Why Can't We Be Friends

Considering the development of the Internet was sprung, was the Internet destined to become a large community of social and informational access?

People today are becoming more and more sociable. Sitting in class you see students on their cell phones and computers talking to their friends. I disturbing to think how unaware people actually are of their surroundings and whats going on physically. No one really gives a shit who your dating and what to plan on attending this afternoon after class. I can understand the potential benefits of social interaction communities online, but to some extent people take things way too far. It's an irrelevant waste of time to keep updating one's status because something dramatic happened in your life. "Oh my goddness... I got my haircut, I better blog about it... Facebook status "So & so got a new haircut." Myspace status... is lovin' my new haircut. Considering how this person is linked to the same group of people, no matter the socail network, I think they've got the message.

One thing that's really sad is when a bunch of people are standing together waiting outside of class and none of them are socializing with one another. They are all on their cell phones talking to someone else. Why make new friends when all your friends are in the palm of your hand? Or considering you already made friends with someone last night who lives in Texas?

I think this is kinda sad... the other day I left my cell phone in the studio and drive home without it. I realized it was back on the soundboard and I thought "I can just get it later." But.... wait... I have my alarm set on it, I have to call my buddy in the morning, and I have to send texts to members for another group project. SHIT!!!! I had to drive back to get it. People rely so heavily on virtual communities we often feel helpless without the power in our hands.

Society today is more linked together where a person can walk away from their friends and family, and still be in contact with them wherever they choose to. I am actually watching and chatting with my sister as I write this essay on I-chat (she's back in Syracuse). Web 2.0 has definitely taken off... and their are no limitations to what is to become of the future in social interactions.

Online or virtual communities are a group of people that primarily interact via communication media such as newsletter, telephone, email, online social networks, or instant messaging rather than face to face (Wikipedia.com, 2008). From what I've studied in my communication classes "face-to-face" communication is the most essential form of communication to deliver (transmit) a message. What's the drive behind the interaction of online communities? The increase recognition and self efficiency of others is a strong drive to contribute more information and time to the Internet. With the development of the Internet, and with the increasing pervasiveness of communicaiton between networked computers, we are in the middle of the most transforming technological event since the capture of fire (Gulia, M., Wellman, B. 1997, August). Agreeing strongly with this statement, I beleive that we have yet to see the potentail of socail interactions via Internet communities. Considering we went from playing Donkey Kong (Arcade Version) to MMORPG's like World of Warcarft, i'd say the potentail of future modification is exponentailly relevant and probable. Collaborations of different websites like Facebook and Myspace have given people the opportunities to develop reputations. People think popularity develops by adding more friends and more interaction electronically. In some cases... yes! It does. Ebay and Amazon have profiles were the more you buy and the more you sell the more recogniton you get.

Internet communities have given civilization the benefit of staying on contact and organizing the people we know. It brings us self efficency and fills in the little holes of loneliness we go through time after time. I hope the future brings better bits of technology so someday we may all be connected and share the net. Maybe someday we'll move towards Web 3.0. However, I hope to see that people don't give up their lives and sell themselves to a reality that doesn't exist.


>Virtual Community (2008, October 16th). http://Wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_communities

>Gulia, M., Wellman, B., (1997, August). Net surfers don't ride alone: Virtual communities as communities. University of Toronto. NY: Routledge & CO: Westview