Comments on: Are social networks breeding social isolation? http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/ an aide to memory Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:26:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: David L. Craig http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-551 David L. Craig Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:46:18 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-551 I still remember getting the snail mail as a child and the anticipation while sorting to see if there might be anything FOR ME or answering the telephone with that same hope. It is no different today, but now I get communications much sooner and from an ever increasing group of people from all over the globe. There are still jokes about people living in the same house who never talk to each other, only write. Any loss of communications capacity is stressful to some degree. I am not worried about this subject much at all. I still remember getting the snail mail as a child and the anticipation while sorting to see if there might be anything FOR ME or answering the telephone with that same hope. It is no different today, but now I get communications much sooner and from an ever increasing group of people from all over the globe. There are still jokes about people living in the same house who never talk to each other, only write. Any loss of communications capacity is stressful to some degree. I am not worried about this subject much at all.

]]> By: laissezfaireovr http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-550 laissezfaireovr Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:04:56 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-550 Agree with your post. The more I’m hearing this on-going debate regarding the ‘risks and issues of Social Media’, the more I’m thinking it might just be an amplifier or magnifier of traits that ‘pre-exist’ in an individual’s personality – albeit in a latent form - before the use of on-line technology. Another way to consider this could be the analogy that moving to ‘Cyberspace’ is akin to a ‘physical migration… to Cyburbia’ (point developed by James Harkin in his book). So if we push the metaphor…: what is the difference, in principle, between the perceived addiction to be always “extremely connected” online, and the behaviour of a student moving to the 1st year of university who suddenly discovers life on the campus and wants to attend every single party happening around the place? The majority of the students probably exhibit such behaviours before settling down with close friends as years go by (which would be perceived as a balanced behaviour). To your point in the last paragraph: Some students keep displaying the other two extreme behaviours: Isolation from the rest of the crowd (equiv. to rejection of social networks), or fleeting from one group to the other, extremely insecure and fearful of ‘missing out’ if they don’t get invited to the ‘latest party in town’ (equiv. to the internet addict). Where the critics have got a point: if jumping online cuts people off what is happening in real life ‘in the room’… (as in, the classic joke of the couple who don’t talk to each other too busy texting their friends)… but that is probably a question of balance, good etiquette and polite manners… like not putting one’s feet on the table, not binging on the nuts or not systematically interrupting people talking… Agree with your post. The more I’m hearing this on-going debate regarding the ‘risks and issues of Social Media’, the more I’m thinking it might just be an amplifier or magnifier of traits that ‘pre-exist’ in an individual’s personality – albeit in a latent form – before the use of on-line technology.
Another way to consider this could be the analogy that moving to ‘Cyberspace’ is akin to a ‘physical migration… to Cyburbia’ (point developed by James Harkin in his book). So if we push the metaphor…: what is the difference, in principle, between the perceived addiction to be always “extremely connected” online, and the behaviour of a student moving to the 1st year of university who suddenly discovers life on the campus and wants to attend every single party happening around the place?
The majority of the students probably exhibit such behaviours before settling down with close friends as years go by (which would be perceived as a balanced behaviour). To your point in the last paragraph: Some students keep displaying the other two extreme behaviours: Isolation from the rest of the crowd (equiv. to rejection of social networks), or fleeting from one group to the other, extremely insecure and fearful of ‘missing out’ if they don’t get invited to the ‘latest party in town’ (equiv. to the internet addict).
Where the critics have got a point: if jumping online cuts people off what is happening in real life ‘in the room’… (as in, the classic joke of the couple who don’t talk to each other too busy texting their friends)… but that is probably a question of balance, good etiquette and polite manners… like not putting one’s feet on the table, not binging on the nuts or not systematically interrupting people talking…

]]> By: Maddy Phelan http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-549 Maddy Phelan Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:11:03 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-549 I think an important consideration is the instant gratification element of social networking. For me, and perhaps for others, it creates a dependency that is ultimately unsustainable. We're on our laptops and phones constantly hitting the button like rats connected to pleasure machines. It takes the focus off real life interactions, which are harder to organise and might be a bit dull at times, but because the pleasure builds over time it's more sustaining for social persons. Basically, twitter, facebook, and other social networking sites are the high sugar, high fat junk food of human interaction, and real life social group interaction is the slow release, low gi complex carb meal. And on that note, it's time to get off the internet. I think an important consideration is the instant gratification element of social networking. For me, and perhaps for others, it creates a dependency that is ultimately unsustainable. We’re on our laptops and phones constantly hitting the button like rats connected to pleasure machines. It takes the focus off real life interactions, which are harder to organise and might be a bit dull at times, but because the pleasure builds over time it’s more sustaining for social persons. Basically, twitter, facebook, and other social networking sites are the high sugar, high fat junk food of human interaction, and real life social group interaction is the slow release, low gi complex carb meal. And on that note, it’s time to get off the internet.

]]> By: Online relationships — far from isolating | acidlabs http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-548 Online relationships — far from isolating | acidlabs Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:10:33 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-548 [...] online and phys­i­cal worlds), Kate Car­ruthers asks an inter­est­ing ques­tion in her post Are social net­works breed­ing social iso­la­tion? Kate con­cludes that for her and her cir­cle of friends who she asso­ciates with online and [...] [...] online and phys­i­cal worlds), Kate Car­ruthers asks an inter­est­ing ques­tion in her post Are social net­works breed­ing social iso­la­tion? Kate con­cludes that for her and her cir­cle of friends who she asso­ciates with online and [...]

]]> By: uberVU - social comments http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-547 uberVU - social comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:01:52 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-547 <strong>Social comments and analytics for this post...</strong> This post was mentioned on Twitter by kcarruthers: Blog: Are social networks breeding social isolation? http://bit.ly/1bHJSt... Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by kcarruthers: Blog: Are social networks breeding social isolation? http://bit.ly/1bHJSt...

]]> By: Jeff Sonstein http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-546 Jeff Sonstein Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:46:59 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-546 your next-to-last para resonates with me, where you say: "people without social skills in real life find it just as difficult to build and maintain relationships in other places too, including online." your next-to-last para resonates with me, where you say: “people without social skills in real life find it just as difficult to build and maintain relationships in other places too, including online.”

]]> By: Tweets that mention Are social networks breeding social isolation? | Aide-Memoire -- Topsy.com http://katecarruthers.com/blog/2009/11/social-networks-breeding-isolation/comment-page-1/#comment-545 Tweets that mention Are social networks breeding social isolation? | Aide-Memoire -- Topsy.com Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:45:06 +0000 http://katecarruthers.com/blog/?p=7088#comment-545 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kate Carruthers, Alana Fisher. Alana Fisher said: RT @kcarruthers: Are social networks breeding social isolation? http://bit.ly/1bHJSt - Interesting to consider [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kate Carruthers, Alana Fisher. Alana Fisher said: RT @kcarruthers: Are social networks breeding social isolation? http://bit.ly/1bHJSt – Interesting to consider [...]

]]>