The internet and community sites

[masta247]

There's not many serious talks here lately so I decided to post my random thought :-P
When I was "chillin" with my friends yesterday we were thinking how awesome it would be to live in times when there was no internet, community sites, phones and the only way to talk to people was to actually meet them. And I don't mean living in some ancient times, just modern days with no other means of communication. I think that relations between people suck these days because of "how are you", "fine n u?" messages and shit like that.
Message boards and community sites are cool because they let you meet new people or keep in touch with those far away but I think they really sort of destroy bonds with people who live close to you.

There are people (mostly girls) I saw two or three times in my whole life adding me on our local community site. Come on, we didn't even talk and then she adds me without saying a word either. That's stupid.

Then there are people I've met and spent awesome times together and all great memories get ruined by seeing what they do now.
Sometimes I get a message from them like "hey, how are you? How's you life, studies, job blablabla" then I reply with "hey, thanks, it's fine, school is blablabla and how are you? what are you doing now blablabla" and then don't get a reply back.
I dislike that shit

 

[Flipmo]

I've talked to my friend about this before. The internet has somewhat destroyed social communication. For example, I know someone that freaked out cause my friend didn't attend her event she planned on Facebook, yet she didn't call anyone, it was all set up on facebook.

When you have to rely on a social network, instead of just picking up the phone, calling someone and letting the word go around to plan something. You really know something is fucked.
People used to be able to hold long conversations. When the last time you've heard of someone spending 3-4 hrs on a phone with a girl they just met, or an old friend? ....

I do think the Internet has brought people great stuff, but it has ruined a lot also. It's made us zombies to a certain extent.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Sounds like the early 90's when i was a kid. all we had was a phone. we spent most of the time outdoors. those were the good old days.

*cries*

 

[masta247]

Well said, I think that relationships between people were deeper back then. Now it's more important to have more friends to show off and many people don't even feel a need to have people close to them. I also know only a few people who have real friends they can spend whole days with.
I really like people who are above all that, I find them extremely valuable. It's hard to though.

On a side note it probably has something to do with age.
I remember the times I could spend a whole day and night just chatting with a girl.
Now everything seems to go way faster and less emotional while kids instead of confessing love in real life send hearts on facebook and e-hug themselves. Then they probably meet in real life, chat for a moment and go back to check their e-mails and text "I <3 u, it wAs CoOl"

 

[Duke]

I've talked to my friend about this before. The internet has somewhat destroyed social communication. For example, I know someone that freaked out cause my friend didn't attend her event she planned on Facebook, yet she didn't call anyone, it was all set up on facebook.

When you have to rely on a social network, instead of just picking up the phone, calling someone and letting the word go around to plan something. You really know something is fucked.
People used to be able to hold long conversations. When the last time you've heard of someone spending 3-4 hrs on a phone with a girl they just met, or an old friend? ....

I do think the Internet has brought people great stuff, but it has ruined a lot also. It's made us zombies to a certain extent.

Telephones started this.

 

[Flipmo]

Would you have prefered to travel for 3 days by horse to tell Old Thelma that Willy fell down the wishing well? Or just call em quickly.

Telephones weren't created to have people rape grammar and spelling by asking: "WUT U UP 2 NIKKAH, WAT?" on an instant message.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

The internets makes people look bad.

 

[Chronic]

Maybe it's simply pushing forward an already existing interpersonal disconnection.

 

[Elmira]

Yes yes I believe the proper term for it is "electronic superstimulation." It is true that the internet has a pull, and for sure it can keep you superficially amused for hours at a time. In all kinds of ways, so it becomes superfluous to leave your room. What makes me even sadder is the advent of the Sims video games and Wii tennis for examples, kids won't see the light of one true hard-court or actually get into the sport the way they were meant to. Then there is The Sims, and it disappoints me worse than the other video games kids spend hours indulged in for the sole reason that in the Sims you are creating your reality instead of living it: you create yourself, your friends, even your families. You personalize your life in this fashion, instead of living it! The other games, even WOW... they are fantasy. There you can live and interact with a world you can't see. But Sims...

It is true there is much that saddens me about this virtual reality. You've just got to know to keep it in moderation, and live a healthy life outside here. For instance I've been posting on the board for years and have stayed in talks with the same two characters, and I'm glad for it. You musn't over-do it, over stay your welcome on the internets.

 

[THEV1LL4N]

masta you couldnt be more right.

however, i do believe that communication can be continued through the medium of the internet but at a limited and less social level. In this case, some people like myself dont fully enjoy the experience as it just isnt the same but id rather participate in all this networking because it still does allow me to connect with others rather than halting posibily the only form of communication with some people. (i.e. those who live in different countries/continents).

Internet being a good or a bad thing is a debatable topic. It has runied a lot of things but its development for the most part has brought us many opportunities. You could say it has caused such social limitations for social opportunities e.g. going out to speak to someone as your original post suggests.

 

[S O F I]

If there's one characteristic in people I can't stand, it's narcissism, and thanks to social networking sites, my hate for people keeps increasing by day.

 

[Chronic]

If there's one characteristic in people I can't stand, it's narcissism, and thanks to social networking sites, my hate for people keeps increasing by day.

You don't want to know I'm having a bad day or that I'm going out to buy some cheese and I'll be back in 2 minutes since it's just across the road from where that old lady used to live?

 

[Flipmo]

If there's one characteristic in people I can't stand, it's narcissism, and thanks to social networking sites, my hate for people keeps increasing by day.

Couldn't have said it any better. Sites for people posing with bottles, sunglasses and looking awesomely 'rad' and living like a rockstar ... and at the end of the day, they get paid minimum working at the corner grocery store taking shit from an old woman wanting a discount on grapefruit.

Party on. :thumb:

 

[Da_Funk]

I never fell into the social networking craze. I mean I have facebook but i only go on it once every few months. I just don't care about joe schmoe from highschool who I can barely remember now.

Something that I can't help but laugh at and find somewhat pathetic is when I'm at school and go into the lunch area or a library and see four people sitting together, all with labtops out and all on facebook. I mean wtf people. Another thing that really grinds my gears is when you meet a chick and instead of talking on the phone she'll send you 150 texts a day. That shit is so impersonal and just down right rude, not to mention a big turn off.

 

[Duke]

I also hate myface and spacebook and Twatter and whatever. I can understand that for some people it's benefecial to have it around. Like if you actually do stuff for a living that pertains to the intarwebs, but for the rest it's totally meh.

 

[Preach]

How is posting random bullshit about yourself on a social networking site any different to posting random bullshit about bullshit on a forum (which in essence is like a social networking site)? The only difference is what you post about, but since it's all bullshit anyway, isn't it sorta hypocritical to be saying "well this bullshit makes you less of a loser than that bullshit"?

 

[Flipmo]

We're cooler Preach. We have a forum for footy where you can get an asshole German, punk Balkans, a drunk Irishman, some Indian Englishemn and a zany Dutchman arguing all day... Also, we've all been posting on this board for 3 yrs + ... So it's more personal.

Facebook is good to keep contact with people or family abroad that you're close to, but for the most part... people just pose trying to look cool or interesting to compensate for their boring lives. Here, the first minute we get someone posing like a douche, we chase them down Google avenue with e-pitchforks.

 

[Bobby Sands]

I also hate myface and spacebook and Twatter and whatever. I can understand that for some people it's benefecial to have it around. Like if you actually do stuff for a living that pertains to the intarwebs, but for the rest it's totally meh.

im always getting myspace and facebook mixed up so i tell my friends to come on myface

 

[masta247]

im always getting myspace and facebook mixed up so i tell my friends to come on myface

www.myface.com Fastest Growing Social Network Site (Powered by phpFoX)

 

[Sebastian]

We're cooler Preach. We have a forum for footy where you can get an asshole German, punk Balkans, a drunk Irishman, some Indian Englishemn and a zany Dutchman arguing all day... Also, we've all been posting on this board for 3 yrs + ... So it's more personal.

Facebook is good to keep contact with people or family abroad that you're close to, but for the most part... people just pose trying to look cool or interesting to compensate for their boring lives. Here, the first minute we get someone posing like a douche, we chase them down Google avenue with e-pitchforks.

Cant really believe that im browsing this board for more than 6 and a half years. Crazy.