A Life of Bytes and Mega Pixels
Online technology both benefits and hurts us as human beings.
I realize that's a charged statement but it has been both helpful and harmful to my life. It's possible my experience is very different from my readers but I've noticed many good and bad results from the growing ability for humans to conduct more and more business and personal transactions online.
Online activities can be very helpful. Take LJ Idol for instance. I probably would not have interacted with anyone in this contest if the internet were not available. All of you are diverse and interesting but I'm not sure how I would have met anyone of you if it were not for the internet enabling LJ Idol. I don't think any of you even live in the same state as I do.
So please know, I am not against the internet yet I (like many others) feel there can be harmful side effects to using it for everything.
I think sometimes the internet depersonalizes us. I think it is easier to be rude to someone online or through email. Perhaps it is a personal quirk but it's difficult for me to look into someone's eyes and insult them until they cry. However, a similar situation has happened within my family in the past months. One looks back and wonders how this could have been prevented. Facebook was supposed to keep us in touch and help us connect our lives. It has but actually, it worked against us. Also, words said online often because tangible. Those angry can read and reread them whereas spoken words disappear (somewhat) into the air. Spoken words still hurt but I like to think spoken arguments have more chance to disappate, more chance to look into another's eyes and decide, "I've said too much."
I'm in college right now and taking two online classes and two classes in person. I have noticed through these years of both online and in person classes that the professors seem more positive to their students in in person classes. I think when we take online classes, it is easier for them to feel, "those students, always asking and needing something." In person, the professors often seem to like us better as humans. They seem to reply more kindly to my questions.
Also, I am going to school to become a teacher. I learn information from my online classes but, as I get closer to graduation, I've realized I learn the most about how to teach from watching others teach me. Online lectures are helpful but there is not interaction. I will be teaching high school students in person and I learn a lot from watching my professors respond to questions, guide students back to the topic at hand, and manage their time in person so that all the material is covered in a timely manner.
Online technology is helpful. It does enable me to take more classes than I could have in person due to travel logistics. But I think, no matter how many more processes become possible online, most of us as humans are always going to need to see, touch and hear people in person. No matter how many people type "hugs" in comments to me, a hug in person is almost a whole different experience. Written hugs are kind. I leave them myself and they are appreciated. Yet sometimes I realize it's been days since I touched any humans others than my children.
Sometimes I long for true connections. I like communication and online is better than nothing. At least utilizing this journal helps me not feel completely alone at certain times in my life.
But there is something about when someone says, "So, how's it going, M.?"
I answer "Fine" but they say, "No, what's wrong? I can see you are upset!"
That can't really be reproduced online. Online I can usually fake people out (as you, my online friends, can also fake me out in turn.) Online I can hide my true feelings and lay aside my fears or anger. Online I can fake you out.
In person, there is something very comforting when people can read you without words. When just my expression tells you how I feel. I long for that. I have six siblings and none of us live close together. I look at their photos on Facebook and message them. But oh, I want to see them! There are some topics that are best discussed in person, not just on the phone. Some topics that I want to SEE how they react.
"I love you" is a great thing to write or say. But when I can say, "I love you" to a sister of mine and hug her at the same time, to me that feels like a stronger statement. If she hugs me back, I feel she may also feel loving towards me.
I also feel sometimes that online interactions makes me more lonely sometimes. Subconsciously, I think I assign in person feelings to online interactions.
The more I email or post here or on facebook and get no response, the more I feel depressed. I feel like people are "walking by" and not caring enough to respond to my joys or sorrows. It's too easy for me to fall into the "poor me's" based on how many replies I get on Facebook or LiveJournal.
A lack of response can feel very personal.
However, that's a danger that I have to remember to put in context. People likely are not reading my words and deciding they don't care that my daughter mastered a skill or that my roof is leaking.
People often didn't even see that I posted. They are not ignoring me necessarily and I shouldn't take silence as a personal rejection.
Personally, I believe humans will never do almost everything online and that it actually isn't healthy for me (and maybe others) to seek to live a mostly online life.
We are humans, nourished at least for a time inside a human's body, birthed (in some way) by humans and now and then we must go back to our roots. Interact. Hug. Kiss. Have sex. Shake hands. Even if you don't like to be touched, I think it's important to look into the eyes of other humans now and then.
It's a brave new world of wonderful possiblities but I don't think scientists will ever fully change who humans fundamentally are. We're people who come with some assembly required. Now and then, to keep our brains healthy, we need to assemble with one or more of our kind, even if just a few minutes, just long enough to say, "How have you been? I've missed you!" Hug.
A real hug, with one of my heavy arms across your shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm interested in your comments on my thoughts. Do you feel the same need to see faces and eyes as I do or can you teach me how to be more content and satisfied with a mainly online human experience?
What positive or negative interactions have you had online or in person?
I realize that's a charged statement but it has been both helpful and harmful to my life. It's possible my experience is very different from my readers but I've noticed many good and bad results from the growing ability for humans to conduct more and more business and personal transactions online.
Online activities can be very helpful. Take LJ Idol for instance. I probably would not have interacted with anyone in this contest if the internet were not available. All of you are diverse and interesting but I'm not sure how I would have met anyone of you if it were not for the internet enabling LJ Idol. I don't think any of you even live in the same state as I do.
So please know, I am not against the internet yet I (like many others) feel there can be harmful side effects to using it for everything.
I think sometimes the internet depersonalizes us. I think it is easier to be rude to someone online or through email. Perhaps it is a personal quirk but it's difficult for me to look into someone's eyes and insult them until they cry. However, a similar situation has happened within my family in the past months. One looks back and wonders how this could have been prevented. Facebook was supposed to keep us in touch and help us connect our lives. It has but actually, it worked against us. Also, words said online often because tangible. Those angry can read and reread them whereas spoken words disappear (somewhat) into the air. Spoken words still hurt but I like to think spoken arguments have more chance to disappate, more chance to look into another's eyes and decide, "I've said too much."
I'm in college right now and taking two online classes and two classes in person. I have noticed through these years of both online and in person classes that the professors seem more positive to their students in in person classes. I think when we take online classes, it is easier for them to feel, "those students, always asking and needing something." In person, the professors often seem to like us better as humans. They seem to reply more kindly to my questions.
Also, I am going to school to become a teacher. I learn information from my online classes but, as I get closer to graduation, I've realized I learn the most about how to teach from watching others teach me. Online lectures are helpful but there is not interaction. I will be teaching high school students in person and I learn a lot from watching my professors respond to questions, guide students back to the topic at hand, and manage their time in person so that all the material is covered in a timely manner.
Online technology is helpful. It does enable me to take more classes than I could have in person due to travel logistics. But I think, no matter how many more processes become possible online, most of us as humans are always going to need to see, touch and hear people in person. No matter how many people type "hugs" in comments to me, a hug in person is almost a whole different experience. Written hugs are kind. I leave them myself and they are appreciated. Yet sometimes I realize it's been days since I touched any humans others than my children.
Sometimes I long for true connections. I like communication and online is better than nothing. At least utilizing this journal helps me not feel completely alone at certain times in my life.
But there is something about when someone says, "So, how's it going, M.?"
I answer "Fine" but they say, "No, what's wrong? I can see you are upset!"
That can't really be reproduced online. Online I can usually fake people out (as you, my online friends, can also fake me out in turn.) Online I can hide my true feelings and lay aside my fears or anger. Online I can fake you out.
In person, there is something very comforting when people can read you without words. When just my expression tells you how I feel. I long for that. I have six siblings and none of us live close together. I look at their photos on Facebook and message them. But oh, I want to see them! There are some topics that are best discussed in person, not just on the phone. Some topics that I want to SEE how they react.
"I love you" is a great thing to write or say. But when I can say, "I love you" to a sister of mine and hug her at the same time, to me that feels like a stronger statement. If she hugs me back, I feel she may also feel loving towards me.
I also feel sometimes that online interactions makes me more lonely sometimes. Subconsciously, I think I assign in person feelings to online interactions.
The more I email or post here or on facebook and get no response, the more I feel depressed. I feel like people are "walking by" and not caring enough to respond to my joys or sorrows. It's too easy for me to fall into the "poor me's" based on how many replies I get on Facebook or LiveJournal.
A lack of response can feel very personal.
However, that's a danger that I have to remember to put in context. People likely are not reading my words and deciding they don't care that my daughter mastered a skill or that my roof is leaking.
People often didn't even see that I posted. They are not ignoring me necessarily and I shouldn't take silence as a personal rejection.
Personally, I believe humans will never do almost everything online and that it actually isn't healthy for me (and maybe others) to seek to live a mostly online life.
We are humans, nourished at least for a time inside a human's body, birthed (in some way) by humans and now and then we must go back to our roots. Interact. Hug. Kiss. Have sex. Shake hands. Even if you don't like to be touched, I think it's important to look into the eyes of other humans now and then.
It's a brave new world of wonderful possiblities but I don't think scientists will ever fully change who humans fundamentally are. We're people who come with some assembly required. Now and then, to keep our brains healthy, we need to assemble with one or more of our kind, even if just a few minutes, just long enough to say, "How have you been? I've missed you!" Hug.
A real hug, with one of my heavy arms across your shoulder.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm interested in your comments on my thoughts. Do you feel the same need to see faces and eyes as I do or can you teach me how to be more content and satisfied with a mainly online human experience?
What positive or negative interactions have you had online or in person?