In becoming more ‘connected’ with the cyber world, people are becoming more and more disconnected with the earth and the actuality of the real world. The modern internet user’s values are becoming more trivial than ever before as big brother internet dictates to our credulous minds what we should and shouldn’t be concerned with. Donath and Boyd point out that “Social networks — our connections with other people — have many important functions. They are sources of emotional and financial support, and of information about jobs, other people, and the world at large.” What’s your depiction of ‘importance’? Staring at a computer screen blaring facebook one might answer with great ardour that a girl they went to high school with is a model now, or, their second cousin’s just bought the new iPad with the money they’re earning with their new job.
“People are accustomed to thinking of the on-line world as a social space.” says Donath and Boyd. Does this mean people can now be social when they’re alone and without company? The Australian Oxford Dictionary’s definition of sociable says otherwise; “Liking company, gregarious; friendly.”
Social networking can take away the mystery and inscrutability of people. What happened to the enigma behind that special person you admire or the musician you saw play at the local pub last night? Donath and Boyd state that “Seeing someone within the context of their connections provides the viewer with information about them. Social status, political beliefs, musical taste, etc, may be inferred from the company one keeps.” Has it become normal to know so much about a person’s social life and their interests but not know so much about that person alone?
Then one must also consider how easy it is to appear as whomever and whatever you desire on an internet page. “Online, users can claim to be whoever they wish. Like actors playing a role, they can deliberately choose to put forth identity cues or claims of self that can closely resemble or wildly differ from reality.” says Pearson.
When it all come’s down to it, the power lies in the hands of the common Social networker; which do you prefer? The cyber world or the real world?
References:
Donath, J. Boyd, D. 2004. Public displays of connection. BT Technology Journal 22. (4): 2-11. Accessed March 17, 2011. http://smg.media.mit.edu/papers/Donath/PublicDisplays.pdf
Pearson, E. 2009. All the World Wide Web’s a stage: The performance of identity in online social networks. First Monday Peer-reviewed Journal on the Internet 14. (3): 1. Accessed March 20, 2011. http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2162/2127
Bibliography:
Birch, Dave. 2007. “Social Networking good/bad?”. Digital Identity. Accessed March 20, 2011. http://digitaldebateblogs.typepad.com/digital_identity/2007/08/social-networki.html
