Social Networking Generation and its negatives

[ronery]

I was reading on this forum that the average age range here is 18-23. I think that strongly has to do with this age range being the optimal social networking (Facebook,Myspace,etc.) demographic. I think that gradually all social interaction is becoming more and more technological and streamlined, and less and less face to face.

Furthermore, I think that this can have a rather deleterious effect on human beings. Everything is so impersonal and featureless in the tech world. Emails are the most impassive form of communication possible. It all just feels "hive like".

I would like to state and clarify I am not against technology in any way, It has almost infinite uses. What unsettles me is technology totally encapsulating peoples lives which seems inevitable.

I think human beings always devise systems of organization and communication just like other animals. Starting from spoken word, to telegraph, to radio, to telephone,to television,cell phone, and now internet.

All these inventions carry enormous utility, and help life greatly, but there is a cost. A human cost. Computers have great uses, but it makes face to face communication almost completely unnecessary. I feel that I am technologically smart but socially a retard...Others feel the same way.

When I fail at socializing I feel more dependent on technology. It kinda sucks to be dependent on a machine. Let me know how you feel about this, once again I will clarify this isn't an anti-technology rant, more just my feeling towards the growing use of social networking (facebook,myspace) particularly.

TL;DR: Social networking has made face to face contact and eventually telephone obsolete. Dependence on machines is increasing inevitably.

 

[flaneur]

What I really like about social networking is that knowledge spreads on it like wildfire and inspires social change. It has been a huge factor in fighting political corruption. Also, isn't telephone technology? I think Skype is more intimate than telephone conversations ever were. At the same time, I do agree we've become dependent on technology and, consequently, very self-absorbed. Looking at all the Twitter-inspired revolutions in other countries, I'll accept social networking for now.

 

[Okiedokes]

I am two sided with this topic because for one..I do think it is making communication less "in person" in a way and could be something that could impact future generations when socializing in person. Depends on if schools will be all computer someday as well. On another side of it.. I think it's great and easy to be able to communicate this way and how we can reach out to anybody we want..from anywhere we want that's online. And with all the information that is shared with other people.. and advice about topics that probably wouldnt be as easy to talk about in person... it might even help to express ourselves better. So yeah.... lol. Two sided on this. But all in all... I'm for the internet all the way. And things like skype are perfect. It's the closest thing to in person.

 

[ronery]

What I really like about social networking is that knowledge spreads on it like wildfire and inspires social change. It has been a huge factor in fighting political corruption. Also, isn't telephone technology? I think Skype is more intimate than telephone conversations ever were. At the same time, I do agree we've become dependent on technology and, consequently, very self-absorbed. Looking at all the Twitter-inspired revolutions in other countries, I'll accept social networking for now.

Skype? I stare at my reflection the whole time!

As far as "twitter inspired revolution" goes, Au contraire I think rather that these "revolutions" are about as spontaneous as the toppling of Sadaam's statue...Which we all know was not spontaneous but a contrived psy-op.

Social networking is being used as a surveillance tool, and very very effectively I might add. You may want to watch this video, I found it very interesting:

Social networking is effectively being used as a great surveillance tool because people are broadcasting every part of there lives. Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg said it best.."Privacy is dead". Anyways thank you both for responding.

 

[Foxo]

What I really like about social networking is that knowledge spreads on it like wildfire and inspires social change. It has been a huge factor in fighting political corruption. Also, isn't telephone technology? I think Skype is more intimate than telephone conversations ever were. At the same time, I do agree we've become dependent on technology and, consequently, very self-absorbed. Looking at all the Twitter-inspired revolutions in other countries, I'll accept social networking for now.

Skype? I stare at my reflection the whole time!

As far as "twitter inspired revolution" goes, Au contraire I think rather that these "revolutions" are about as spontaneous as the toppling of Sadaam's statue...Which we all know was not spontaneous but a contrived psy-op.

Social networking is being used as a surveillance tool, and very very effectively I might add. You may want to watch this video, I found it very interesting:

Social networking is effectively being used as a great surveillance tool because people are broadcasting every part of there lives. Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg said it best.."Privacy is dead". Anyways thank you both for responding.

This works both ways though. Sure, privacy is dying in the traditional sense, but that leads to the exposure of corrupt government officials as well. Frankly, the exposure of totalitarian regimes is a lot more important than an individuals Facebook privacy (which is easily limited by responsible users anyway).

On another note, yes it is social networking that has lead to cultural revolutions around the world. To suggest these levels of organized protest simply popped out of thin air in multiple countries is ignorant. You need to give credit to the young intellectuals who used social networking as a means of creating a force big enough to topple such huge governments.

 

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

I remember, I was 23 when Facebook came out. My friend, who was 18 and a fresh in college, said "you gotta check out this new thingy! It's called Facebook, and it's just for college students!"

I signed up, put up a pic, and was socializing with my college friends on there, instead of IM'ing them, or knocking on their front doors.

Then they invited the rest of the world to join! That was a humongous mistake. Should have kept it to the college students, lol!

But I definitely love Facebook, and I'm almost 30. I socialize a lot on there. I know it might seem like I'm here a lot, but I'm on Facebook more.

On a side note, I never really liked MySpace, and I don't get the big deal about Twitter (although I have accounts on both.) I use MySpace mostly to listen to music. Also, the whole blogging thing really never caught on with me; I have a blog, that I started in 2006, and it maybe has 6 posts. I would rather be on forums and in chatrooms.

 

[jjam]

I don't own a Mobile Phone, the one at home has more than sufficed.
Instant Messaging is quite cool and old fashioned letter writing is quite nice.
The Message Board is a journal I don't mind sharing with the world.
A Face To Face will forever have place, never to become a lost pearl.


What a human communicates, how human does and with whom,
is not all fume from the technology humans have bloomed and consumed.

 

[FieryDamsel]

I'm not on Facebook, MySpace or any of the others. I don't see the point as I am friendless and I find those sites intimidating. It's like a huge popularity contest. And you have to be 'friends' with people you despised at school! I don't want anyone from school finding me, and I certainly don't want them seeing how I have absolutely no friends, never mind no bar-hopping photos.

I think I have gone rather off-topic... But yes, I do feel that whenever I come close to making an online friend, the furthering of friendship always seems to depend on Facebook. They don't want to text or email, they want to talk on Facebook. And because I'm not on there and REALLY would rather not be, they cease contact. It's weird. I don't see why peole can't text, I thought people loved texting! And no-one is ever on MSN. Ever. Because of Facebook, I will never even make online friends at this rate. And I suspect, if I ever made any in 'real life', they'd find my aversion to Facebook strange, and would not stay friends with me.

People really seem to depend on that thing.

And why is Facebook now bigger than MySpace, anyway? You can't even add layouts or profile music on Facebook. At least MySpace had that going for it.

 

[EveWasFramed]

I was reading on this forum that the average age range here is 18-23. I think that strongly has to do with this age range being the optimal social networking (Facebook,Myspace,etc.) demographic. I think that gradually all social interaction is becoming more and more technological and streamlined, and less and less face to face.

Furthermore, I think that this can have a rather deleterious effect on human beings. Everything is so impersonal and featureless in the tech world. Emails are the most impassive form of communication possible. It all just feels "hive like".

I would like to state and clarify I am not against technology in any way, It has almost infinite uses. What unsettles me is technology totally encapsulating peoples lives which seems inevitable.

I think human beings always devise systems of organization and communication just like other animals. Starting from spoken word, to telegraph, to radio, to telephone,to television,cell phone, and now internet.

All these inventions carry enormous utility, and help life greatly, but there is a cost. A human cost. Computers have great uses, but it makes face to face communication almost completely unnecessary. I feel that I am technologically smart but socially a retard...Others feel the same way.

When I fail at socializing I feel more dependent on technology. It kinda sucks to be dependent on a machine. Let me know how you feel about this, once again I will clarify this isn't an anti-technology rant, more just my feeling towards the growing use of social networking (facebook,myspace) particularly.

TL;DR: Social networking has made face to face contact and eventually telephone obsolete. Dependence on machines is increasing inevitably.

I completely agree.

 

[ronery]

I'm not on Facebook, MySpace or any of the others. I don't see the point as I am friendless and I find those sites intimidating. It's like a huge popularity contest. And you have to be 'friends' with people you despised at school! I don't want anyone from school finding me, and I certainly don't want them seeing how I have absolutely no friends, never mind no bar-hopping photos.

I think I have gone rather off-topic... But yes, I do feel that whenever I come close to making an online friend, the furthering of friendship always seems to depend on Facebook. They don't want to text or email, they want to talk on Facebook. And because I'm not on there and REALLY would rather not be, they cease contact. It's weird. I don't see why peole can't text, I thought people loved texting! And no-one is ever on MSN. Ever. Because of Facebook, I will never even make online friends at this rate. And I suspect, if I ever made any in 'real life', they'd find my aversion to Facebook strange, and would not stay friends with me.

People really seem to depend on that thing.

And why is Facebook now bigger than MySpace, anyway? You can't even add layouts or profile music on Facebook. At least MySpace had that going for it.

I do not have a Facebook either.I think not only young people like Facebook but are sort of socially dependent on it. Like I said in my first post, other communication methods are becoming obsolete.No one wants to MSN,Text,Telephone when they have an all encompassing social tool like FB. It is just the most "mainstream" e.g (Hive Mind). I also think that it's one big popularity contest. People have 1000 friends on FB and talk to 3 in real life. True Story.

 

[MadMonkè]

well... I do believe human interaction is necessary no matter how advanced technology becomes.

I dont blame technology for my social awkwardness...however..

I have been this way even before everyone was online... so its not new to me...
what is new tho, is that I can go and post my thoughts and feel totally un-threatened.
for that, I am greatful.