I've never been a big fan of blogging. I hear some people talking at work about how they read "blah blah" on this blog and "blah de blah" on that blog. Then they ask me if I subscribe to (insert famous person's name here)'s blog and I say no. Personally, I have too many things going on in my life, I don't have enough time in the day to do all the things I have to do, and want to do, to spend my time reading about what other people think on a daily basis. If you want to use it as a journaling tool, thats great, but its just not my thing. I write articles and stories to share with other people and I journal privately in a notebook for myself.
I do email, only a small percentage of what I used to do in years past. I have cut out alot of the time wasting emails that used to plague my inbox by politely telling my friends and family to stop forwarding me things that they think are cute or that I should pass on. When I get online, I have a specific purpose, I want to spend my time doing that, not wading through a hour of "pass this to 7 people in the next hour" crap. I instant message during work hours, because our system has its own messenger program to let the employees communicate with each other. I do use yahoo messenger occasionally to talk to family members, but after spending 8 hours a day on a computer at work, I usually don't feel like spending any more time online. About 9-10 years ago I could be found at my PC, running AOL, MSN and ICQ IMs chatting away most of the day. But I found that got in the way of real life. I also used to do a lot of yahoo groups. Those were lively email days when you'd open mail and find 300 emails to read. Again, it got to be too much, and those got deleted one at a time.
I think web 2.0, virtual reality and all the interactive stuff out there is really cool and has so many wonderful possibilities, but I think too many people spend too much of their time in virtual worlds and not enough time in the real world.
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5 comments:
I am the opposite. I can't disconnect. I went on vacation in June with my laptop and my cell phone. I accidentally left my cell phone in the hotel room one day and I felt like I might as well have left my right hand sitting next to it.
Most of the research I do is online. I read far more zines, blogs, and news feeds than I do traditionally printed material (most of what is in print is online, anyway, through some source).
I don't remember what it was like when I wasn't connected, lol.
I believe blogging the way most people use it is an excuse to not interact personally with other people. To many young people are isolating themselves from the real world and think that their technical knowledge with benefit them in the future. This just in - if you don't interact with people face to face, why would they ever want to have a perminent online relationship with you!
I cannot agree with you more, Carol. I used to spend too many hours of my waking day IM'ing, visiting Myspace, and emailing people. Recently, I did not have the Internet hooked up in my home, and I went through withdrawl for a couple of weeks, but afterwards I realized how much more time I had on hand and how not being "connected" all the time pushed me to connect with friends in different ways such as the old-fashioned telephone or in person.
In my blog this week, I talk about the possible danger of humans losing those old-fashioned interpersonal skills. I am not sure 100% where I stand on the issue. I mean, I do love my computer and enjoy the ease and accessiblity of downloading music, checking Email, and chatting to a friend 3,000 miles away all at the same time. Still, I wonder if we will become a lazy, reclusive, lap top-loving society that hide in our homes almost 365 days a year only to communicate with each other from a distance?
I am guilty, though, as I love these online courses; however, every now and again I do miss the interaction one can only get from being in a classroom and speaking with others face to face.
Carol,
I agree about the "blog" comments you made. I was annoyed with people who talked about blogging, celebrities that wrote a bunch of nonsense that we shouldn't even care about, and even the word "BLOG". But, now I do see that it is kind of amazing we are all able to speak our minds in such a global way...let alone in our communities.
Also, I hate when I get a phone call from a friend or family member and they say, "I have been trying to call you all day!" Sometimes, aren't we aloud to turn the phone off, or screen our calls, like the "old days". Why is it necessary to be completely in-touch 24-7. I want to be left alone sometimes. But, again, I can't imagine life without cell phones, email, or INTERNET! And, I have been that person yelling at my family, "Why didn't you answer my calls!" So, I guess we just have to get used to it because to me, it is worth all the trouble it causes to be so connected.
Dana, as much as I say people need to disconnect from the technology occasioanlly, I too find myself impatient when I am trying to reach someone and all I get is their voice mail or they still haven't replied to my email from 30 minutes ago. I try to be more patient and understanding, but its hard! LOL
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