The Facebook, Twitter, MySpace bugs have bitten the world and almost everyone is enjoying the bites. Most of the urban world now suffers from some more addictions in addition to the age old ones; the addiction of status updates, notifications, tweets etc.
For some social networking is an outlet to let out your innermost feelings, for others it is just a platform to connect, for others it is just time pass. But, what level of connectivity with 'acquaintances' is comfortable?
You often see status updates of people you barely know. The updates are about their relationship problems, their personal problems and just THEIR problems. You have got nothing to do with it. Even you, yourself often choose to let out your own frustrations through your status updates. Don't you sometimes regret it later? I do.
When someone seeing that depressing status of yours comments on it; someone with whom you would not be too comfortable having such a discussion in person. Don't you feel like, err, he knows too much when you meet him/her the next time around?
Social Networking has made snooping into people's lives cool and the in thing to do. People are snooping into your life and you are snooping into theirs, but all of us are enjoying the snooping. But, after a certain point you feel a bit insecure. Will we end up becoming a generation that knows too much, unnecessarily, about each other?
There are reasons why people take the social networking route. Even the deepest introverts who prefer to stay aloof and within themselves take the social networking route. I can vouch for that as I am an introvert and I am an absolute Facebook person.
There is an immense difference when you are writing a letter or typing something out as compared to talking to someone. Talking is direct, talking is judgmental, you know what the other person is thinking, you are totally conscious of it, you are uncomfortable with it. Meanwhile, typing something out is much easier. You type something and it is indirect. You feel you are not communicating with the world but in fact, you are sharing your innermost thoughts with people who you don't even know or are mere acquaintances with. Indirect is easy, indirect is comfortable. Ever wondered why texting someone is much easier than picking up the phone and calling?
All of us crave for acceptance. The people who don't get it in the real world now have a new cyber world to look forward to. The cyber world is easier with more people and of course the indirectness there. People find solace in the number of friends they have on Facebook and the comments they get for a status update.
These huge number of friends would be a sign of a full world but, in fact I feel it makes you even lonelier. The cyber world is after all indirect. Deep down you know all that is indirect and the human mind needs directness. It needs a voice to tell you to get up when you are down, it needs someone to shout into your ears or to pick you up and take you in their arms.
So, is social networking making us a more connected world or a more lonelier, uncomfortable, insecure world where people are trying to find solace in things not even considered by our grandfathers? Life is becoming simply even more complicated and we ourselves don't know what to choose and what not to choose.
You probably ended up reading this because you saw the link on Facebook. These are my innermost thoughts and if I know you well enough and you think that I would share my thoughts with you, then good for me. But, was it worth it if you are a mere acquaintance and ended up knowing about these thoughts? I don't know. And, if you(an acquaintance) mention them to me, I will definitely be uncomfortable. But, I am bitten by this bug and will go ahead and post it!
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