Description: The Public Isolation Project was born.
As she literally X’s off the 30 days she is spending cut off from the world, Norine chronicles her experience through her blog http://www.publicisolationproject.com/.
On the other side of the glass, Elliott is filming a documentary on their collaboration.
They are not anti-technology, Elliott says, just hoping to inspire more conversation about how everything from the internet to iPads are shaping people’s lives.
Source: CNN.com
Date: Nov 22, 2010
We think we are being social on these gadgets,” she said. “And it can be a really great thing when people live in different states, but when you are at dinner or you are trying to have a conversation and you are being distracted by these other things. Or maybe you are just not going out as much because you are staying home and are online.”Usually a TV and photography production manager based in Los Angeles, California, Norine ended up in her own personal fishbowl in Portland after a chance meeting with Josh Elliott. Click here for rest of story
Questions for discussion:
- Do you feel social media changes the way people communicate? Explain?
- Are we being “social” when we are on our electronic gadgets?
- What are the social benefits of our gadgets and using them for communication?
Jerica Filanti
I agree that technology is largely taking over people’s lives. What did we do before we had cell phones to text each other? We actually had to pick up the phone and talk to them, or walk down the street to visit. Having cell phones that do everything for us has made some people lazy. I know I am addicted to my phone, and I hate that feeling. It goes everywhere with me. It first started out as a safety thing, where if I got into an accident or a situation where there was no one around, I could call someone for help. Now, I use it for anything but that. It has taken the personal out of my personal life. I find myself texting my friends at a birthday party when they are in the next room rather than getting up and walking over to them to have a conversation. To me, this is not being social. Sure you are interacting with others, but it’s not the face to face interaction which I think is necessary to grow and develop as a person.
Stephanie.H.
Yes I do feel that social media changes the way people communicate because it seems that people need to be constantly on their technology even me included. It seems that most of us need to have constant communication through technology even if we have a person right next to us. I mean most of us keep our cell phones within arms reach just to have that extra communication. We even neglect other people in a room just to keep updated with what else is going on. We are to a point still being social when were on our electronic gadgets because we are still responding to what others are saying and keeping in tuned with other conversations, but were also being anti-social because we neglect other people when they are with us to be on our electronic devices. The social benefits of our gadgets in forms of communication are that they allow us to communicate anywhere at anytime and that we can keep constant communication for as long as the battery life of the device last. Plus in some peoples case its easier for them socially to open up over electronic conversation then face-face communication. The gadgets allow for all different types of communication.
Carlos.Z
From a student’s perspective, I generally agree the social media can change the way people communicate. Because the social media can not only save a great deal of time for individuals to get mess information which they may look for but it can also help organizations to disseminate or transmit the information in an effective way.
It is hard to find a standard answer about we are social or not for when we are using electronic gadgets.Because different people focused on various function or favour for their electronic gadgets. From my point of view,to some extent, ‘we are still social’ as there may have some online program provided by electronic gadgets. We can use the network to communicate each other or do the business.
One the social benefits of our gadgets and using them for communication is that we are not limit by the geography problem any more. Therefore, we can communicate each other easily in anywhere even cross the borders.
Even though there might be still some challenges for social media as the article mentioned. Overall, I believe all the positive sides are far better than the negative sides.
Adam G
I do believe social media has changed the way in which we communicate. Texting makes it easier to tell someone something that is difficult to say. That remains true with facebook, twitter and so on. We can now hide behind our means of social communication.
If we are using our gadgets to talk to someone while we are spending time with another that is not very social. It is particularly rude. There are arguably situations where you may have to text someone while you are out with a friend/girlfriend/boyfriend but having a pointless conversation that is ruining your ‘face to face’ time is not one of these acceptable situations in my eyes.
That being said, there are benefits to our gadgets; I simply dislike them taking precedence over ‘face time’ with another person. Facebook is an excellent way to keep track of those that you may not otherwise be able to. For example, A friend of yours from high school moves to the other-side of the country or even to another country, Facebook is an awesome way to keep track of them. Cell phone texting is also nice for nation wide and international texting, and often cheaper than phone calls. Skype is also an excellent communication medium.
And so, social media is beneficial in the right situations. Do not let it take over your face time with friends, or lock yourself in a glass cell of technology.
Krystle Hurley
I definitely feel that social media changes the way people communicate. Personally, I know that I talk to my friends that live in other cities a lot more because of things like facebook and texting. There are a lot of times when I am just too busy to call and catch up with them and social media helps to eliminate this barrier. There is another side to this coin as well, though. I know people who text, e-mail or use facebook to communicate messages that should be done in person and this is becoming a very real issue because it’s basically telling the person that you didn’t care enough to tell them these things in person.
I do think that we are being social when we use social media, however it is different from the traditional sense. Like I said, using social media helps me communicate to people I would otherwise wait until Christmas break or summer to talk to. Again, there is another side to this coin. When people are staying at home to mess around on Facebook rather than going out with their friends, there is a problem there.
The social benefits obviously include bridging the gap between friends and family who live far apart. Social media also eliminates the barrier of time. I can send somebody a message on Facebook at 3 in the morning if its the only time I have available and the receiver of the message can check it at a time thats convenient for them. Sites like Facebook have also re-connected me with old friends from elementary school that I otherwise may not have even spoken with ever again.
Chuqiao(Emma).yu
Over the past 10 years, we have seen social media galvanize thousands over politics, create as many industries as it has destroyed, and offer an abundance of visual and audio entertainment. Social media allows you to keep in touch with people with a level of regularity and intimacy that you wouldn’t usually have access to, because time and space limitations make it impossible. I think we are being “social” when we are on our electronic gadgets. Considering the many communications technologies through history, such as the telephone, Morse code, semaphore, carrier pigeons, smoke signals. They are all fairly inconvenient and labor intensive. Lisa has hit on the idea that communication has become so convenient that it is actually become ambient around us. It surrounds us wherever we want it, not necessarily when it wants us. We dip into it whenever we like.
Breann L
I think that social media changes the way we communicate in a big way. We are now communicating through social media networks more than ever. Social media is different from old methods of communication such as mail, telephone, or even email. It allows its users and communicators to communicate using a computer which changes the way we communicate by leaving out key components of the communication process such as tone of voice, facial expressions, overall nonverbal cues, and even certain verbal cues. Participants in social bmedia communication are allowed the opportunity to better plan out what they are going to say and in turn make sure they are saying the “right” things. This takes away the intitial response of what a person might think or say creating a decrease in people “thinking on the spot.”
I do not usually use the term “social” when refering to social networks the communication through them. I think that there are a lot of components to excercising your social skills that social media networks leave to be desired, such as the social environment of an office, party etc.
Obviously there are benefits to social media. It allows real time communication between people with no worries about location or cost. These two benefits are big and create a great need and use for social media.
It is important for us to remember that social media is a new technology and that we need to maintain our old methods of communication as well as utilize social media communication when it is apporptiate and when it will not take away from the communication processes of our lives and the social aspects as well.
Jessy Gust
I think that “The public isolation project” is a brilliant art project, and is really not that far off from what most of us experience everyday. Isolation, is the perfect word to explain what we, as a culture are becoming from the world. I believe that social media has changed how we communicate, in a very immense way. Generally, as mentioned above I do think it has changed how we communicate for the better, but in many ways it has made real human interaction for many of us a challenge.
Social media has changed how we communicate with one another, and although it does help people to connect with friends and family that do not live nearby, I believe it has also made the connections with the people that we do see more impersonal. Focussing on the number one social network of Facebook, it has greatly changed how we communicate with our friends. Somehow, even text and e-mail can seem passe when one has the convenience of just logging on to Facebook and “chatting” with one another.
Obviously all the advances in technology are being made to communicate with people more effectively and efficiently. Living in such a “on the go” planet and everybody is always in a rush, it is hard to ignore the social networks that are in tact, and I think it is vital to use them wisely and be aware of the benefits and disadvantages accordingly.
Alex Barrett
I agree that technology has taken over our lives. I was not allowed a cell phone until I was 16 and at the time I resented my parents for it. Now, however, I am glad that rule was put in place, as I see children as young as 8 years old with cell phones and other digital toys and cant help but wonder what the future consequences of this will be.
When I previously attended college I quickly met new people, waiting outside a classroom, or waiting for a proffesor to arrive, or just waiting for a bus. Now everyone around me has their earphones in, listening to an iPod, or is sitting with their laptop, or playing on a smartphone… it does not make me want to approach someone to chat. Furthermore, I now feel out of place if I do not have my iPod on or texting someone!
This technology to “connect” us is also forming a barrier, a screen, for us to hide behind. We say and do things that we may otherwise not do face-to-face. Instead of connecting us I think it segregates us from social interaction and thus can create a deep feeling of loneliness.
Esmarilin
Like many others have commented, I agree that this isolation project is a great way to put into perspective what our lives have become with technology and what they would be like without it. Today in our daily lives people cant live without answering a text msg, fb, or twittering, even to the degree that they must answer/text while driving and even while enjoying dinner in company of another person. These technologies have consumed so much of our life, that its taken out the real ” social” aspect of our daily interacting. Information richness and socializing go hand in hand, and it is in its richest form when it involves Face to face interaction. I know that there are technologies such as skype which do enable you to see one another over the internet and communicate freely but it has taken the main enjoyment of another company in person. I think This project exactly exemplifies what I have commented and this is Social enabling technology has taken the main social aspect OUT, and that is human interaction.
Kristin Q
I agree that social media is changing the way people communicate. I remember getting a cell phone for my 16th birthday to have with me for safety when driving and going out with friends. It has been a constant companion since then, obviosuly changing with technology to the different models to now what we have come to call a smartphone. I have especially noticed how it isolates social interaction since I have moved to Lethbrdige for school, I will go for days without actually talking to friends and family. When I realize that I actually dial the phone and use it to talk to people.From the aspect of being away from ‘home’I am thankful for products suck as IM, smartphones, facebook and Skype. When I am home however it now seems just that much more ridiculous to text the people that I would much rather see and have a conversation with in person. I hate the feeling of being addicted to my phone, but I admit that it goes everywhere with me. The only time I shut it off is on holidays and even then there is now free internet access in most places so people are still ‘connected’. I wonder what the world will be like in another 20 years???
brandon.macdonald
Ironically, while I feel that I am a fan of technology I have been innately very resistant to the “social media revolution.” I only recent purchased my first cell phone and it is not a smart phone. I have a facebook account, but I rarely use it. I don’t use Twitter. My gut reaction to most of these technologies is that they are “creepy”. The constant issues of privacy on facebook that spring up on the news are enough to make your skin crawl. But beside those very real concerns, social media could very well be on its way to destroying an entire generation’s ability to properly communicate. In conversations with a Junior High English Teacher I know, constant texting and use of “internet speak” has reduced the quality of submitted work. Humans also use a large array of non-verbal communication techniques that are completely lost when simply conversing through electronic devices.
The performance art piece is excellent at highlighting the problems with social media; everyone can see what you are doing, but you never truly interact with anyone.
Jo-Anne
Do social media change the way people communicate? I think so. Social communication tools definitely change when and where people choose to communicate with others, for example. How many of us have noticed while driving the person driving the vehicle behind us chatting away on a cell phone? How many of us have gone to a movie theate and noticed others throughout the theatre texting away? How many of us have sat next to people who have received and answered cell phone calls during a movie — right there, in the theatre? This can be distracting to fellow patrons, but some people choose to communicate with social communication devices in theatres anyway. How many have found themselves sitting around others who text away, play online games, and email others throughout a lecture? This can be distracting to others attending the lecture, and even to the person giving the lecture, but some people text away, and play online games, and email others throughout lectures anyway. Cristin Norine, in the video clip accompanying the article we have all looked at and are commenting about here mentions that while out for dinner with another person, her conversation with the other person has been curtailed by the other person feeling an urge to text others on a social communication device instead. Being able to communicate with others from anywhere we wish pretty much with social communication devices has its pros, for sure — e.g., with seeking of help when needed, and with keeping in touch with others across distances — but has its cons as well. And social communication tools have definitely changed when and where people might choose to communicate, I feel, and so have changed how people communicate… for better or for worse…
Dave D
I can see where Norine is frustrated with technology. I have the same frustrations with it as well. There are definitely pros and cons of technology.
I find it very frustrating when you are trying to talk to someone and they are texting someone at the same time. They aren’t listening to you and therefore ask you to repeat yourself or make it look like they’ve been listening. It really irritates me when I have to repeat myself, especially when the person is texting someone. You can’t tell jokes because the person totally misses what you were saying and it is no longer funny. When people try to play it off as if they heard you they look stupid. Texting has consumed some people’s lives, they can’t go without texting at dinner. It is rude to text at the table and not a good habit to get into, especially when you enter the business world.
Jorin
I think the ability to handle the advancement of technology comes down to self control. People are addicted to it and, like alcohol, society says it’s okay. Well the truth is that like alcohol, some people can handle it and some people can’t. You either waste your day staring at a screen, or you check-in once and a while to say hi to some friends. I am not judging anyone, I have my facebook and twitter deactivated right now so I can stay focused for exams. I think this boom in people staring at there phones and wasting hours looking at a computer screen can also be compared to getting a new gift, for the first little while you will be obsessed but after a while the novelty will wear off. social media is a gift to society and eventually (maybe a couple generations from now) the honeymoon will be over. Not to say that social media is a fad, because it isn’t, but new generations will find something else to be interested in soon enough. Facebook is where the party is at right now, but once you have gone to the party enough, you get sick of it.
sorry for all the crappy analogies haha, but that is how I feel, and all you said was comment.
Here is a something I would look in to doing in
Alberta though:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/children_shealth/7467200/Rehab-clinic-for-children-internet-and-technology-addicts-founded.html
maybe make some money of the tech junkies while we can.
samyung2010
Do you feel social media changes the way people communicate? Explain?
I personally do believe that social media changed the way people communicate because you can keep in touch with people whom you haven’t kept in contact with or people who live miles and miles away. Another thing that changed our live style using social media is that we could possibly know latest updates on a friend or a family member is by looking at their status. Instead of giving them a call for a chat there would be another option just by looking at their personal page. However, it does raise a lot of concern regarding privacy and safety issues because not only you and your friend would be able to see the conversation, people all round the world could possibly look at your conversation. Also I totally agree with Norine about people constantly text messaging or talking to people through social network anywhere. It is frustrating when you have dinner with a friend and you constantly see your friend text messaging.
Anita Hsieh
Do you feel social media changes the way people communicate? Explain?
Yes I do feel that social media completely changed the way people have communicated with each other. Instead of exchanging dialogue aggessively I feel that people are passively stating their thoughts and feelings over a intangible medium. There is also the way things are expressed, it is more of a declarative statement that people react to therefore I see social media contributes to a one way soliloquy where people may or may not respond to, taking out the entire communication aspect of it. I also think that we are subjected to bringing out “best face” when communicating via social media since everything can be artificially created, from the way we phrase our status updates to the personal info, we can fool the entire world that we are a specific character. Even through skype we are able to adjust our surroundings and lighting to create a perfect setting to hold conversation. It’s too fixed, too contrived.
Are we being “social” when we are on our electronic gadgets?
Not really, we are communicating using convenient and effective technology but being social is more than being able to respond lightening fast on your blackberry or iPhone, its relating to people on a personal level, I see gadgets as being a catalyst in responding to people faster but such haste ruins the art of conversing.
What are the social benefits of our gadgets and using them for communication?
The social benefits of gadgets and using them for communication is being able to respond wherever you may be, your can be contacted in emergencies.
Scott S
Ha Ha I laugh to myself. 10 years ago I told myself that this technology was going to be just a small part in the day to day lives of people and that it would soon pass. Man was I wrong. The rapid increases in technology tools is nothing short of amazing. 5 years ago I had a cell phone and had no interest in getting a phone that could texted or look at the internet. I got a IPhone last year and I can’t imagine going anywhere with out it. I love it. When looking at how social communication 10 yaers ago it was meet and greet other people. Today its all about facebook and texting. One thing I have noticed is how much more blunt people are when it come to communicating with each other. 10 years ago people would never be as straight forward as they are today. The biggest reason is that they can hide behind there electronic device. When people socialize behind they computers they almost become a different person. I do think that computers and smart phones are a great means of keeping in contact with people that live far away. I also think that people are so addicted to their technology that they sometimes forget how good it is to get out and do something with friends. And so I leave it at that. There are definately good uses of it but it can also become a problem.
Georgina Pina
Oh it is so true! Everything has changed since Facebook became so popular world wide. And not just Facebook but all this social networks in every country. It only affects those who want to be affected, and it can cause an important change in people’s lifes. It has its pros and cons. Definitely one of the cons is how we spend more time living on line than actually living real life. People are more worried about putting their pictures on Facebook than enjoying the moment when the picures is being taken. It is quite ironic. A couple of days ago I asked one of my roomates what was he doing. He answered: “socializing”. He was locked in his room facebooking and I thought “woow that’s our concept of socializing nowadays?”. However it is true that this media can be our only way to get in touch with some people when we are not in the same place, and even when we need a quick answer. It has also become a marketing tool for a lot of companies.
Shawna MacDonald
I definitely think social networking changes the way people communicate. “I’ll facebook her later” or something along those lines are common terms that are used even instead of “I’ll call you later” – at least on the phone you are speaking to each other. People develop relationships through social networking that they never would in the real world. Things such as Facebook addiction are common, and you can even walk down the halls at school or downtown and see people checking or updating their facebook statuses on their smartphones. There is no escape. People rely too heavily upon social networking and neglect their actual social lives. Not even online, this can be seen via texting. Kids get cell phones at outrageously young ages just so they can text their friends. What ever happened to face to face communication? I think technology is a drawback in this area because people just become more secluded in their own lives and don’t really even realize the lack of social interaction they are missing.
Jobbie C.
The social media is changing and transforming the way people communicate tremendously. One tends to communicate on social networking sites or intranet in an organization or school than physical communication. The increasing usage of Facebook is a good example of the spread of social media communication. Undeniably, people are still being “social” when they are using electronic gadgets. Social internet communication increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the communication in the organization. One can have video-conferencing with another in other countries in anywhere and at anytime. However, it leads to the decrease in face-to-face communication among one and the others. In the video, Norine trapped herself in the glasshouse for 30days with just communicate with others through the internet. This is a question to ask ourselves: Are we doing the same as what Norine does every day?
Dustin Lehmann
I have been noticing that social media does create a sense of being apart of everything even though you are not actually. When you are on facebook you are constantly being updated with what is going o n in the world, community and in the life of your friends.This gives you the fake perception that you are involved in all of these events because you are aware of them but actually you aren’t apart of them but mearly viewing from afar. I used to call all of my friends weekly and now with social media I can get ahold of them through facebook, bbm, twitter, and texting. I have found that I miss the contact withactually people’s voice instead of reading about what they are doing.
Addison R
I think social media is here to stay. I dont think Facebook will phase itself out like Nexopia or even MySpace to some extent. However, personally, I find Facebook to be a great way to interact and network among many people, especially the ones out reach or far away. What I do find frustrating is the fact that people use this medium to talk to people that lives in the same city and could easily be dialed up on the phone. We learn so much about communication richness and the lack of it electronically. I think that Facebook lacks the richness that real relationships and friendships desire. It really is becoming an addiction for some people as they clearly can’t escape the need to watch people update their status’s or change their own. I know I could not spend 2 days in that cell, “social media” or not.
Brett
Yes of course the constant progress and innovation associated with social media continues to change the way that people communicate. Social media comes up with more and more ways for us to avoid face-to-face communication. When individuals converse in the same setting you are aware of the others emotions and can react accordingly; but, in the case of social media, texting or even email you can’t tell. The way that one defines being social varies amongst cultures and individuals but to me I feel that you are not being social. Using your social media is still not anti social behavior or negative, it is just not a productive social setting.
Josh F
I think social media changes the way people communicate to a high degree. I have seen such a defference in communication since smartphones came into existance. These phones give the user the ability to go on facebook, email, or youtube at any given time. Alot of people I know only communicate through text, and it seems these technologies are warding off personal face to face interactions. I do not think we are being social when using these gadgets becuase these technologies cannot show peoples emotion or facial expressions which are a large part of interacting with others. With that said, these gadgets do make people’s lives easier. I can see how having access to the internet at all times can be very beneficial, but when you are constantly using these technologies to live your life it becomes a little overwhelming. Personally if I had this type of technonogy availiable to me at all times i would use it constantly, which I know would be a problem and a distraction from whats going on in the rest of the world.
kathy
I think that social media does changes the way people communicate. It makes us anti-social For example cell phones, now a day’s two people can be walking next to each other and they are either texting or talking on their cell phone. We no longer communicate with people next to us. We are so involved with technology that we forget about the people around us. Therefore we are not being social when we are on our electronic gadgets. When we put in our headset from our ipod we forget about the world around us. We become less involved with the world and forget all about the world around us. I did not have a cell phone till this year and it has become my right hand. I can’t live without it but somehow I managed to live without for 19 years. Another gadget is the computer I did Cyber School for three years and I lost some social abilities. I think that gadgets are useful because they help us communicate with each. Further it helps us stay in touch with people that are not close to us. In addition it makes life easier to communicate. Electronic gadgets have positive and negative effects on our social abilities.
Lisa
Here, let me post my assignment on this elctronic device and send it to you all to read…Exactly! Social networking and all this technology that comes with it is most definitely taking over people’s lives and verbal skills. What was the world even like without cell phones?! People get completely lost when they forget it at home or in the car. Social media has changed the way people even communicate with eachother…texting one another when you are sitting right next to them, or talking in “text slang”, it’s ridiculous. As a soon to be teacher, i see some of my grade 5’s texting eachother in the playground at recess, it’s absolutely insane. People will purposly avoid an actual face to face conversation because of the awkwardness or embarrassment these days..it’s just easier to text them or facebook them later. And although it is all definitely here to stay and just get bigger and better, i do beleive that having a conversation and looking someone in the eye is very important and is being pushed to the back burner becuase of the convience of all this social media.
Tracy
I think it’s very interesting to consider what social media is actually doing. I do believe some people take the notion too far, like those who sit at home and blog or update their networking pages all day, but many people are just using social media to complement their real life. For me, Facebook and Twitter are just tools to communicate with people I will see the next day or family members I haven’t seen in too long because of physical distance. There is a very fine line though, between keeping up with friends and becoming one of those people with more virtual friends than physical. An example of balance is I may text a friend to ask she meet me at a coffee shop, but having the whole conversation over text messaging seems too superficial. So as social media increases, we must be more careful to only use it as a supplement, not a replacement, of our social interactions.
Sarah Fal
I can’t even remember the last time I received a letter from a friend. I miss those days, and now when I get a letter in the mail for myself that isn’t a bill, I’m jumping for joy! Social Media has ruined the old form of communication. Problem now, is people won’t STOP communicating with you. The internet has made it so easy to get a hold of everyone, that now if you don’t respond within hours, it suddenly becomes offensive. I know people, who go home from school and will spend hours on Facebook, and Twitter. I myself check it regularly because now I get school messages along with personal messages on Facebook. I think Social Media created a lot less “Social” activity. People don’t go out anymore, or call to see how someone is doing, it’s purely by computer. Which to me, taken the personal message completely out of it.
Michelle Zeng
Social media definitely changed the way communicating, especially for young people. People call each other less, write to each other less, instead, messages are sent out through social network. However, i don’t thinking social media is replacing the traditional way of communication. Social media communication is like fast food communication, users can get friends’ updates easier and faster. We still going out with friends for movies and dinners, still playing games together. And a deep and broad conversation is not easily taking place on social media or through txt message. After people get used to social media, addicted to it, maybe one day people would realize the most memorable things with friends are the interesting conversations, friend’s smile and the pranks, but not the posts on facebook.
Kayla D
Human interaction is becoming a thing of the past. I think that technology is something that has had a wonderful effect on the world today… within moderation. I have a significant other who is across the country and I can’t with 100% certainty that we would still be together without the use of our cellphones for both calling and text messages or even facebook for that matter. It’s an alternative way to keep in contact when people’s schedules (especially military member’s schedules) don’t mesh.
I think there is an issue when the technology is being abused. I’ve always been told that ‘To much of anything makes you an addict’. Seeing people on their cellphones texting during a meal at a fancy restaurant is a little disturbing. I honestly believe that if the abuse continues the way it has, children will grow up without any social skills. Wouldn’t that be disturbing?
Jvo
I think social media is totally changing the way we interact and socialize with each other, especially with the increase of digital social networking like Facebook, Twitter, and Skype. Even though we are connected by these social networks it definitely decreased the face to face interaction. The problem is that technology is making things way to convenient to avoid that in person socializing. Most people I know would rather text than call, I understand the appeal of reading a message whenever you want but you lose a lot of humanistic value of interaction. I definitely run my life through my phone. I am able to check all of the social networking sites and text within an instant, however I do miss the in person interaction. For example when exam and projects pile up I don’t really have any time to meet and social in person, and my only way to communicate is through my phone.
Mark Anderson
I do not think that social media is making people anti social, but I do agree that it changes the way people are communicating with each other. Social media is a great way to communicate with friends and family especially when they are in different cities or even different countries. It also allows you to reconnect with friends that you have moved apart from in recent years. A simple thing such as status updates or uploaded photos from recent trip allows your friends a view into your life they otherwise would not have. The way social media might make people more anti social if you prefer it rather than traditional face to face interaction. If you are with your friend you might feel you are missing out on something your other friends are doing if you are not by your computer.
Celest-
Social media has changed people’s lives in a lot more ways than just one. For instance, many people can now reach members of their families and friends in distant lands easily, cheaply, and almost instantly. With this has come the invention of new communication methods such as short-hand writing so as to relay a message fast while maximizing the limited space available for use at the same time. With this has come the challenge of not being able to understand the message conveyed in short-hand such that being of a certain age-group (peers) with some people is almost a requirement for to understand the typed message. Also while trying to be social on these electronic gadgets, many have ended up turning anti-social to other people as they try being social to the people with whom they are connecting via their electronic gadgets. This is not only rude, but also annoying to the people they are ignoring or breaking conversations with to attend to these gadgets.
Whereas these gadgets are useful for reaching people such as relatives in distant places cheaply, they are sometimes used just for fun rather than for conveying useful information. At other times, people just use them for showing-off so as to be ranked in certain social classes.
Kaleigh
I do agree that social media has changed the way in which we communicate with others. Now a day, people make less telephone calls and use other forms of communication instead; such as, sending text messages, e-mails, and Facebook messages. I would have to say that social media has definitely changed the way in which I communicate with family, friend, and colleagues. I barely receive phone calls anymore; people are constantly using other forms of communication to get in contact with me.
My marketing team created a Facebook group, which allowed us to communicate ideas easily with one another. We were able to posted useful websites on our group page and we also posted messages on the group wall. Creating a Facebook group was a much more efficient way to communicate then sending multiple emails.
Meghan
This made me open my eyes to how much everyone is so consummed with technology that it can hinder their life. So many people are glued to a cell phone or computer and I hate when I go out with a friend and they are constantly on their cell phone..it is so rude. Technology will not go away but I think people need to put a real value on it and see what is important..real life or a virtual life.
Kayley F
• Do you feel social media changes the way people communicate? Explain?
I absolutely feel that social media changes the way people communicate with each other. It is fascinating that hardly 5 years ago there was little to no social media hype as popular social networks hadn’t generated enough interest to change the entire way we communicate. Previous to that time, electronic communication was mostly limited to e-mail, and phone calls and text messaging was more the norm. Currently, there has been speculation that e-mails are starting to lose their appeal, as they are not instant enough. Very frequently with smart phones do people have social media applications where messages on breaking news stories, traffic reports, weather warnings, local hockey scores, friends’ pictures etc can be brought to the user’s attention with a push notification. The days of waiting are over and instant knowledge gratification is on the rise.
Teresa S
Social media has drastically changed the way people communicate. These days, people carry cell phones and barely ever use them to talk to people. Instead, people use social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to describe to a number of people at the same time how they are feeling or what option they are considering for supper. Sometimes individuals share too much information through social media. There are many benefits to using gadgets and social media for communication. For example, people can communicate with friends and relatives that are outside their area codes. But sometimes using these ways of communication elimates the human contact of communication itself. Could that mean we are actually being “anti social”?
Fiona Jin
I truly feel that social media changes the way of people communicate a lot. Traditional, people talk to each other face to face, but now, people like typing message instead of talk even the person who you are talking is right beside you. For example, I sometimes chat with my roommate through MSN even if he is right beside my room. As a lot of people may think this technology may improve efficiency of our daily life, but if you always chat with someone else through social media, people will not be able to get along with others. Which I meant is that people lack of true communication as widely using of social media. However, the benefit cannot be ignoring either. If people are not living in the same countries or place can chat through social media which cannot only reduce the cost but also very instant. For instance, my parents are in China, I can chat with them anytime if they are also on the internet.
Rashida Buchanan
I believe that social media changes the way people communicate in society today. Technology such as email, texting and the ability to access the Internet on cell phones now impacts how much face-to-face contact people have with one another. I think we are being social while communicating with these advanced pieces of technology, but to a low degree where we cannot see each others facial expressions and certain mannerisms that contribute to a face-to-face conversation. Even though there are many drawbacks to communicating with these different technologies, there are many benefits that surpass the drawbacks. Businesses can operate faster, and more efficiently with the use of smartphones because they can access the Internet at anytime which allows them to keep in contact with their employees and customers at all times.
Katie Sparling
I find this story too familiar to my generation. Technology has taken over, and in some sort of ironic way, social media is in fact not social at all. One must wonder, what is the explosion of twitter and facebook doing for one’s quality of life? I’ve fallen guilty to completely ignoring live face to face conversation because I’ve been a zombie to my facebook page. My boyfriend complains all the time since I’ve got my iphone because my facebook and twitter updates are at the palm of my hand, and I am constantly checking the news feed. As I watch the girl in the “glass-house” I Cant help but feel that I could likely do the same project, as long as I had facebook. Sad isn’t it, I should probably wake up and smell the roses.
Brett Silbernagel
There is no stopping the growth of technology. I cant remember what my life was like before i had my I phone but i’ve only had it for about 3 months. And although i hate when im trying to talk to someone and they are distracted by their phone, i admit im just as guilty as they are because i do it too.
However, I believe that since the advancement of social media, we havent become less “personally social” its just that we have used more technological ways of communicating. I beleive that I still talk to others personally just much as before,its just i ALSO talk to others using technology way more than before. Therefore the ratio has gone down and it seems that only use technology to communicate when we just use it more than before to be more precise.
a.martinez
I do believe that social media is changing the way people are communicating today. Cell phones can be useful especially if it’s the only phone that you own. It can also be a huge distraction. Smart phones have web access and if you have facebook or other forms of social networks you can use it anytime and anywhere. Social media is changing the way we communicate with people because for some people it’s just cheaper if they have a cellphone. Take for instance unlimited texting you could be texting people for an hour and if you were to talk to people for the same amount of time it could be more expensive especially if it’s long distance. The question to whether if we are being social through our electronic gadgets is difficult to answer. For people our age cell phones is relative new it’s not something that we grew up. The younger generation today is using cell phones as early as thirteen years old. I think the being “social” in the future will have different meanings. Using our gadgets to an extent is being social because you are communication with someone but there’s nothing better than talking to someone in person.
Ling H
I feel that social media does change the way people communicate especially with communicating with the family. TV used to interupt with the family social life, but now cellphones and computers interupt more with family life. Kids have more excuses to do their “homework” alone: two computer monitors, one use to do home work, the other for facebook, and their cellphone for texting. I text to interact with my friends, but I like face to face communicating with friends and especially with family members.
Pakar seo
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment
is added I get four emails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove people from that service?
Cheers!