From our discussion in person last night at Sweetwaters:
The following is an excerpt taken from a 2006 NY Times article by Betsy Israel on the impact the online world is having on society:
“Now, as they move through high school, college and beyond, the generation’s seemingly obsessive need to connect has inspired concern and debate among many adults. To summarize: What are the psychological implications of simultaneously talking to 50 of one’s forever best friends, who are not actually present? Are teenagers likely to misinterpret the nature of these best-friendships? As Mr. Abramson, a 17-year-old who has ‘studied the societal implications of the Internet’ since age 10, puts it: ‘There’s the issue of removal. Online engagement is not a viable substitute for a functional in-person social life.’”
Discussion: Do you generally agree or disagree with Mr. Abramson’s comment? How have online social networks both improved and hurt our lives?
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5 comments:
I was talking to a friend about the 'online world' and she mentioned to me that she finds it sad that when she's out with her friends and they meet new people, instead trying to hold significant conversations, many would rather go online to Facebook to find out more!
Online social networks have definitely helped us to keep in better touch with friends and acquaintances. And perhaps we are better informed. But I would argue that we are now more "arms length" in our relationships as we only know what wants to be made known by others.
I sitting here for 10 minutes trying to determine what angle I should approach with this argument. But one thing is apparent is that with online social networks, one can be almost perfect. It is not necessary wrong, and in fact it allows us to rationalize our thoughts, think deeper, instead of just blurting out incoherent ideas. We can gain a deeper understanding of what one's true views or beliefs actually are. But with that said, there is a certain lack of human play involved that just isn't right. One thing that builds relationships is not just seeing the beautiful side of humans, but also the ugly as well. To be known, to be loved, is what I think most people are really looking for. And another important factor is human touch. Its funny, have you ever met someone after an online conversion? You know who they are, but you don't how to approach them. Because their afraid that they won't live up to their online alias, and lack that human interaction.
Anyways, this is definitely a stacked question. There is so many angles you can look at this question. One debate is why question this topic, when the real underlying issue lies with the overall framework of this society. Online social networks are really just a byproduct of this system. The fact is people just don't want to get dirty and offend others anymore. Better to protect one's self then to get touched. I.E. Corporate America.
But online social networks if used correctly can be a great advantage.
Personally, the only real friends I keep are close ones that I can touch. I like that personal interaction with them. But if for some reason we cannot meet, then online conversions helps keep us connected and stay in touch. I don't think I have ever met a close friend through online conversation.
I agree with both moses and peter but I also have something to add to this discussion. I think that instead of using online social networks as a supplementary tool, it is now being used as the primary tool to either get in touch or stay in touch with people. I also think that it can be used to an advantage with friends that may be overseas and phone costs are too high or to find old high school friends, but I don't think that it should be the only tool to keep friends. I don't think it should be a substitute for human interaction because we all need that physical touch of others. At the same time, I agree when peter said that it can help ideas come out more thought out instead of just blurted out, which will prevent misunderstandings but also make one even more vulnerable with their true selves.
So I just think that it should only be meant to keep in touch with friends that are away instead of trying to get to know people more through these avenues. There just isn't a substitute that can do justice compared to a person's voice or their face when they're telling you about themselves or what they're passionate about.
Here's an odd coffeeshop scenario:
Consider a couple at a coffeeshop, both with laptops, both chatting away to each other, among others, online. Or, for that matter, doing work on their laptops, their only "online relationship" being between each user and their professional concerns.
Take a look from the outsde, and what do you see? Is this truly a close couple? How close can they be when they have, if they were not monitors, two otherwise solid plastic barriers between one face and another.
It's like this in the online world, too. It is more than a pun to say that the online world screens one person from another, and it does so in several ways. I concur with Moses and Peter (second paragraph) that an online identity allows a person to construct what they wish others to see -- a window in some ways but a wall in many others. But it's even worse in the real world. How many social opportunities does a person miss, in person, because they're too busy seeking relationships online?
I think online communities can hurt people's social lives if they overuse it. Things "said" online can easily be taken out of context.
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