Sites such as Facebook and Blogger are great tools if used under the right pretenses and in moderation, but today's rapidly changing world is converting the old fashioned face-to-face conversation with an endless slew of Facebook and blog comments. Not only are a great deal of these rants, raves, and audienceless complaints, but they are often misinterpreted by the receiver. It is sad to think that the day has arrived where I have some friends from high school who would rather be contacted via Facebook than go out for dinner when we are both in town. Social media has exploded within the past few years; if you are interested in this phenomenon, this website (http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/6128/The-Ultimate-List-100-Facebook-Statistics-Infographics.aspx) is a required read. It is fascinating to see how many users access such sites and how much new content is added on a daily basis.
My reason for writing this blog is not to air out a grievance I have with Facebook, nor is it a whine session meant to attract sympathy. It is a plea for those who are addicted to social media to have more face-to-face conversations and include the "human element" back into their communications. Arguments erupt within families because of the generational gap and the older generations become active on such sites. Friends turn against each other because of a misinterpreted comment. Think before you post. Think of the implications that each and every post could bring if misinterpreted.
Even though this project has been enlightening and educational, I think that real conversation should be advocated within modern communications classes. I understand that times are changing, but interaction between people will always remain the same, why tether such a precious style of communication to something as impersonal as the internet?
No comments:
Post a Comment