How does the Internet-age affect our ability to personally connect with others?

dvas1147: How does the Internet-age affect our ability to personally connect with others?
Some have argued that the keyboard-to-keyboard interaction of the internet age is having a detrimental effect on our ability to meaningfully connect with other people. I agree, to a certain extent – most of our internet communication is pretty superficial stuff. your thoughts?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Andrew M
I agree. Talking on msn, or writing a blog feels like talking into a vacuum.

I might say some witty things/ have a laugh on msn. But no one’s going to remember that. I’d always prefer to use the telephone, or see friends in person.

Otherwise the relationship is cheapened, because not only are you distracted by other things on the internet, people come to associate you with an icon, rather than a person who has feelings/ and is their friend.

Answer by hardtimes
you mean that people can actualy still talk to each other in person…….Where?

Answer by Laughing Libra
Just because someone isn’t on the internet doesn’t mean they are out meeting people. They could be doing other things alone.

If you are physically meeting the people you connect with on the internet, it may be helping you social interactions.

Some people have a problems with intimacy and can’t blame it on anything.

I

Answer by momof3
Agree, but I’ve also met some people online who are people I consider friends. I guess it depends on whom you talk to. My brother- & sister-in-law met online, however, and 5 years later, are still together so it obviously worked out for them.

I don’t socialize exclusively on the internet, however, and I have a life outside of the computer. Still sometimes it’s fun to interact with others online, especially when you’re stuck at home (like now – kids are sleeping), and I’m bored, and my hubby is watching the ultimate fighting championship on tv – not my cup of tea – so I’m on Y!A.

Answer by ooorah
i answered a similar question for a college essay (reproduced below):

The new generation of people who spend time online changes the characteristics of our society. The most obvious is that more people are gaining technology skills and general computer knowledge. Another obvious observation is that people are using online resources versus the “old-fashioned” reference books. With information at the touch of a button, students depend on the web for most school research. However, this comes with the inherent risk of finding false information during research. Some schools started by discouraging exclusive use of the internet for research, requiring solid reference material instead. Recently however, most schools have embraced the future of information, and instead teach how to correctly use the web to find credible information.
Another main way that the internet has affected society is the change in communication. This is most evident in the younger generation, who utilize a variety of electronic communication systems, including email, instant messaging, and web sites such as Myspace. These are often blamed for and are related to a drop in traditional social skills. This can be due to the lack of “face time” communication, and even the auditory skills used during conversations. However, the electronic communication has given rise to various new social skills, ones that pick up on different hints and cues. These can be as basic as font color or punctuation in emails, and as complex as convoluted webs of “friends” on Myspace and their different rankings. This new wave of communication is condemned by some for halting interpersonal skills, but really it is only the next wave of their evolution. The change from traditional to electronic methods of research and communication is not necessarily good nor bad, just different. The tricks of the trade of research and the nuances of communication have evolved with the new popularity of the internet.