As I returned home from a social outing, I did what many people normally do-go and check their Facebook page. And I realized that I did not not have anything to post, I didn't have much to say, and that I was basically browsing Facebook to see if there was anything interesting that someone had posted.
Now, this may all seem fine if we log onto the net once a week, or every few days or so. But I know people who are so glued on to Facebook that it would appear to be their proxy for all social interaction. It doesn't hurt that much to type out something and confess rather than actually tell it to the person who wronged you. You don't need to remember anybody's birthday now-Facebook does that for you as well. You don't need to call somebody you've been out of touch with as well, Facebook gives you all updates about their lives, including their significant life events! I suppose the only thing that people do not come to know about through Facebook is someone passing on, and that might change anytime too!
It is all well and fine if we use the internet and it's numerous assets for things that we want, but it should never be a substitute for things we need. I also use Facebook just as much as the other person, and I do not mean for this to be a holier-than-thou preaching session. What I do want to point out is that we, as a generation, are drawing too many boundaries, too many limits for what is appropriate social interactions, and what isn't. Like the strip below:
What do you guys feel?
Now, this may all seem fine if we log onto the net once a week, or every few days or so. But I know people who are so glued on to Facebook that it would appear to be their proxy for all social interaction. It doesn't hurt that much to type out something and confess rather than actually tell it to the person who wronged you. You don't need to remember anybody's birthday now-Facebook does that for you as well. You don't need to call somebody you've been out of touch with as well, Facebook gives you all updates about their lives, including their significant life events! I suppose the only thing that people do not come to know about through Facebook is someone passing on, and that might change anytime too!
It is all well and fine if we use the internet and it's numerous assets for things that we want, but it should never be a substitute for things we need. I also use Facebook just as much as the other person, and I do not mean for this to be a holier-than-thou preaching session. What I do want to point out is that we, as a generation, are drawing too many boundaries, too many limits for what is appropriate social interactions, and what isn't. Like the strip below:
3 comments:
I think we should look at facebooking as another means of social interaction rather than a replacement of all our social activity. It can never replace friends....also every generation has a fad. The people in the 80s and 90s whiled away their time playing cards and gambling in horse races and video games...Is this new generation's addiction to FB any worse than those gambling addictions in the 80s?
I think that although each generation had it's vice, it was never as socially isolating, yet so in touch with others at the same time. It's a curious paradox; we are more physically isolated from people yet we have some 450 odd friends on Facebook, but we don't have a clue as to who, or, what they really are save some acquaintance. We might pass them down the same corridor each and every day and not speak to them at all, still they're our friends in cyber space! Earlier, we really used to know people before using that term.
I'll tell you one experience which happened 2 days back. I had gone to drop my mom to the passport office..it was taking an awful lot of time so i decided to walk down to lalbagh in the meantime.on the way i saw MTR, the owner of which is my classmate from school. I thought of visiting him in office. I hadnt met him in 12 yrs.but had been friends on FB since many years...If not for those updates and photos we've been seeing of each other I dont think I would have gone up to meet him. Both of us wouldnt even have recognized each other...I met him and he was extremely happy seeing me and we chatted for several hours like long lost friends. Would it have been possible in the previous generation?
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