4 ms·
Biggest issue I'm seeing is people in the digital ecosystems (even myself) often lack in high quality friends who they regularly see. I noticed how I would form
by Justsignedup 4y ago
Biggest issue I'm seeing is people in the digital ecosystems (even myself) often lack in high quality friends who they regularly see. I noticed how I would form bonds with people over a game, but as soon as we both move on, we effectively just fizzle away and lose friends.
Meanwhile my daughter is having similar issues. She has more closer ties to people online than in the physical world, which means that when we want to host parties or she just wants to do things, she's unable to invite her closest friends because they may live on the opposite side of the continent.
Now the shortcuts to social gratification are VERY easy, compared to before, and because of this, it is easy to spiral into the shortcut path, and not meaningful long term relationships. And so now more than ever it is important to be very intentional about keeping up friendships compared to before where you simply had to do things to create bonds. Even the "loners" would find friends in comic book stores, but now that moved online and less regular or connected.
I don't think it is social media. I think it is just the ease of remote communication. I am sure there was a similar problem when the telephone came out because people could now keep in touch with friends outside their neighborhoods. Hell at this point I only know 1 non-family member in my neighborhood who I interact with at all.
- causi 4y agoIndeed. Real people are just so danged inconvenient. Even just talking to them involves this degree of ritual where the desired communication is bookended with wasted time on introductory small talk and then a denouement you're never quite sure where it ends. If you're meeting up in person it's almost guaranteed you're going to be tired of their company before you actually leave, and then you have wasted time again traveling home.
- Justsignedup 4y agoin the past this was the only way, now there's an easier way, but easier is not necessarily better. But easier is the way most would choose.