Today, one of my friends texted me asking if I was moving to the city I currently live in--and, I wasn't quite sure how to answer. I mean, I live here now. I'm going away to where I grew up for about a month, but then I'll be coming back. But, I'm also looking at possibilities of moving elsewhere--grad school, ESL teaching abroad, prospective jobs.
Being a bit rootless can be fun. I have the luck of living in the age of world wide connectivity through the internet, so I can stay in touch with the people I love wherever I go. It means I don't have much to drop to grasp for new opportunities, but it can also be sad to think about why its so easy to pick up and leave.
What does it mean to connect or disconnect in the age of internet? In someways, you never have to be alone, but the technology can consume more and more of our days till we don't remember the last time we had a face to face conversation--ones where we catch the glints in one another's ideas when we find our passions.
Today's a bit of a ramble, but it's what is rolling through my mind today. Tomorrow, I'll aim for a more coherent topic.
Rambles are good. What are your thoughts on the latest "studies" that show the link between social media and the higher rates or perceived loneliness?
ReplyDeleteI think what most of these studies (and others that look at self-esteem and social media time) demonstrate that social media has an effect on our ability to genuinely connect to one another. Regardless of the era of "online presence," it is difficult for people to be honest and open enough to get the kind of recognition and connection that helps us maintain our sense of worth and value in relationships. Knowing what goes out onto the net will be "observed" by another makes us into little performers for one another. I do it for this blog! I don't write here the same way I would speak if we were face to face.
ReplyDeleteI think the key comes down to recognizing the limits of connectivity through social media. I also think, to a large degree, the ability to "connect" (or not feel lonely) through social media relies on having a sense of connection outside of the online sphere.