Unfortunately, a couple of days ago, as I sat at home with my sick daughter, I ran across a few "news" articles. I'm not sure if they should really be classified as news, but they were newsweek articles.
So, the problem with these articles is how they were talking about how we spend out time on social networks like Facebook. And basically now I have a complex.
Why? In part I guess I can relate to Steve Tuttle's article, but at the same time, there are days when the most connection I make with people via interface rather than face to face. (I'm not sure my pun works, but let's just pretend!)
I know I'm much more likely to bare my soul in print rather than in person. But at the same time, I've also been immensely hesitant in making big announcements to the facebook community. Or even online.
A friend of mine openly admits to internet stalking.. I don't deny the same practice, nor do I think anyone who doesn't (admit to) spy on others is any better than the rest of us. Hmph. I don't think I'm getting anywhere.
Maybe it comes down to my idealistic mindset. Ideally, we would all be able to make genuine connections in person. Ideally, we would all have TIME and ENERGY to make face to face connections and write more hand-written notes. But in reality, most of us don't have (or often make) time for more genuine intimacy in our friendships and acquaintances. And, because of our desire to connect, the internet has done far more than anticipated. It has, indeed, brought connections where there would be none. But it has also handicapped us into relying on it for far too much than we ever should have.
So, once again I'm encouraged to be a little less concerned about cyberspace and focus a bit more on being genuine in the real-world. But, it's still pretty hard to pick up the phone...
4 comments:
its interesting to think about....kind of made me ashamed that i said i would just stick to the internet stalking....how sad.
one thing i will say in favor of the internet is that sometimes i am too rushed or distracted to have a real meaningful conversation over the phone (something I could work on, perhaps), and I am much more likely to find SOME time that I can sit down and "focus" on an email or a note...and the other person doesn't even have to be awake! ok, so, not so good, but some potential....
It's pretty much how we all are. Internet connections are immensely valuable for SO many reasons. But at the same time I tend to think that we're losing more than we realize by relying on it so much.
There's nothing shameful in internet stalking. Nothing at all. Hmph. Funny how different that is than real-world stalking!
:)
I think to say that the internet isn't personal is really incorrect. I've never been a note-writer or phone-caller. I write slow...takes me forever. So I just never did it. And umm...I really hate phones. I'm awkward. I hate it.
I might be biased though...I met William online. :-) For us though, without that "safe" medium for shy people, we probably wouldn't have met otherwise.
I think relationships via the internet are what you make of them.
Just thought I'd sing a little praise for cyberspace...I think it often gets the shaft.
I would agree, in that I do not feel the internet is impersonal.
Which in part, is why I end up with a complex about it all. I can open up very easily in print and I have always been able to (hence this blog and my major!)
However, I think that we can all utilize cyberspace to the point that, in stead of growing in our face-to-face people skills, we are relying on it for more than we should. The fact that you met your husband online, indicates that you utilized cyberspace in a beneficial way, as in you eventually met and are married in real life! :)
I know that, for me, I need to be reminded to focus on quality time in my relationships. Sometimes technology provides that, but without face-to-face connections, I begin to whither as a relational person!
Thanks for your thoughts... hooray for dialogue (in person AND online *_~ )
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