Week Six - Changing Social Connections

I do believe that people today are more isolated. Even though we are connected to people across the continent or the globe through Facebook, we never really have any interaction with them. Because of Facebook, I have noticed that I, personally, have a harder time talking to people in person. I believe that if I hadn't learned to have conversations online, I would probably be better at talking with people. I'm not socially awkward and I have never been diagnosed with any social complications, but I have a hard time with being with real people in person having actual conversations. I'm not always quick on what to say next but online I have more time to think so it's more acceptable that I take a few minutes to reply, whereas in person if you having a conversation and you don't immediatly reply to what someone just said, they wonder why and may think that you don't believe what they are saying or that you are mad at them. It's happened multiple times in conversations that I've had where, if I didn't comment on something immediatley have the other person said it, they question me. They ask if I'm mad, or did I not hear them.


Having conversations online is easier for me, and I assume many other people. You can think about what you are going to say next. If you want to be funny or serious, or if what you were going to say may come off as rude or stand-offish. In person, you have think quicker and really be on your toes. I have noticed that when I don't know what to say to a person, I usually nod my head or just say "Yeah," never really commenting on what they said or actually answering their question.


My mother always said that if someone called and you weren't home, you never knew. When she was in high school, they had just bought a answering machine before that if someone called, they couldn't leave a message and you would have never knew anyone had ever called you that day. Nowadays, everyone has their cell phone. You are connected to the outside world 24/7, all the time unless you turn your phone off. I don't think this is good for socitety. Being connected can be good for work and emergencies, but it can also interfere with your relationships with family and friends. We have all seen the movies with the fathers, while on vacation, take the business calls and leave the children playing alone on the beach. Being that connected makes the realtionships you have with you children, family, and friends more disconnected. It's unfair to those around you.