Communication Supernova or Twitter is Dead?
I just thought I’d play with the title to this post and try to 1) coin a new catch phrase and 2) claim something as being dead. It was fun. Now I know why everybody does it.
In the constantly-connected subculture we call America it is easier than ever to engage in the lives of others at any moment of the day. Twitter lets me respond to the thoughts of someone else across the globe in almost real-time as though we were conversing face to face – if I’m following them. Facebook unpacks the pertinent details of my life for all who would connect with me by some degree in a way small talk seems inefficient at performing. I can transfer a large amount of money to someone I’ve never met without currency or a bank account number with PayPal. Instead of phoning my wife, I’ll probably just send her a text message.
In the spirit of household-appliance-reductionism-sociology, our Microwave Society has become the TiVo Society. We are interacting more than ever and with more than ever but rarely meet face-to-face. I no longer must tune in to your life, I’ll just tag it for later and drop you a reply. And you can do the same. In fact, I’d probably prefer you do just that. Don’t call me. Don’t come to my house. Because if you do I’ll have to respond to you and engage in fullness rather than fragment. It’s true, I know what you think about life because I follow you or we’re friends and I can piece it all together on my time. But knowing what you think or find worthy of a tweet does not truly clue me in to how you really live or who you are. It’s not enough.
I still need you. Not just your status as of 20 seconds ago…
So, please, let’s have coffee. Let’s talk. I’ll probably help you move someday. Let’s be friends. Real ones.
very awesome reflections Chris. Challenged me. Thanks!
TJ
TJ Reid
December 12, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I struggle with this concept myself. Sometimes I don’t want to be connected with everyone or everything at the blink of an eye. It feels so shallow, so untrue to the way we were created as creatures. Intrinsically we are meant to form lasting relationships in the physical person. It is confusing to do it via the web.
Seth Nenstiel
December 12, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Intrinsically we are meant to form lasting relationships in the physical person. It is confusing to do it via the web.
Seth, you really said it well!
Chris Chowdhury
December 15, 2008 at 8:32 am
Really really good. I think that because we are so “connected” we have forgotten how to truly interact.
In contrast though, I believe that used within healthy boundaries, it does allow us to communicate with people that we would have otherwise held in our memories but nothing more. I mean how many people are big on letters or phone calls to old college buddies?
pattyparker
December 15, 2008 at 7:45 pm
one reason i avoid using things like twitter and don’t blog as much anymore is that i stop thinking in complete thoughts. everything becomes a product – a deliverable. every good quote, every good bible verse, every cool picture, every interesting news story…they all just become posts. I stop reflecting on things and enjoying their inheret value.
this is definitely not true for everyone, but for me, it’s a slippery slope.
mohan37
December 17, 2008 at 12:13 pm