I was thinking about social interactions and the way the Facebook and other social networking sites help us communicate with each other in various ways. I was scrolling down my Facebook today, and saw a lot of very interesting posts. One of them had to do with religion, and it sparked a debate that included many people from different backgrounds. The one thing that I noticed is that friends of friends of friends were participating in this discussion, and many of them weren't on my friends list, nor the originator of the philosophical question. But there were over 40 posts under the original questions, and people were able to respond to each others statements and points of view. Not that any of the posts had any more validity than others, but this forum allowed many people to share their views on a particular subject. And while the "answer" may have not been found, the discussion and different views of interpretation were very interesting to read. Being a 'grad' student, I thought that I would make the observation that these sites are not only a way for people to stay in touch, and be constantly (and annoyingly) updated on what people are doing. It's also a place where discussion can take place freely, and ideas and philosophies can be shared to form a group understanding on theories and issues that we encounter on a daily basis.
So, outside of letting everyone know that you got caught 'touching it' (HA HA!!! Sorry, I blame the navy...) Facebook allows people to connect on a deeper level than it may have originally been intended. That is to say, the exchange of information and possible answers to questions that many of us can't find answers to in other places.
Just a thought.
I also agree that FB has become a place for public debate on a wide range of topics from politics to sports to religion...but it also serves as a means of maintaining relationships even if you haven't seen a person face to face for 18 years. FB is an interesting tool that helps connect human minds and human ideas. What would we do without it?!
ReplyDeleteI question why Facebook has become more successful than MySpace...?
ReplyDeleteDoes technology have a dark side? Don Campbell (2008) who teaches at Emory University thinks so. In a recent article, he writes that “[t]he digital culture has changed the way kids learn, but at the expense of literacy and cultural awareness” (p. 122). He contends that the “digital culture” is “narrowing” the horizon “to a self-absorbed social universe that blocks out virtually everything else” (p. 123). He further quotes another researcher (Bauerlein) who wrote that “[t]he Internet doesn’t impart adult information; it crowds it out”; “[v]ideo games, cell phones and blogs don’t foster rightful citizenship. They hamper it” (p. 123)
ReplyDeleteCampbell (2008) concludes:
1. We can’t fight technology, nor should we.
2. The Internet is the greatest research tool ever invented.
3. But we must fight the dark side.
What do you think about this? Is there is a dark side? How bad is it, if it even exists?
Campbell, D. (2008). Plugging in, tuning out. In L. Bauknight & B. Rollins (Eds.), Present tense: Contemporary themes for writers (122-124). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.
Jon: i have found that anything i post that is vaguely anti-religious causes immediate eruptions in discussion on facebook. it is the one time were i get nervous about my friends who don't actually know one another fighting. it is another area that i have found i check myself rather than offend people or get drawn into an argument. i still probably offend people, but i try to pick my fights.
ReplyDelete