There are so many online communities that reconnect you with people from all over the world. As a person that has lived all over the world, I love this aspect so we can keep in touch.
There is Myspace, Facebook and many others that reconnect you with your lost friends from high school, college, etc. Then there is Second Life where you can virtually be someone else for the day and have online friends that you have no idea who they really are.
Do you really think this sort of thing replaces face to face contact or maybe this actually enhances our lives, right?
I happen to be a member of Myspace and Facebook. I love the idea of hearing what people from the past are up to and I know this would never happen in reality. They may live in a different State or Country and these people would have never crossed your path again. This is a great thing.
The bad part of online communities is that you are really disconnected from face to face contact. In a position of being a 31 year old single gal, really puts a toll on the social life.
What other avenues can we use to reconnect with people? How do we get socially involved in a technological world?
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I'm connected to my "peeps" via Twitter. We organize nerdy gatherings, informational events and follow our favorite events together. After more than a dozen years of involvement in online communities, I've become a lot more selective and prefer to maintain just a handful of memberships on social networks and messageboards, including those I keep for professional connections. There's just so much out there!
Our new President, Obama, parlayed social networking into a highly successful force behind his campaign, bringing the White House forward into new web technology. Now, that's getting in touch with the real world, eh?
January 20, 2009 - 6:15pmThis Comment
Alison, what a cool site! I spent some time browsing around the categories and was totally captivated.
I have to admit to liking technology so much that I sometimes prefer it to human contact (horrible to admit!) I don't mean that I prefer it to family or friends, but when I found myself wishing that the stores where I live now had self-check aisles like the stores where I used to live, I knew I was practicing hermit behavior!
Cindy, what you write about is so true. We can order almost anything online (which means that instead of getting out and about, seeing things, mingling with people and shopping with our senses, we are choosing things based on how they look on an LCD screen and interacting only with the UPS delivery person. We can buy clothing, books, concert tickets (printing them out on our home computer, even). We can attend huge virtual garage sales on ebay or freecycle. We can work at home, in our jammies if we choose. We can make most of our world virtual if we choose.
So I'm thanking you for the reminder that to be involved in the world, I need to constantly choose it. There's fun in going to a bookstore. There's human contact by working at an office, or in a coffee shop for a day or two a week. And there's a healthier connection to the outside in these things. I need to rely on myself a little more and the UPS delivery truck a little less.
At least I never learned how to let the internet walk my dogs!!
January 20, 2009 - 2:55amThis Comment
What a great website. Thank you for the advice. I am thankful not to be lonely at times with the Internet life but I certainly miss real people.
January 18, 2009 - 4:07pmThis Comment
I joined MeetUp.com, which is an online "world" of meeting people (the technological part)...but you ALSO get to meet in person (the face-to-face social part)! To me, this is the best of both worlds: I don't have to "waste" my time finding events or clubs that I may/may not enjoy. I can "meet" people before I attend the event...so I can have a diverse group of friends that I may not meet otherwise.
There is likely a "Meet Up" group in your area with your interest(s), whether it be as broad as a "thirty-something women's group" or as specific as "people who like to eat meatball sandwiches". (ha--can you tell I'm hungry?!).
Right now, I'm part of an Investment Club and a Moms Club for my city/neighborhood. Oh, and not only is it a "Mom's Club", but it is specifically for my area of town AND moms with kids born between 06-08. It's wonderful, because you can "see" who's RSVP'ed for an event before you decide if you want to go (not to exclude people or keep myself in a bubble of only hanging out with similar people; it's nice to see if a club is geared towards individuals who are in my age range and/or same phase of life!). Both "clubs" are very active and diverse!
January 18, 2009 - 3:24pmThis Comment