As people have slowly discovered the Internet, many have found they are spending more time online than they have available. Along with the overwhelming wealth of knowledge on the Internet, is the ability to connect with other people. This connection, in my opinion, is what hooks us. If you look in gaming, it is the MMORPGs, and other games that allow interaction with other players that keep loyal players for extended periods of time. If you see other successful Internet applications like email, IM, social networks, and blogs, these all appeal to our social nature. The paradox is that often when we are spending too much time being social online, we neglect our face-to-face relationships.
April 1, 2008
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So true. Nothing can replace interacting face-to-face with loved ones, but I have to admit that since I’ve graduated and been staying home alone with Peter all day, I spend more and more time on email and google chat. I thrive on human interactions! I also need to get out more…
Comment by LaChelle — April 3, 2008 @ 8:49 am
It’s hard to find the balance sometimes. I’m thankful for things like IM because I live in Virginia, and it allows me to talk to people back home in Utah. I definitely value the face-to-face talk over the IM, or even talking on the phone, but that’s not possible right now. I’m glad that these things exist, but you’re right, you need to be careful with how much time you spend on them.
Comment by noisdois2 — April 3, 2008 @ 4:47 pm