Connectivity

I can't decide whether Facebook is the greatest thing since sliced bread or the death knell for interpersonal communication.

To be fair, I'm not only talking about Facebook. I'm talking about MySpace, Twitter, instant messaging, and text messages. I'm talking about every other fancy new communication medium out there. They all connect us in ways most of us never would have imagined. On top of that, the connections are growing at a rapid fire pace as more and more folks jump on the bandwagon. I think I've added close to two dozen new Facebook friends in the past month. I'm not the only one. Everyone else is right there with me. But are we better off because of it?

I know I'm not the first to suggest personal relationships are taking a back seat to electronic ones. But I've only recently started seeing the evidence of that theory firsthand. I have "friended" and talked to people on Facebook and MySpace only to suffer through awkward interactions when I see them in person. I have gotten annoyed when seemingly normal people try to have ENTIRE conversations with me via text message...rather than dialing my number. I've written on a friend or co-worker's wall rather than walk the 25 feet necessary to talk to them personally. I think it's safe to say people are more comfortable communicating in a passive way. To me, there's nothing more passive than the technologies that supposedly make us more connected.

It's not all bad. I know that. I've reconnected with old friends. There are a few people I probably wouldn't communicate with all that much if it weren't for Facebook. There's also a comedy aspect to all of it. It's fun and humorous to joke about each other's photos, status updates, and wall posts in such a public setting. But I do think there are hidden and unforeseen consequences to all of it.

That all said, I won't be jumping off the bandwagon anytime soon.