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Manchu wrote:Is it necessarily a bad thing that people interact with people through devices at the same time as they interact with other face-to-face? It's not like these things are mutually exclusive. It's a new social skill rather than a lack of social skills.
There was some research showing that people were having more trouble picking up on non-verbal language becuase they spent more time talking to people through electronic devices than face-to-face. It wasn't society destroying numbers, but still enough to be mildly concerned.
I always remember that when I see four people at a restaurant and all four of them are staring at their phones/tablets and occasionally saying something to each other, which is something I've seen more than once. Of course I also have seen a woman trying to drive with her elbows while reading a kindle and applying lipstick.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
Have you ever been with a group of friends who all have smart phones? You guys might sit there and talk for a bit, but eventually there's a span of time where everyone is on their smart phones. It happens all the time and its possible that one person is always on their smart phone even when there's an entire conversation going on around them.
You have some strange mates j/k
If people do this too much their phone gets a beer bath in the pubs I go to.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2012/03/16 16:02:20
More have died in the name of normality than ever for strangeness. Beware of normal people.
He who asks a question is a fool for 5 minutes; He who does not is a fool forever. (Confucius).
Manchu wrote:No sarcasm implied (although I'll take credit for the irony).
I was joking.
Manchu wrote:My questions are, is this a case of losing something that we actually had? and shouldn't we also mention what we're gaining?
I don't know. If the ability to read body language in a meaningful way is degrading, that certainly seems to be losing something, though, as stated, not an end of the world scenario either. That, I would think, would have to do with the ubiquity of portable devices though more than just having an internet. If anything I would say the issue might be that one can not easily get away from the internet is more of a problem than the internet itself. I saw an adult man break down becuase he forgot his iphone at a hotel and he wouldn't be able to check it. Now mind you this was at a group outing were people were supposed to be visiting with each other, that people traveled out of state for. At best he was going to be without his iphone for an hour and a half, time spent with friends, and he was completely inconsolable. I don't think it is any specific generation either, becuase anyone can have a less than healthy attitude toward computers/smartphones/chatrooms/ect.
Do I think the internet is destroying society? No. Do I think we are still in a transitional phase where we are learning to live with this crazy ability to share information all over the world practically instantly as well as stay entertained/distracted at all moments of the day? Sure.
For some reason I am reminded of this safe for work version of one of Louis CK's stand up bits.
Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
It is the Daily Mail so doom and gloom is always a given.
Not quite the same but does happen on social networks though. My Step daughter and her boyfriend often get an angry glare from for saying LOL rather than actually, you know, laughing out loud. It's weird to actually have someone do that.
I myself don't think that it is destroying society, but it is certainly changing it. I get a bit concerned that physicality is being taken away from us, what with iTunes and eBooks and the like. Soon things will be like on the Space Ship in Wall - E.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2012/03/16 16:25:48
Manchu wrote:Is it necessarily a bad thing that people interact with people through devices at the same time as they interact with other face-to-face? It's not like these things are mutually exclusive. It's a new social skill rather than a lack of social skills.
I'm more concerned about the streamlining of views into "Red v. Blue" decisions. Are you a Republican or a Democrat? Do you prefer Coke or Pepsi? Yankees or Mets? When you have this enormous amount of choice revolving around the pressure to define yourself, I think there's a severe temptation to see things as an on-off switch -- you're with me or you're against me. If you notice, the examples I gave above are all pre-internet. It's not like the pressures weren't already around in the 20th century. But this even greater weight of content constantly and immediately available by didgital means can only drive that pressure through the roof. Maybe this is off-base, I dunno. Just a moment's thought posted on a toy soldier forum.
In a nutshell, I don't think the internet is destroying society. But I would like to hear more from people born after 1990 about how they think it effects them and their peers.
I suppose not, especially considering all sorts of jobs can be done by hoteling and other digital means, where almost everyone around you has the same sort of "wired" social skills.
And yeah, polarity in opinions is becoming more and more common, and it worries me a bit. I don't think it's too far-fetched to assume that eventually our differences will breed something of a Civil War (hopefully not literally).
You guys do realise that former generations had this very same debate when radio came out, and when TV came out, and probably even when the printed press came out and humanity is still here...
Sonophos wrote:OK Frazz let's go Fight club on the credit system transatlanic stylee.
I can see the headlines now:
A spate of anticapitalist terror attacks have been linked to previously mild mannered war gamers enraged at recent price hikes by Games Workshop.
No Price Drops No Peace!
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
Kilkrazy wrote:I haven't read the whole thread, but I think it would be great fun to form a society to destroy the Internet.
We could call it the SDI (Society to Destroy the Internet).
Is anyone else interested?
Already doing my part.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
rubiksnoob wrote:This whole idea is assuming that society has not already been destroyed by porn.
I would say that's a sign of society improving not being destroyed.
It's ok guys. If we just kindly walk on over to /b/ you'll see that the evil terrorist phenomenon known simply as anon (we are legion etc) are both reinventing porn, destroying society and finding new ways to call people cigerettes(sp?) as we speak.
Jokes.
Noone walks anymore.
So if we show anonymous our support, love and bewbs in their hour of need we will destroy the net.
More have died in the name of normality than ever for strangeness. Beware of normal people. 
