Social networking taking out the human aspect?

[ŋєт™]

Last night at work I had my phone out and I was checking Facebook on it. Some of my friends told me I was really obsessed with it because I'm on it all the time...I have it on my phone, my iPod touch and my computer. I update it all the time and I check out what my friends are doing.

Then the conversation turned into how Facebook, Twitter, other social networking sites, or even just text messaging are taking human interaction out of the picture. So you want to have a casual convo with a friend? What do you do? You see if they're on messenger or pop them a text message right? I'm assuming that's what most of the youth do today and I bet for the majority of the time I'm right.

So what's your take on this?

[Saknika]

I think you're right, a lot of us do rely a lot on technology for communication. However, most kids aren't that obsessed, and still prefer going out and doing something with friends to sitting in front of the computer. I know that my friends and I (and we are computer junkies) still need true socialization to function. So while it's definitely a change with the times, I don't think it's necessarily a problem.

[ŋєт™]

I agree with you.

I don't agree with my friends in the aspect that I'm obsessed....what's wrong with checking Facebook on my phone a few times a day when I'm sitting at work bored out of my mind?

I hang out with my friends all the time and it's a bit ironic that most of the time it's initiated by a text or a message on Facebook haha

[danielazarc]

A lot of times I use these social networks to help plan physical interaction. 'Want to go see a movie' or something similar. Other times when I use it, it's when I'm unable to see that person any other way, or just don't feel like getting out. People who choose to Facebook status back and forth instead of seeing a friend when they can just because it's the internet bother me, but for the most part, we adapt with the times and technology available to us. Just because things are different doesn't necessarily mean they're bad.

[savannahgrey]

I also use technology and places like Facebook, Myspace, DA, etc., to plan things I'm going to do with my friends. My dad sometimes asks "why do you text people when you can just call them?" and I honestly have no clue why, other than I can formulate my reply and not just blurt out whatever comes to mind like I usually do when I'm talking to people on the phone. And it saves for those awkward silences..but if I didn't have any interaction with my friends other than through the phone and internet, then...I would be a hermit. And life would not be much fun.

[shp]

I don't think social networking is necessarily a bad thing. I see kids playing outside and teens going out to have fun. At least they aren't "camming" for perverts over the Internet. People aren't going to just talk over computers. I mean, look at the telephone. We've had it about more than a century now and people are still meeting in person today.