Last Sunday was the first time that I watched the Oscars in years. Suffice it to say, none of us were really into it, however it was fun watching what movies won, and pleasurable (I might ad) to fast forward through their long and awkward acceptance speeches. By the end, I was sure that I needed to see the movie "Social Networking". I am an avid Facebook user and 99.99% of my hits on blogger come from my friend base on said website. At least 2 or 3 times a day I will scroll through the new Status Updates to see what is going on in the world, and about once a week if not less, I will post an Update with thoughts of my own.
I am intrigued with the way the internet has forever changed the way we communicate. There are so many wonderful mediums through which we can now connect to each other. I have 507 of my closest friends, new and old, to chat with, exchange emails and read their thoughts as they blog away. I have the means to do so on my phone which is with me where ever I go, or on my laptop when time permits. We have single handedly bridged the geographic divide between friends and family. Why then do we feel so alone?
In talking with friends, almost everyone of them admits they don't have a single best friend that they can talk to in times of trouble. What has become non-verbal communication for the sake of convenience has near become an excuse to avoid people we don't really want to talk to while maintaining them as friends in our "social-network". The Internet's black hole is blamed for not responding to emails or getting messages from unwanted correspondents. It's almost impossible to communicate your thoughts clearly when there is a higher level of complexity in the message you want to send. With all the convenience that comes with checking on our peers at a glance, it almost never fully satisfies the desire for human contact. People need to be (physically and locationally) with other people period. I think I'm making up words now, but you get the point.
Don't let Facebook be your only source of community. Typing on your computer while your husband or wife is watching TV is not a family activity. Been there and done it. Disconnect and do something with a friend. Make sure you maintain the human connection.
Preemptive Acknowledgments:
ReplyDeleteI understand I am using Facebook to gain readership.
I'm not going to stop because it does work. I am advocating that this not be the only source of communication or even the major source of communication with the one's you love unless there is absolutely no other alternative. I believe that most of us don't fit into that exception.
Good reminders. Facebook has actually helped me stay in better touch though with those I might not otherwise have kept up with. Also...I have always been horrible at keeping in touch over the phone, whereas typing little notes and responses on the internet seems to be my forte. Thankfully though, I do have friendships IRL that just make FB the icing on the cake.
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