Hello! Welcome to the second episode of Social Renaissance. Today we will be discussing more about online interaction vs face-to-face interaction. Uh oh, silly me, looks like the sound isn't on...LOL...Did i REALLY just LOL (laugh out loud) or did i just write it and make you think i did??...you don't really know do you? Ok that was kind of corny but I just wanted to illustrate how willy nilly we are with our “lols”. We use them even when we aren’t really laughing out loud and this is a reflection of how we can be in internet social interactions period. In the last episode of this podcast we talked about how we put on a performance on social networks and also how ambiguity can’t be easily sorted out in digital space according to Jerry S. Wilson. Because you cannot see or hear the person, you really don’t know what the person is doing or the tone they are doing it in. Yes, you can use exclamation points and all caps but that only goes so far. We also discussed how internet interaction is great for connecting globally and can be safer. Those are great points but they are not good enough to supplement face-to-face interaction with internet interaction. However, one might say, what about programs like Skype? Those are face-to-face. (switch to vlog)
Yes, Skype is face-to-face interaction, but it is still virtual and doesn’t make up for the physical touch often longed for in real time, physically present face-to-face interaction. Remember vitual hugs…*cricket noise*. I think not. Lol. But seriously, internet social interaction is dehumanizing our teens. Teens nowadays were born into the digital age and are called “digital natives” according to Tim Challies, author of the book titled “The Next Story: Life and Faith after the digital explosion”. He said during a radio interview that studies show that teens lack face-to-face interaction and conversational skills due to too much internet and text interaction. I mean, teens are disrespectful, rude and easily distracted, checking social sites and texting while at the dinner table, and worse, while driving.
We need to bring back old fashioned values and basic human morals like honesty, integrity, credibility, transparency, thriftiness, caring for others, and trust. Americans are realizing the importance of these “retro” values according to Jerry S. Wilson and now its time for teens or “digital natives” to be introduced to them. In the 50s, neighbors new each other and people talked to and trusted one another. In my opinion, this is why the crime rate was lower than it is now. As stated in the previous podcast, we will accept a friend request from a stranger before we say hello to that stranger on the street.
Again, I’m not bashing Facebook and other social interactive internet sites. I’m just saying that they shouldn’t be the sole means by which we communicate and interact with others. We need to get up from our computers and get to know our neighbors and people in our community. I believe this is possible through the Interfence.
In the last episode I shared that The Interfence is a physical infrastructural interface that would be attached to every lawn in America and is equipped with physical features of Facebook. Bascially, it is your Facebook profile transformed into a non-traditional fence on your lawn. It would initiate conversation and create an interactive small town community-feel through connections of common interest. One could create a reality chat room to discuss politics, tv, movies, sports or social issues right on your front lawn. The overall goal is that like the internet, these initial lawn, real time, face-to-face conversations would begin to connect neighborhoods, communities and finally cities by making better and morally conscious people. This interaction would re-activate “retro” values in adults and create them in teens. It would be a re-implementation of the quote “it take a village to raise a child”. Another solution I propose is “Free Speech Karaoke”. This is set up like “Speaker’s Corner” in London except the soap boxes are equipped with speeches, songs, poems, etc for visitors to recite. Crowds would draw based on their interest in the piece being recited and bring about discussion and interaction.
As I wrap up this vlogcast I want to reiterate that internet social interaction is not a sufficient supplement for physical face-to-face interaction. It does have its place and I don’t propose we get rid of it all together but that we use it in moderation. If we fail to do this, we will begin to loose who we are as human beings. That would not be good for our future. Lets bring back old fashioned values and neighborly interactive ways and make the world better. Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Social Renaissance. Bye!
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