The ebb and flow of social networking and being (almost) 40.

[technolope]

Social networks: pro or con? Pro, totally. Seriously, who doesn't need a social network? They make us sane. But when I am not directed at some higher level, I tend to let myself get too involved in them. But not all of them; only the quick and easy ones like Twitter and Facebook. I always feel like I'm too "busy" to go to LJ, which is totally

Comments

[_earthshine_]

I don't have much to add. I'm mostly commenting to say that i enjoyed the post, and have been enjoying a little resurgence in LJ.

As for my own social networking issues, i just feel overwhelmed most of the time. When i think too hard about it, i just want to quit everything -- including email -- and go back to the phone and scrawling marks on dead trees. I have a design for a solution -- using the internet as i believe it is best used -- but i have neither the skill to implement it nor the resources to find people who can.

I too ...

[fdmts]

I enjoyed reading this real, thoughtful post as well. For the record, I'm still here - and I plan to be here until they turn off the lights and come find me in the back.

I found, on another blog, the quote that sums up one of the contributions of LJ to my life:

that there are people who have been commenting here using the same pseudonym for ten years, and while I know them, I don't know their names. Some of them, I've even met in person -- and their pseudonym is more real to me than their real name.

I want the world to include this sort of place, and I'm sad that the world doesn't want to include it.

Re: I too ...

[technolope]

To note that the world doesn't want it isn't totally correct. Sure, it takes some critical mass to support a decent system and maintain servers and such, but that mass is getting smaller and smaller, I believe. We have been and always will be up in the long tail, where people demand tools different than the ordinary. I think this venue will survive at least another 10, and then maybe something better might emerge. Maybe with _earthshine_'s ideas and help.

[_earthshine_]

I'd love to help make it happen. I think i have an idea that's a game-changer. It's so simple it's terrifying. I think most technically hip people will reject it at first, but i believe its simplicity will eventually win out.

Until that Great Day when i somehow have time for this kind of thing, there's LJ. :)

[jesus_jeff]

Online stuff isn't a substitute for real-world stuff. It never has been. But it can help bridge the gaps - temporal or geographic - between real-world interaction.

Connecting any way is better than not connecting. But too many twitter/facebook connections are little more than the bare minimum. The real sin of facebook and twitter is enabling too much non-intimate conversation. Not to mention the mass of political bullshit conversations and people shouting at each other, and "repost this as your status" crap.

Personally, I have too few opportunities to get together off-line. I treasure the ones I do get, but online stuff has to make do for a lot of it. But maybe that's just for those of us with kids :)

Meanwhile, I'll give you a yell next year when I'm out in the cape.

[technolope]

Please do. We'd be happy to see you.

I am learning slowly that the online is no substitute for real interactions. My fear is that I am de facto replacing real connections with superficially-satisfying online connections. It's a battle in my brain when a real opportunity arises.