The Social Media World
What did I used to do with myself before I got a computer? Did I really have a life with hobbies and activities of my own? How did I ever manage?
The thought of going away and not being online for a day or two is almost too much for me to imagine. Does it matter that most of the email I get is advertising or forwards of a joke that has been passed on way too often? Don’t I realize that the chain letter that promises wealth and happiness if I send it to ten people is really a waste of my time? Don’t I know that my dishes are piled in the sink and the dust is gathering around my feet? Can I not see that my clock says one a.m. and I need to get up at six?
Email, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn – I’m so busy finding out what everyone else is doing, I don’t have time to do anything myself. I sit at my office computer, or I take my netbook into the living room and check my gmail account. When I feel under the weather, do I tell my husband? Only after I get on Twitter and let my buddies know how I am.
I belong to a couple of online forums. After months of chatting with the members, they are now my friends. I enjoy their wit, am motivated by their accomplishments, and encourage them when they’re depressed. I feel as much a part of their lives as I do my own family.
What happens when we physically meet these people who’ve become so close to us on the Internet? I had that opportunity recently and was a little discouraged by the results. Many that were funny and outgoing online were shy and retiring in person. Some were crude, others were snobbish, and some were exactly the same. I liked them on the forum and I liked them even more in person.
For years, having penpals was a popular pastime. I guess social media is the 21st century version of that. The Internet makes it possible for us to meet people from all over the world and find out about their lives and cultures. That’s great, as long as it doesn’t replace face-to-face encounters. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have almost 1,000 Twitter followers now, need to check in.
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