I don’t typically write posts about pop culture or trends in society, or rant my opinions for that matter, but I felt I had to post about this to see how the rest of the blogosphere is feeling about Twitter, etc. I’ve been a member of Facebook for a few years now, had a blog for a few months, and just recently jumped on the blogging bandwagon and joined Twitter. I’m actually quite surprised with these moves I’ve made since I don’t typically like to talk about myself and I enjoy taking a break from technology and spending some time “off the grid” fairly often. Nowadays though, it’s almost difficult to not be constantly connected. I find myself talking about people I went to high school with like we keep in touch daily, but in reality I just know what’s happening to them from their Facebook status updates or blog posts. In this aspect, I think websites like Facebook and Twitter are great- you can not only network with new people and bring them to your blog, but you can reconnect with friends from you past. But is there another, negative side to all of this constant connectivity?
I’ve only been on Twitter for a couple of weeks, but it’s really got me thinking about this technologically advanced world we live in today. I read posts that people have obviously written from their cars (“stuck in traffic”) or while out to dinner with friends (“big martini just arrived!”), and I can’t help but wonder how their company is feeling while this person is glued to their phone while they should be enjoying time with their loved ones. It’s become more and more commonplace to see someone sitting at a table with friends and not sharing stories of their day, but rather looking down at their phone and sharing what they’re doing at that exact moment with millions of curious readers. Isn’t this a bit bizarre? I’m all for keeping up with a blog and sharing your life with others, but when did living life get replaced with Twittering about your life?
The reason for my rant is this: take part in Facebook, blogs, Twitter, etc. but don’t let it replace good old fashioned human contact. If you find yourself reaching for your iPhone to check your email while visiting family or having the urge to write a Tweet about how awesome it is to be hanging out with your buddy, take a step back. Focus on actually spending time with that person and devoting yourself to the conversation that’s happening at that moment. Let’s not lose the joys of face-to-face contact and great conversations that can take place when no form of technology is causing a distraction. And if you’re feeling really randy, take yourself off of the grid for a second. Skip a blog post or two, or turn off your phone for an afternoon. It’ll be good for you… and for those around you. Care to share your thoughts on this issue? Wanna call me and talk to me about it in person? :) Sound off!
Image courtesy of Google.
I totally agree, and I would be glad to talk to you face to face about it. I, also, think we need to start a trend of sending “snail mail” more often. Think of all the lovely stationery and cute note cards out there.
I agree wholeheartedly! I teach college students, and one of my biggest frustrations with them is that they don’t know how to interact face-to-face anymore. They get so annoyed when I tell them that we need to meet IN PERSON to discuss a paper they’ve written; they want to just do it all over email. And the fact that I don’t check my email (via cell phone) every two seconds, drives them nuts. It drives me nuts, but it also helps me remember to stay off of the laptop/cell phone/whatever and spend quality time with family and friends.
I COMPLETELY agree. Even though I am in near-constant contact with friends and family, I’ve noticed a sharp decline in the number of get-togethers. It makes me sad, and I miss connecting in-person. I can see the benefit of Facebook and email, of course, but I think it’s been taken to the extreme. I’m not part of the Twitter world because, frankly, I’m not interested in the mundane happenings of people’s lives–and I don’t fool myself into thinking that they care about mine. At times, Facebook status updates are bad enough! ;-)
I love all of it (FB, twitter,etc) and it has been great for my business, but it does make me sad that I know so much about people I care about just from reading it online somewhere! I love that I can keep up with people, but it all feels a little impersonal at times. I never had a problem with checking everything so much until I got my new phone. That was a bad idea! LOL. It makes it too easy to check all of that stuff. I have to walk away from it sometimes, and say, “no more phone/computer for the rest of the night!”
but i HAD to tweet about kitty glitter while it was happening!
i find that i’m constantly replacing my means of social networking. first there was myspace. then facebook happened. and now there’s twitter. and since twitter i find my level of interest in facebook has declined rapidly. (and myspace fell off my grid forever ago.) i check on it every once and a while to see wedding pictures or new babies…but it’s become so convoluted with so many people and so many constant updates that i don’t want to spend the time to catch up. the appeal of twitter is that it’s still only a small network of people that i “follow” and i only need to spend moments catching up. so while i do take more moments out of my day to “tweet” i spend only a fraction of the time following people online and use that time to actually communicate with people. or work. probably just work. constantly. on my blackberry. where my boss can always find me. that’s a whole other “never off the grid” issue….
:)
I agree. What happened to common courtesy? We just got new cell phones and guess what? They don’t even take pictures–or text–or anything–they just call. And I don’t give that number out to just anyone. I get a big bang out of facebook, but I don’t want to know anyone’s every little thought (Twitter). Get a life is what I say.—–Boy, do I sound like an old lady or what?! BTW, have I said before that I love the blog?