The last few months have been long hours at the office, equally long list of friends that I had to meet up with but the list that really impressed me, was the list of updates on our very own "facebook"...Ooops, did I spell that correctly...actually I did. So before I continue with this blog, let me get this posted on my FB wall "Wow- I managed to spell correctly"...As stupid it may seem, we all are the creators of this stupidity called "overtly socially networked". Not long ago, a dear friend of mine actually bought a horse on his farm and better still sold the horse cause he wanted to get a pelican...real dwarfy little virtual world where millions of neurons (read "brain") collide to make the inventors of these very social sites feel proud...As you reading this and before you plan to throw a pillow using your facebook app, I got protection...This time it ain't virtual but just some kick *ss logical reasoning :-)
I relate to these social networking sites but getting overtly social is when I believe the bricks start falling. Do you know of that site called 'orkut' - poor fella right? He had users who were overtly fascinated of being social that the smaller things in life too became a reason to share. Orkut was touted to be the next big think to the messenger and today its dying a slow death..In a few months, it will be history. Before I forget, do you recollect www.chatting.com; it was probably the first social site that scorched the eagerness of several romeos who were looking for the virtual juliet...Today, it still exists but all you need is to link up with a juliet who has a scorching hot number with a easy going price. I'm not sure if this also could be due to the fact that fascination is temporary and needs to be continually re-inforced..The theories of Maslow, Hertzberg never fail to impress - there is always a need to see beyond..In the early 90's, slambooks, it was then the era of tele-calls, emails, messenger, sms, and now social websites. Each of these had its impact on us but the ones that have survived the test of time are where the end user has used the protocol appropriately.
I probably in this post have been more dramatic than real; my sentences are plagued with lingo and abbreviations that have been learnt over a period of time; emoticons that let you know how I feel and most of all tickling that ego of yours since you "just threw a goat on me in FB'.. When everything gets digitized, the need to stay in touch is narrowed down to binaries and thats what is happening today. Coffee shops that once bristled with activity fo friends playing catch up of late has been haunts for business meets, family beverage time etc. I'm not sure if we can fully attribute this to the power of the virtual world but it definitely has done its bit.
As I write this blog, I get an sms which reads "got a FB app on my Nokia Bro - dude its awesome"...we just got more virtual...actually, we are all now actors in a virtual world. The more we get engulfed into these social networks, the lesser will be the people touch..
the next time you throw a goat remember, you throwing one more social networking platform out of your farm..and this time its your real farm. Actually, if you really love farming this much, think again, we probably have a large expanse of untravelled world - get there, meet the farmers and enjoy the spirit of farming together!
Adios amigos my Facekut buds!
Allow me to give you a different perspective here :)
ReplyDeleteOver time my phone bill has only increased never decreased, that only tells me one thing - that I yack a lot over the phone. Now I am not in the habit of yacking with office folks or on official business so all those gazzilion calls and sms's must have been to frnds n family..
I realize the need to reach out and stay connected all the more since my so called mommy hood confinement at home :)
Now, in my own skewed way what I am trying to tell you is that FB or such social networks are not really for you to connect with your close friends coz you are anyways connected with them on a daily basis. They do not restrict your social outings either coz honestly the virtual world cannot match a weekend get together with ones that mean a lot to you :)
There are a whole other gamut of friends out there, old frnds, acquaintances, school frnds, college frnds etc. who these social networks really caters to (apart from the timepass apps on FB, which honestly there is no good reason for except for self involved waste of time). In our busy lives with work, family, close frnds and chores, the above mentioned categories of frnds loose precedence and often are forgotten.
Before FB, I dont even remember chatting/ emailing people i do nowadays.. Its strange I know and you can argue that I could have done that even otherwise.
But it does not happen. Its a passive social intermingling as far as I am concerned sort of like the answering machine. You have the choice of reaching out to people u want to, respond to whoever and only when u want to.. Its perfect.. :) ( same reason why sms and answering machines are so popular as well :) Gives us a way of being there or disappearing when we want ...
FB may get replaced by something soon just like Orkut did, or perhaps Twitter is already taking over, but the bottomline is that now people have got a taste of virtual socializing and its here to stay :)
Radhika, I tend to agree for most part of this very contructive view...something that I continue to believe only to realise its not always true...anyways, I'm hoping like you said better sense prevails and these social networking sites, don't die a slow death.
ReplyDeleteThe next time WE think of may be dropping a hello to our buddy, lets reach out for the phone! :-)