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Are online communities valid social contact, or just a crutch?
First off, credit to Nikolai for recommending this topic for a debate. This topic has been on my mind a lot lately as I struggle to find a balance between my online interactions and those in real life. I am strongly founded in my real life friendships and social relationships but as social features become more common across the landscape of the web, I am meeting more and more interesting people online.
With this in mind, I'm taken back to the days when me and my friends were first exposed to instant messaging. Whenever we were gonna get together to play hockey, we'd pick up the phone and dial each other up. Back then, MSN was brand new and and didn't even have the ability to send files or use emoticons. One day, we ended up making plans during a random IM conversation. Immediately after the IM conversation, I picked up the phone to double check that the plan was for real and that we were actually going to meet up. As the use of technology to communicate has become ubiquitous in today's culture, this added confirmation is no longer needed. I think this lack of trust, or insecurity in new technologies or forms of communication is a common dilemma.
These days, a lot of people (including me) question whether our facebook friends equate to "real" friends. In the end, friends are friends no matter if they are online or offline. It is only the type of interaction that differs. Whenever we interact with friends, we exchange certain types of information, whether it's social, personal, professional etc. Therefore it is the quality and level of information exchanged that determines the validity of a social relationship...and not the context of the exchange itself.
That's the way I see it at least...looking forward to hearing some different perspectives
With this in mind, I'm taken back to the days when me and my friends were first exposed to instant messaging. Whenever we were gonna get together to play hockey, we'd pick up the phone and dial each other up. Back then, MSN was brand new and and didn't even have the ability to send files or use emoticons. One day, we ended up making plans during a random IM conversation. Immediately after the IM conversation, I picked up the phone to double check that the plan was for real and that we were actually going to meet up. As the use of technology to communicate has become ubiquitous in today's culture, this added confirmation is no longer needed. I think this lack of trust, or insecurity in new technologies or forms of communication is a common dilemma.
These days, a lot of people (including me) question whether our facebook friends equate to "real" friends. In the end, friends are friends no matter if they are online or offline. It is only the type of interaction that differs. Whenever we interact with friends, we exchange certain types of information, whether it's social, personal, professional etc. Therefore it is the quality and level of information exchanged that determines the validity of a social relationship...and not the context of the exchange itself.
That's the way I see it at least...looking forward to hearing some different perspectives
Comments
It seems like writing on someone's wall is now sufficient instead of calling them or seeing them. Sure you keep in contact and know things about each other you might not otherwise, but it seems so fake.
It's like you know what someone is up to on facebook, so why bother asking things or telling stories about things someones already seen on your status.
This should not even be a problem.
EDIT: and btw i agree with you.
if people get "detached" it think there is something wrong, I've personally got in touch with way more old friends through the net.
and what about xbox live where you play with new people almost every game? or with a group of friends all the time?
However my sister and her husband both play an online game and have made great friends from half way around the world. Their interactions however do not incapacitate the rest of their lives.
I think if you have the ability to seperate your online fun time from real life its not an issue, its a very personal thing.