I’ve always been skeptical of socialization online and what the net effect with be on society. If we’re increasing connectivity but lowering the value of the actual interaction then what are we really achieving? More of less, right?

Now, I’m not saying one can’t have a healthy social life online but let me get my point across…

If being someone’s ‘friend’ means just clicking ‘accept’ to an invite, is that person a real friend. Sure.

Combine that with the number of friend requests some people get and now you have someone who has a lot of friends and by all accounts is very ’social’ but they are just juggling meaningless, short-term interactions while potentially forgetting about one-on-one relationships. People who are childhood friends, are pushed aside for ’some dude from university who is funny’. So does that mean those two people should meet up and be friends, and the BFF is just old news? I’m not so sure.

If you can maintain your circle of friends and use online resources to have better socialization, then all the power to you, but when you have 100 Facebook friends, or more, with new ones every week, how many relationships can you really maintain effectively and meaningfully. Or are you forced to engage people initially but as the requests pile up, drop them to the side?

To the authors point; how does that make someone feel? This added level of hyper-socialization is in fact damaging the emotions of the fragile, semi-antisocial people who embraced online because it let him/her easily establish new friends/relationships.

If we’re going into an age where relationships are not only maintained but initiated online, maybe the definition of social interaction needs to be updated.

Don’t get me started on the ‘persona’ problem with online socialization; everyone projects this perfect image so if someone connects with my profile but never the person, isn’t the core of the socialization flawed? Fake Adrian meet Fake Joe Schmo…now be friends…seems sorta twisted to me.

We go there when we need something. We go when we’re bored and wish to pass some time. We go when we hear about something new. Or simply when it’s raining and we’re cooped up inside. Youth in particular go there to meet, mingle and size one another up.

Sure, we’re all a little lonely and longing from time to time. But be it the mall or the internet, distraction is sometimes the best medicine.

Toss a coin in the virtual fountain and make a wish. You’ll feel better, I promise!