There are so many Social Networks Online. My email is peppered with invites I don’t even open anymore. It seems like there’s a dozen new social networks sprouting every week. You name it, and there’s probably a social network that’s all about it. Yes, even herpes. You read that right. There’s actually a social network for people with herpes. Whatever the niche being targeted, online social networks are perpetuating a standardized user experience. It’s a pervasive set of features, with minor tweaks here and there, all geared for getting people to collect profiles (read: people). You can flop any teen (and even older adults) in front of any social networking website and they’ll be making “friends” in no time. But why would you?
Social networks are a great way to connect with friends and family, they say. Of course it is! It’s not like there’s a convenient way of getting in touch with people. Has technology evolved to the point now to allow us to connect with people we care about instantly? [BRB. I have to take this call.] Well, until such a devise is invented, I guess social networks are our best option.
I admit it. I have friends and family who I haven’t seen or heard from in years and who I have not made the effort to contact. In fact, my real world social network is pretty tight, comprised of only a few select people. Social networks allow me to find out what’s going on with distant (in time and space) friends and family without committing to an actual relationship. Frankly, friendships require time and energy to maintain, and I just don’t have that kind of time. Thank goodness for social networks!– Now, I can be connected without actually investing any real effort.
I’ve always been fascinated by the social network phenomena. Apparently, there was such an unmet need among people that was best satisfied through Internet. The gains in convenience and benefits of being plugged into everyone else’s life every second of the day does have some drawbacks. I think we’re losing the art of face-to-face conversation. Generations are being raised that are more adapted to living vicariously Online than to living with real people in the real world. Some psychologists say that social networks allow people to be more extroverted, to express themselves in a healthy way. Maybe. But I challenge every parent to see what their children are communicating and with whom on their social networks and decide, on an individual basis, if indeed that’s the case.
I’m not completely against Online social networks, but I worry that people are using them not as an enhancement but as a surrogate for real relationships with real people. The key, as with everything, is moderation. I have high hopes. Social networking is still in its infancy. And what is accepted as default with Online social networking will inevitably change. People will evolve to ask important questions: How does this add to my life? How am I making a difference in the lives of others and the world?
For those who are yet to jump on the bandwagon, they face the following questions: Which ones – yes, more than one – to join? Why? How many is enough? What number will make life better? How many does it take to have a fulfilling and meaningful experience?
Social networking is a great platform for achieving whatever purpose you give it. It has so much potential. It can make the world a better place if we give it that purpose. And that’s the direction we’d like to see it go.
