. Each of the Internet users has the opportunity to chat with friends and family almost all day long. Because of this accessibility, online communication has become the most popular way of sharing thoughts. However, it results in a lack of live communication: people prefer online conversations to live meetings. While chatting on social media is useful, it also can cause some issues as people become too humble to talk in real life. Texting in social media provides the illusion of communication, so people experience problems with real socializing. It leads to a decrease in social activity, feeling of loneliness, and reduced self-esteem. Social media influences not only communication but economics as well. For many people, online platforms have become not just a hobby, but also a full-time work. This innovation opened new opportunities for people and an entirely new job segment. Thus, everyone can earn money without leaving home. It is widely popular nowadays to buy different things online, so there are many shops across social media. Bloggers also earn money with their content as they use monetization. Photographers, writers, SMM managers, and people of other professions find a new application for their professional skills in social media as well. With the development of social media, people are encouraged to construct their worldview by themselves and develop critical thinking skills. In the past, the population had no such access to the information, so that their points of view could be formed by authorities and manipulated easily. Nowadays, even the most accurate political manipulation or the smallest inaccuracy can be investigated through the Internet and international communication. Internet and its social media platforms are the only source of information that includes various points of view so that people are free to research and formulate their own opinions. In this way, social media introduces freedom and non-interference, so that any user can compare his or her thoughts with contrasting and checking them. The variety of ideas and differences between them teaches people to think critically, be aware of the information and use it accurately. Even though it is advantageous in various ways, social media provokes strong addiction. Although this type of addiction is not defined by medical manuals yet, the problem becomes more essential each day. Pew Research Center informs that 92% of teens use the Internet daily (Lenhart para.2). Checking feed on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media is entertaining, yet it consumes much time and makes the user crave for new content. The usual user spends two hours a day surfing the social media platforms (Mander para.2). Numerous addicts always take their gadgets with them and check them regularly. Some students cannot even refuse to use social media during the class, while workers procrastinate in their workplace using the web. Such addiction leads to loss of interest in other things, reduced productivity, and time waste. The overuse of online platforms leads to reduced attention span and overall memory deficit. The average user of any of the social media platforms looks through thousands of posts with various content: those might be videos, photos, texts, and so one. Each post can be skipped in a moment so that the attention changes rapidly. As a result, it has become more difficult to concentrate on one thing for a certain amount of time as people are used to quick switches of attention. Moreover, the amount of the perceived information is so immense that the brain has to remove the unnecessary details. This aspect may be tricky because the necessary information may not be memorized as well. Thus, the use of social media affects memory and attention. Another effect of social media on the lives of people is stress and anxiety it provides. As the Internet involves millions of people all around the world, communication has become stressful and even dangerous. While in real life any person has an opportunity to control its’ circles of communication, the Internet forces to face various users. The web provides unlimited access to accounts of numerous people, their comments, and the content they upload. This approach leads to freedom, as the content is almost not controlled. Anyone is pleased to express any thoughts; however, sometimes it causes bullying, violence, and another negative issues. Reading comments for fun or checking random video may become a stressful experience, while chatting with a stranger may end up with offenses. It is clear that such interactions are not always pleasant. Social media provide human lives with a noticeable amount of negative issues which often affects the mood and results in stress. Young people may be affected by the web, as they form unrealistic expectations about nearly everything in this life relationships, beauty, appearance, family, lifestyle, and various other aspects. Instagram feed is full of fit bodies and pretty faces of bloggers, models, and celebrities. Observing selfies daily often leads to wrong expectations about beauty and appearance: as many bloggers look skinny, healthy, and attractive the teenager may assume that long legs and full lips are a must. Moreover, most people seem to share their life with their followers and avoid talking about faults and problems. In social media, people present their life as appealing as they can. As a result, one might feel miserable because everyone else is successful and happy that is not always true. Teenagers also learn about relationships, while their parts presented in the Web are usually far from reality. As people want to share only the positive sides of their life and present themselves from the best p erspectives, the whole image of life is misunderstood. Teenagers try to fit in those standards they see online, yet their expectations are mostly wrong. Moreover, such unrealistic expectations and trends of social media create noticeable pressure, which might be challenging to overcome. One notices the difference between themselves and the perfect image in the social media, and these differences disappoint them. Furthermore, as the Internet has become the most convenient place to share information, most of the trends are born online. Those trends might vary from haircuts and nail art ideas to subcultures and â€Å"fashionable† professions. Trends demand people follow fashion and consume more. Even though the differences between the expectations and reality with current trends may motivate one to progress, they also create a significant pressure, which leads to negative experience, disappointment, and even mental health issues. Another impact social media produces is lack of sleep. Social media provides users with various content, and it is almost impossible to review it all. Therefore, the constant flow of new information creates the interest that often results not only in addiction but in insufficient sleep as well. The users sleep less and go to bed later because of the web. Furthermore, people gain problems with sleep because of the messages, which interrupt the sleep and distract their attention. It is highly likely between the teenagers to wake up at night to check notifications in their social media accounts. In this way, people gain sleeping issues that influence their mood, productivity during the day, and health in a long-term perspective. To sum up, the development of new technologies and social media, in particular, has resulted in various changes in the everyday lives of people all around the world. Online platforms change the approach to communication, create new segments in the field of economics, and encourage people to use critical thinking skills. However, there are various disadvantageous effects of this phenomenon that include addiction, changes in mood, lack of sleep, pressure, attention span reduction, and other issues. While social media platforms introduce an entirely new online world for millions of users all around the world, they also can be dangerous. Including plentiful pros and cons, each user should determine if social media are useful or damaging by themselves; however, no one can ignore or object the fact that these technologies have changed the human lives worldwide. This cause and effect essay covers the topic of how social media affect the lives of people nowadays. The presented piece consists of the introduction, nine body paragraphs, and conclusion. The chosen pattern of the essay structure focuses on the multiple effects of the one event. The essay illustrates both advantageous and disadvantageous consequences of spreading social media not focusing on only one perspective. This sample gives you a full understanding of the concept of the cause and effect essay and would be a useful tool while creating your own high-quality paper. Lenhart, Amanda. â€Å"Teens, Social Media Technology Overview 2015.† Pew Research Center, 9 Apr. 2015, www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/. Mander, Jason. â€Å"Daily Time Spent on Social Networks Rises to Over 2 Hours.† Global Web Index, 16 May 2017, blog.globalwebindex.com/chart-of-the-day/daily-time-spent-on-social-networks/.

Serial Killer Couple Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo

Serial Killer Couple Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo Karla Homolka, one of Canadas most infamous female serial killers, was released from prison after serving a 12-year sentence for her involvement in drugging, raping, torturing, and killing young girls. The teenage victims included Homolkas younger sister, whom she offered to her boyfriend Paul Bernardo  as a gift.   Homolka was born May 4, 1970, to Dorothy and Karel Homolka in Port Credit, Ontario. She was the eldest child of three, and by all accounts, was well-adjusted, pretty, smart, and popular. She received ample love and attention from friends and family. Homolka developed a passion for animals, and after high school she started work at a veterinary clinic. Everything about her seemed normal. No one suspected her of hiding deeply disturbing desires. Homolka and Bernardo Meet At age 17, Homolka attended a pet convention in Toronto, where she met 23-year-old Paul Bernardo, an  attractive, charismatic blond with a persuasive personality. The pair engaged in sexual relations the day they met and soon discovered that they shared sadomasochistic inclinations. Paul quickly took on the role of master and Homolka willingly became his slave. Over the next few years, the relationship intensified. The couple shared and encouraged one anothers psychotic behavior. Bernardo began raping women with Homolkas approval. Bernardos specialty was attacking women getting off buses, sexually assaulting them, and subjecting them to other  humiliations. The police and media dubbed him The Scarborough Rapist, after the Ontario town in which many of the sexual assaults were committed. A Surrogate Virgin One source of friction between the couple was Bernardos incessant complaint that Homolka had not been a virgin when they met. Homolka was aware of Bernardos attraction to her sexually inexperienced 15-year-old sister Tammy. Homolka and Bernardo came up with a plan to force Tammy into being a surrogate virgin for her older sister. To accomplish the plot, Homolka stole Halothane, an anesthetic, from the veterinary clinic where she worked. On December  23, 1990, at a Christmas party at the Homolka family home, Bernardo and Homolka served Tammy alcoholic drinks spiked with halcyon. After the other family members had retired, the couple brought Tammy to the basement, where Homolka held a cloth soaked in Halothane over Tammys mouth. Once Tammy was unconscious, the couple raped her. During the attack, Tammy began choking on her own vomit and ultimately died. Unfortunately, the drugs in Tammys system went undetected and her death was ruled an accident. Another Present for Bernardo After Homolka and Bernardo moved in together, Bernardo began blaming Homolka for her sisters death, complaining that Tammy was no longer around for him to enjoy sexually. Homolka decided a young, pretty, virginal teenager named Jane, who idolized the attractive, older Homolka, would make a good replacement. Homolka invited the unsuspecting teen out to dinner and, as shed done with Tammy, spiked the girls drinks. After inviting Jane to their home, Homolka administered Halothane and presented her to Bernardo. The couple brutally attacked the unconscious teen, videotaping the sexual assaults. The next day when the teenager awoke, she was sick and sore but had no idea of the violation she had endured. Unlike others, Jane managed to survive her ordeal with the couple. Leslie Mahaffy Bernardos thirst to share his rapes with Homolka increased. On June 15, 1991, Bernardo kidnapped Leslie Mahaffy and brought her to their home. Bernardo and Homolka repeatedly raped Mahaffy over a period of several days, videotaping many of the brutal assaults. They eventually murdered Mahaffy, cut her body into pieces, encased the pieces in cement, and threw them into a lake. On June 29, some of Mahaffys remains were found by a couple who were canoeing on the lake. The Bernardo-Homolka Wedding June 29, 1991, was also the day Bernardo and Homolka married one another in an elaborate wedding at a Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, church. Bernardo orchestrated the wedding plans, which included the couple riding in a white horse-drawn carriage, and Homolka dressed in an elaborate and very expensive white gown. The guests were served a lavish sit-down meal after the couple exchanged vows, which included, at Bernardos insistence, Homolka promising to love, honor, and obey her new husband. Kristen French On April 16, 1992, the couple kidnapped 15-year-old Kristen French from a church parking lot after Homolka lured her to their car on the pretext of needing directions. The couple took French to their home, and for several days, they videotaped as they humiliated, tortured, and sexually abused the teen. French fought to survive but just before the couple left for Easter Sunday dinner with Homolkas family, they murdered her. Frenchs body was found in a ditch in Burlington, Ontario, on April 30. Closing in on the Scarborough Rapist In January 1993, Homolka separated from Bernardo after months of constant physical abuse. His attacks became increasingly violent, resulting in Homolka being hospitalized. Homolka moved in with a friend of her sister, who was a police officer. Evidence against  the Scarborough Rapist was building. Witnesses had come forward and a composite drawing of the suspect was released. A work associate of Bernardo contacted the police, reporting that Bernardo matched the sketch. Police interviewed Bernardo and obtained a saliva swab, which eventually proved Bernardo to be the Scarborough Rapist. The Ontario Green Ribbon Murder Task Force closed in on Bernardo and Homolka. Homolka  was fingerprinted and questioned. The detectives were interested in a Mickey Mouse watch Homolka had that resembled the one  French was wearing  the night she disappeared. During questioning, Homolka learned that Bernardo had been identified as the Scarborough Rapist. Realizing they were about to be caught, Homolka confessed to her uncle that Bernardo was a serial rapist and murderer. She obtained a lawyer and began negotiations for a plea bargain in exchange for her testimony against Bernardo. In mid-February, Bernardo was arrested and charged with the rapes and the murders of Mahaffy and French. During a search of the couples home, police discovered Bernardos diary, with written descriptions of each crime. Controversial Plea Bargain A plea bargain was discussed that would offer Homolka a 12-year sentence for her participation in the crimes in exchange for her testimony against Bernardo. According to the deal, Homolka would be eligible for parole after serving three years with good behavior. Homolka agreed to all terms and the deal was set. Later, after all the evidence was in, the plea bargain  was referred to as one of the worst in Canadian history. Homolka  had portrayed herself as an abused wife forced into participating in Bernardos crimes but when videotapes that Homolka and Bernardo had made were given to police by Bernardos ex-lawyer, Homolkas true involvement came to light. Regardless of her apparent guilt, the deal was honored, and Homolka could not be retried for her crimes. Paul Bernardo was convicted on all counts of rape and murder and received a life sentence on September 1, 1995. Rumors that Homolkas punishment was too lenient surfaced after pictures of her sunbathing and partying with other prisoners were published in Canadian newspapers. Tabloids reported that she was in a lesbian relationship with Lynda Verrouneau, a convicted bank robber. The National Parole Board denied Homolkas application for parole. Homolkas Release On July 4, 2005, Karla Homolka was released from prison in Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec. Strict conditions for her release limited her movements and whom she could contact. Contact with Bernardo and the families of several murdered teens was expressly forbidden. She is paralyzed with fear, completely panicked, said Christian Lachance,  one of Homolkas attorneys. When I saw her she was in a state of terror, almost in a trance. She cannot conceive of what her life will be like outside. Sources McCrary, Gregg O and Katherine Ramsland. The Unknown Darkness: Profiling the Predators Among Us. 2003.Burnside, Scott and Alan Cairns. Deadly Innocence. 1995.Transcript of Homolka interview. The Globe and Mail, 4 July 2005.