Living Online

[tye stik]

I was reading this article today that I found really interesting. It was about how being connected through Forums, MySpace, IM's, and even cell phones has fundamentally changed our generation for the worse. Why worse you say? Well, I suggest you read the article 'cause its a damn interesting thing to think about.

As someone who had his first computer only... 5 years ago now? I feel I've had experiences on both ends of the spectrum... from absolutley no cyber-connectivity to now, almost, essential connectivity... with all the Emails and IM's I get daily. I got into computers headfirst and, believe me, in my 5 years experience with them I've learned more about them than most people who have grown up with them.

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/mg19125691.600?DCMP=ILC-OpenHouse&nsref=mg19125691.600INT

Check it out.

 

[BlueFalcon7]

Indeed, the internet, and communication has changed the world. For better or for worse, we are more connected than ever before. Sometimes, alone time is necesary (eventhough some people dont understand that.) Also, talking on IM is what I consider the lowest form of communication. You can hide almost anything, even fake emotions.

Today at school, my parents couldnt get me a ride home, so I had to stay at school for an extra hour, and while I was doing my homework, there were these 2 girls who I knew, and they were talking about how they were trying to find a date to homecoming, but they were too afraid to ask somebody in person, so they were discusing peoples' IM addresses. It kinda sickens me to see somebody too afraid to ask somebody to homecoming in person, thats really low, and they almost dont deserve to go with somebody if they have to resort to asking via IM.

 

[tye stik]

There used to be this kid in my computer class, he would talk about his online game friends as if they where, like, his real friends.

"OMG man, TBurmass last night... whos Canadian BTW... was like fingering his GIRLFRIEND, and aww man, he was like owning like everyone at the same time. :O"

He was a funny guy sometimes, I would include him in my classroom antics to give him a chance at being more open to people. I liked that kid 'cause he was completely oblivious about his geekdom and he just strut that shit.

 

[yegosimo]

I've changed a lot since I got my Myspace account (exactly a year ago)
I changed the music I hear, the clothes I wear, and nowadays I'm a very different person from which I was a year ago.
Yeah, I get IMs, E-Mails, and SMS's every day, also I visit this forum frequently even knowing that I have a test tomorrow.
It becomes addictive you know? I always check my E-Mail waiting for some replies of people I haven't heard about in years, I go into my Myspace to see if I have new Messages, Comments..., I send SMSs when I'm really bored, but yeah, It's a way of being.
BTW, my English have improved a lot, and I learned things like: LOL, Cya, Ltr, TTYL, LMAO... Stupid things

 

[tye stik]

BTW, my English have improved a lot

Lol. I'm sorry thats just funny.

I think that we're being fundamentally changed as human beings. Never in the history of humanities existance have we ever lived the way we do now. Our experience of life is drastically different than any other previous generation.

I don't think, in any other era, man has had to contend with 3 day Mountain Dew and Counter Strike binges... not to mention the lack of physical socialization as aposed to online persona interaction.

 

[yegosimo]

Yeah, "My English has improved...."
Just a mispelling...

 

[tye stik]

Yeah, "My English has improved...."
Just a mispelling...

I didn't mean to be rude if you took it that way.

MySpace is a scrouge of man kind... its part of a trend of accomplishing nothing yet remaining busy.

 

[BlueFalcon7]

I am so glad I dont have a myspace... I sometimes feel like the only one who doesnt have one. Now they have Myspace IM, and all this other crap. I just love it when I see somebody's profile, and it sais: "Here for: Sereoius relationships" Can relationships be serious on myspace?

 

[Allnatural]

I am so glad I dont have a myspace... I sometimes feel like the only one who doesnt have one.

You're not the only one. I avoid myspace like it's bubonic plague.

 

[tye stik]

Can relationships be serious on myspace?

You'd be surprized... I know a guy (or atleast know of him) who married someone he met online. Even more surprizingly... theyre not completely ugly and seem like regular people.

 

[Slougi]

I don't really think internet chat etc is bad. It's a very cheap, very easy, way to keep in touch with friends. If you want privacy, stand up and take a few steps in some random direction.

IRC for example is a nice medium for stuff like this, especially since you can type something and the next person sees it in a few hours or so. Also MSN, and all the other IM protocols, work ok, although they probably are a bit more invasive with their auto-idle stuff.

The real problem imo is that some people just lose it and spend all the time on the net talking to random strangers and never form any meaningful relationships in real life. Subsequently it gets a lot harder to make friends. Not sure what to do about that really. But to say that this is a problem that affects everyone is taking it too far.

On the other hand you can use these media also to keep track of where the next party is, who has the most booze, or just talk about random stuff. I don't think that's a bad thing.

 

[tye stik]

But to say that this is a problem that affects everyone is taking it too far.

I don't know... I mean, think about it. As a kid growing up you never have to rely soley on yourself... all you have to do is hit up your parents using speed dial on your cell phone. Thats gotta effect the development of independent thinking/problem solving/reliance.