Recently, my roommate wrote a paper illustrating both sides of the issue of communication over the internet. Of all the people in her writing class who read the paper, most of them said that they could relate to the benefits of internet communication, but felt offended by the negative impact. Even though she was simply stating the negative aspects of using the internet to communication, the readers felt like they were being attacked.
I have read her paper, and from being on both sides of the net communication fence, I could relate to both sides of her paper. What disturbes me is that a large number of people cannot. This makes me think of her initial question: Why is it that internet comminucation seems to be favored by today's youth? Is it because it is quicker, easier, less of a hassle? Or is it because people have different fears of real life communication versus internet communication?
I had a friend who actually shut off his computer and put it in his closet (which probably still sits there) because he disliked the way that communication is portrayed over the internet. He later got rid of his cell phone as well. The result was that less people contacted him. Less people would call him at his home because they just were accustomed to having the convience of the internet and cell phones, which provide quick contact. He's a smart guy, probably the smartest, and wisest kid I've ever met.
I also decided to try this route, just to see what would happen. So I got rid of my persona on the internet, which was livejournal, myspace, and im. What happened was that my circle of friends seemed to get smaller, drastically smaller, just within a few weeks.
It really makes you think, are your friends really your friends, or are they your friends simply because of convience. I would've never guessed how many people would simply stop contacting me just because I got rid of myspace and im. Even though I still had my cell phone, they simply would not call me either.
Personally, I believe that something is lost when you have a conversation over im, or even on the phone. There is no good substitute for face to face conversation.
Are we simply becoming slaves to convienence?
(what is ironic is that I'm posting this on the internet, but it is just a reitteration of what has been said in real life conversation.)
I've tried everything in my power to stop leaning on internet tendencies myself, and I can't stand it that it is so vastly accepted either. In fact, I wrote a similar blog entitled Myspace > Beubonic Plague. Check it out, I put it better there.
And yes, this is promoting myself. I'm a selfish person, what can I say?
We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities ; Oscar Wilde
I know exactly what you mean! I do not have a cell phone and as a result, less of my friends call me because they feel intimidated calling my home phone. I find that interesting that if I had a cell phone that I know many people would call me or even more text. Texting has become such a huge thing, everyone does it and many people have unlimted because they send thousands of texts in just one month. I think we have become very dependent on technology yet we become so absent mindedly. I did not realize all of these things until I read your blog. There are many people I talk to daily but that is over myspace and I know without it, many of us would not talk.
Thank you for your blog and you example of getting rid of some internet websites, such as myspace. That is a good idea and a great way to find out who your friends are. It also saves you time to go do other things besides constantly checking your email.
anybody seen Pulse? let's just hope we don't get TOO dependent on technology. i for one know that, since i'm so addicted to this thing, i'd be dead as a doornail within 2 hours.
Yes, we are becoming slaves to convience! I swear the same thing happened to me!
You lose a ton of interation... words mean nothing without facial expressions and vocal tone inflections.
One of my favorite films of all time - I recommend it - http://www.amazon.com/Human-Face-James-Erskine/dp/B00005LC1B... It's about how 93% of communication is non-verbal.
Sincerely,
Ashleymarie Sey DeBondt
visit my art website Behind the Brush
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I have not at all experienced what you have in lessening the time I spend on the computer. Perhaps this can be layed down to my group of friends and our interests, but since we're all far more interested in having experiences together in real life rather than chatting over the internet, we have much greater levels of communication face-to-face than we do online.
Another important aspect of communication is quality. You said that your circle of friends grew noticably smaller when you cut out the internet from your life. My question, not presuming any response: would these people who dropped out of your circle of friends really have been considered members of it, considering the quality and quantity of communication you had with them, if you had met them in real life? Perhaps this is because I don't spend much time on it at all, but I find that internet acquaintances tend to stay acquaintances. I've found it rather easy to maintain an active, healthy social life that meets my needs for friendship and support without the internet as a communication crutch.
This isn't to say that the internet isn't a very useful tool for collaboration and communication -- it is -- but I just don't think it will ever be a substitute for face-to-face socialising with friends.
Anarchism, Social Justice and Discussions about Beer and Sex at http://progressiveu.org/blog/against-the-system