Before I get going with this post I am openly admitting that I too fall into this category. I am including myself in the group of people who sometimes get lost in cyberspace. I spend too much time on coupon and twin forums. I like to scrounge through a few select blogs and websites.
Ok, back to my point. Recently Brian and I were driving home and got to talking about the whole me not begin on Facebook thing. I am currently standing by my conviction not to join Facebook at this point and here's why. I feel like with the introduction of MySpace, Facebook, Forums, Blogs, Texting, E-mailing and on and on and on that we are living in a completely impersonal world. My friends who have joined Facebook seem to have disappeared from the real world. We no longer call people to chat; we e-mail, text or pm them. We don't meet friends for coffee; We IM or FB them. And not only am I missing this face-to-face contact with people but I am also missing out on undivided attention. When is the last time you IMed or texted while not doing six other things at the same time?
There are some obvious benefits to living in this online world. We meet people we never could. We can keep up with people with whom we would have surely lost touch. I am not discounting these benefits. That being said what is the price? Call your friends, write them letters, meet them for a drink or a cup of coffee. They might just need a warm smile and an actual person to talk to.
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5 comments:
a common question when coffee was first invented -
"Why can't you stop drinking that sh@% and just talk to me!?"
Interesting you mention this...my brother and I were just discussing it yesterday. Unfortunately, I stay in better touch with my long-distance family via FB than I ever did before I joined. However, I also just stopped by the post office this week to mail a few "Thinking of You" cards to friends and family. Honestly, it's the first time I've visited the post office for that reason in a long time. This is what I was telling my brother yesterday - that since I've started staying home with the kids I have a lot more time to focus on other people. I even call family members that I've never called before...not because I didn't want to call before, just that I didn't have time. For me, rather than the internet being the problem it was the fast pace of life. I simply couldn't keep up. During those fast pace years I found comfort in "keeping-in-touch" via email, FB and blogs. It's not my first choice but it's better than nothing.
In summary, because my thoughts are jumbled above... (1). the internet isn't my first choice of correspondence, (2). The benefits outweigh the negative costs of staying in touch via the internet in my opinion, (3). For me, the internet isn't the culprit of my bad behavior regarding staying in touch - it's the pressures of today's society - trying to work and raise a family, (4). Kris, my 80-yr-old Granny joined FB...JOIN! JOIN! JOIN! :-)
I agree completely with Mich. I've reconnected with people through FB that I lost touch with 10 years ago when I left MSU. I've tried to find them but had no idea what their married names were. To me, the benefits also far outweigh the negatives. Hands down, I do a much better job of keeping people up to date using FB, email and my blog.
I spend my entire working hours on the computer. Checking my email, reading my online forums, logging into FB and sending text messages or IM's gives me a greatly needed 5-minute break. It gives me the socialization I so desperately need during the day because I don't work in an office setting. I still call friends and family periodically, I write letters to grandparents that aren't online, send random cards and thinking of you gifts to people. But because I can't do it weekly or daily it eases my guilt somewhat.
To each his own, I suppose. We do what works with our own lives. Since my schedule doesn't align with most of my friends/family (in terms of when I can talk) I'll keep relying on the cyber world for my communication. Sometimes it's easier to send a quick message instead of leaving voicemails b/c your schedules don't line up.
I am glad that so many people get so much out of it. I know for me that it is time I just don't have. If I had five spare minutes between the girls, PT, doctors, work, the big kids, being a wife, taking care of the house, moving stuff, etc. I MIGHT have a clean toilet or an empty laundry bin. :D
I guess you're just better at time management than I am. ;)
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