Social Networking: Closer Together or Further Apart?
Technology is not just about the future, it’s our present. Everything is on the internet these days from TV, shopping and now, more than ever, basic human interaction. Things like email, texting, IM, and so called “social networking” may all be convenient to stay in touch but are they really bringing us closer together or driving us further apart?
You may have seen the previews for the upcoming Bruce Willis movie Surrogates in which he plays a futuristic cop in a world where people no longer interact face-to-face. People use avatars (digital versions of themselves) much like the ones we use today in online gaming to live their daily lives. Basically, the movie takes our present reality one step further by taking human out of humanity. I can’t help but wonder if our future has the real potential to turn out this way.
As far as escaping reality, it’s better than using drugs. However, whether we want to admit it, we need each other not just to survive, but to experience what it is that makes us human. The mental stimulation from interacting with each other is something essential to our humanity. This is something that we should not give up.
Along with this increasing disconnection, something else that develops is an inflated sense of self-importance. Posting every move and taking pride in how many comments, likes or friends you have can indicate that you’re taking your online persona too seriously. Such people worry more about what they do online than in real life. Many of them hope, “Maybe if I post this picture of me seeming to have fun, then I’ll get a ton of comments from friends that I don’t even talk to in real life.”
This preoccupation may even prevent us from living our lives. There are those that are constantly texting their other friends while they’re out with you and end up asking, “What were we talking about?” Then, there are the ones that have to take pictures of everything so they can post them later online.
I think that this escape from the real world takes a toll on our ability to feel. Take, for example, Facebook’s “like” feature. Before, if you had happy news, you’d call somebody or go over to their house and talk. What an interesting idea?! Later, you could just send a mass email and probably get some letter-length congratulations. Now, all you have to do is post “I got a promotion!” You’re likely to get a few comments and a lot of likes. “Like” gives people the opportunity to look like they care without even really making any effort. What it really means is, “I like you enough to acknowledge your success, but not enough to actually type out ‘congratulations.’ ”
Technology gives us more opportunities to pass the buck on all sorts of responsibilities. You can break up with someone over a text, you can email to your boss that you’re sick when you just feel like playing hookie. It’s coming down to texting whole conversations to our own family. Saying all that we want to about our lives, about how much we miss each other, all in less than 160 characters.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m anti-technology. I just want everyone to keep in mind how good it feels to have a good cry with your girlfriends after a break up, get a hug from your mom or to hear your sister lol for real. The best things are real life.
Author: Crissy Zamarron
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