Hi Jim,

Fascinating. In my J101 class, about 20 students said they spend three or more hours daily on Facebook. We also watched a documentary about how gaming addiction is a huge problem in South Korea. Intriguing/Scary…
Here’s the link to an AP story:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jHqH3wgIItT7pxlEEg-JJao77ecgD9F85FH80

Congratulations on the Ball State job.
Kathleen

I would have to agree with pretty much everything you said here because when I get bored and cant sleep or I get bored at home and cant find anything to do, I will go on facebook or just surf the web. But back when I was younger and didnt know how to use the internet and surf the web for things I would actually go outside and play with my buddies and go knock on their doors and have a face to face conversatioon with them. I would have to agree this statement “that excessive Internet use carries some of the same risks as gambling”. I hope that this whole excessive interent use does not have some of the same effects that excessive gambiling has on people even though I do agree with that statement because i have seen how some people use the interent almost to the point where they are abusing it and over using it like gambling. THe internet is a vital resource to us today and i feel like we as americans should not over use that resource.

I have to agree that chatting online and texting is something that is causing us to loose that interpersonal communication. Even though we can use emoticons such as smiley faces to indicate happiness, sometimes a message can be completely misread. Because you don’t hear the person’s vocal tone, or emphasis, or expression in their face it can be sometimes hard to tell if they are being sarcastic or completely serious. And this can definitely cause problems in a relationship if an email or text is read the wrong way. However, when I am up in the middle of the night and it is too late to call someone, facebook is a good alternative. There will usually be a few people on that I know personally. I make sure all my friends on facebook are people I know because I want to have a face to face, personal relationship with them. I think that chatting on facebook and texting is a really great tool to help keep us connected if we don’t take advantage of it and isolate ourselves. If we maintain our relationships by seeing them in person, the virtual communication we also do will only increase our connectedness. It can be a little overbearing at times because everyone seems to know everyone’s business, for example Twitter. Do we really need to know everything you are doing and everywhere you’re going? I don’t think it’s necessary for people to know every little detail of our lives because we loose that interpersonal disclosure. If people can find out everything about you on facebook, then what’s the point of getting to know that person face to face: think of social penetration theory and how that is changing. Yet, we are a generation that likes to know what is going on. We want to be informed and the internet is the fasted way to stay connected. It has its negative and positive aspects. It’s just all in how we determine to use it.

I could not agree with you more. There are many nights where I rely on facebook to keep me entertained for hours. When my friends are asleep and no one is awake 3 in the morning, you can always find someone like you on facebook who is up.Although, conversations face to face is more better because you can see a persons actions and see how they are feeling. Although personally I feel face to face interactions and conversations are the most healtiest in a relationship, there are sometimes not enough hours in the day to do so. Also, Many websites in general can keep a person entertained, reading an article on NBA.com keeps me more entertained than reading a book or a newspaper, even though it is delivering news. Middle of the night when an earthquake strikes, you can rely on the internet to give you the updated information in a matter of seconds. I think the internet is the quickest and most effective way of keeping in touch with people and stuff going on around the world.

Well, I think it is safe to say that the Internet has effectively lessened the frequency of face-to-face communication. It is sad to say, but I think a lot of people my age use site like Facebook as an excuse to communicate online where it is easy rather than in person. These type of social networking sites have made “meeting” people easier, but I personally feel that it can be a rather meaningless relationship. A person can be anyone they want on the Internet, but it is more difficult to fake something face to face. Don’t get me wrong. Facebook, etc., have a lot of positive qualities such as staying in touch with people far away and reaching a mass audience in a short amount of time, but I think it also has negative effects like this post talks about. Us social network users have to be really careful not to overrate the online world, and replace it for reality

This is interesting because I do feel many people resort to maintaining most of their relationships through facebook, or actually even prefer the less connective way of socializing. The funny thing is, even though I see other people doing it, I have never really had any desire to be on facebook all the time, or conduct my social relationships via the internet. I have fallen into the texting trend, however, i rarely text people just for conversation purposes. Usually texting for me consists of meeting times, or to get across simple information quickly. Having entire conversations through texting just feels ridiculous. Yet, I know that is just me. I’ve never been able to spend longer than 20-30 minutes on facebook before getting bored, and I always keep my facebook chat off so people don’t keep me on any longer. I am finding how totally rare this is though. I’d just rather watch tv or spend time with friends in person than sit on my computer for hours and hours at a time.

You hit the nail on the head. This is spreading like wild fire. People are most def resorting to communicating via the internet or text messaging. They are x-ing out the options of simply calling someone on the phone and talking to some one face-to-face. This sort of behavior can be destructive the communication skills. They might become better writers, but they could be socially awkward. The internet can be such a great tool for research, shopping, talking to that loved one who lives in another state, or even just to play games on. But the web has developed an addictive hobbie that not very many people can give up. For example, the realistic game on Facebook called Farmville has sucked millions into it with the incentive of crops having to take hours or days to grow. This keeps the user coming back day after day being consumed by it. This creates a zombie like person to the people around them. It’s an addiction that can only be cured by setting limits to computer time.

This article is very interesting to me because I have seen the effects of the Internet and Facebook first hand. When I first attended Boise State I joined Facebook like basically every other college freshmen. Soon enough, I began checking my Facebook daily. Then daily became multiple times a day. The more I became consumed with Facebook the more I saw my grades dropping. Soon enough, I realized I needed to stop checking my Facebook because my grades were slipping and so were my relationships with my family back home. Since then, I have only began to use Facebook this year and I rarely go on because I am aware of the potential dangers.

I think that social networking can create a rare form of isolationism. Although we are communicating with other individuals, it is through an electronic medium. That is opposed to the interpersonal norm that has been the status quo for human behavior since Adam and Eve. Eve did not text Adam to “come eat from this sweet tree! We are totally BFF, I’ll ttyl Adam!” Interpersonal communication is becoming a lost art. Although we are now able to communicate internationally in real-time whenever we want to, it is only through a keyboard and mouse, and in some rare cases a web cam. The constant need to feel like we are in the social loop is a bit of a curse. There is always someone to talk to, but there is never an excuse to not engage in face to face interaction. Electronic communication is a great tool, but it should not be our only means of communication.

What a well said piece. Social networks are contagious! They have the ability to pull us in and keep us there for long amounts of time. It seems to become a habit that when ever I have a free minute, I log on and read facebook from either my phone or computer. Even when in conversation with others, I will be engaged in some sort of connection via facebook or text messaging. Amazing to see what we are all so into and we don’t always realize it. Very interesting….

When attempting to take surveys, especially ones dealing with the Internet, it always becomes difficult to obtain a sample that correctly displays how users in their entirety think. While some believe that it strives to connect people, others make the argument that it isolates people. With the growing trend of social networking one can only believe that peer-to-peer connection is definitely working. However, there will always be users who use the Internet differently according to what they access. The deep and meaningful conversations most people advocate may not always take place in front of a computer screen. While relationships require face time between partners, the Internet is in no way a substitute for meaningful face-to-face conversations… yet…

Internet addiction specialist? Wow! You think that’s bad, I know people that fast from facebook during Lent. It has gotten out of control. People text me with the most random and mundane things. And at times, I reply with, “You couldn’t have called to tell me that?” I agree, it takes the interpersonalaspect out of communication. Not only that, you can’t hear the person’s tone of voice or read their demeanor without face-to-face communication. I can’t recall the number of times that I misinterpreted what someone has said to me and jumped to conclusions.

I think it’s funny how a person can have a million friends on facebook, and yet can feel completely and utterly alone. The internet was supposed to be a method of furthering connection with each other. And, I agree with the article when it states that the internet can become a means of isolation from the rest of the world. It can become a mean to separate one’s with everything that is real.

I think our society is losing all personal face value. People flocking to chat rooms and text messages to hide themselves from the people around them. Back in the days or our parents, when you wanted to dump someone, you told them face to face. Now a days, you shoot them a text or change your facebook relationship status, very sad if you ask me

Even though face to face communication is better than social networking,communicating over the internet is still better than not communicating at all. There has to be some kind of balance. It is interesting that the study shows how people who use communication technologies have a wider social frame. Mobile phone has its benefits and its disadvantages.

There is many great points that you bring up. American society has seemed to have lost touch or interest with interpersonal communication with one another and that is why we have resorted to Facebook or other forms of communication. Yes, I think that technology is helpful but even then there has to be some balance because not everything can be done online. I think that your point of finding out who is alive in the middle of the night is a direct result of addiction. There is no other way to explain it when it comes to this issue. The best part is that we resort to social media which in turn isolates us from the world even though on may have 1000 friends. I like how that recent studies have shown the differences from each study and applied it today because American society has become increasing more reliant on their phones and the internet.

One of my favorite authors, John Green, has a brother long distance with whom he used to rarely communicate with other than through text and chat. He and his brother became frustrated with this and gave up these forms of communication. Instead, they started a youtube channel where they upload videos to each other saying whatever it as they would have said in a message. It is a really cool idea, but it is funny to me that a youtube video now qualifies as being “extra personal” in our communication. This is the point we are at in society. I see it myself in the tone of surprise I get whenever I call a friends to ask them how they are doing or if we could hang out soon. It is something so rare these days to not be content with online and texting interactions. There is a lot of variance in how this is affecting people. You said it best yourself. “Each of us has to decide for ourselves how much to immerse ourselves in virtual relationships on the Web as opposed to real ones in-person.” Quick and easy communication is a valuable asset, but it can easily become an addiction. If someone is at the point that they feel uncomfortable talking to people in person, or they need to validate their existence at 3am by posting on Facebook, it should definitely be a reality check.

I believe that the internet is creating new options for people to isolate themselves from others when they choose to, but I don’t think that the internet itself creates isolation. I’m convinced people use the internet as a way of social escape, the same way one goes on vacation, but instead of only being able to escape once a year, with a internet people can escape daily, or nightly rather.

I think that it is very easy in todays day and age to become very socially withdrawn when the internet is such an accessible thing. I find myself on the internet roaming aimlessly on the internet on sites such as Pinterest or Stumble Upon. I think that talking to people in person has become awkward if you first talk to them on Facebook or on some sort of chat thing. I find that people are usually on the internet and on Facebook to “Facebook stalk” to learn about their friends without actually having to have a real conversation with them.

This article has very valid points. In fact, I agree a lot. I have seen so many individuals give up so much time due to online social networks or conversations they are holding via internet. It is sad that people can go hours chatting or “snooping” on the internet, but they cannot meet for some coffee. Interpersonal communication has decreased immensely over the years and continues to. The social media is taking over the in-person communication. People would rather communication via electronics than face-to-face. Internet is a distraction from others and relationships, but it is a reason that many do not step out of their comfort zone anymore; their comfort is behind a screen and a keyboard.

This post is fascinating because often times we do not associate social media or the Internet with addiction. But looking at how time is spent on the Internet by frequent users and those who create their own space and identity in the Cyber world is very interesting. It has created the escape from reality that humanity has been striving for without taking into account the social and emotional repercussions. Just as anything in overuse has negative effects, I definitely believe that the Internet can be an isolating experience if taken advantage of. The tricky thing about it is that it is disguised as a “social” activity, it’s even in the name! And perhaps it is social to some degree, but it cannot and should not replace real life social interactions because then one would begin to deteriorate as a functioning and contributing member of society.

I do not doubt the ability to have large social cicles by using Facebook, or texting, or online chatrooms. I do not challenge the convenience of communication. My question is not with the quantity of communication. My issue is with the quality of communication. It is easy to talk to someone over text when you can take a minute to think of a witty response and do not have to look them in the eye while you send it. It is something completely different when you have face to face communication. My friend likes dating websites. He gets girls phone numbers. Then, he texts them. They have texting chemistry, but when he meets them, the relationship dies. The quantity of people he can talk to is astonishing, but the amount of quality relationships that come from it is limited at best.

While I understand that the internet could be addicting like gambling, we have to keep in mind that an overwhelming majority of people who have gambled – or used the internet – are not addicted to it. And while there is always the potential that we use social media to distance ourselves from face to face interactions, we cannot claim that we are not communicating with “real people”. I think, used correctly, social media can strengthen and improve existing relationships. Technology makes long-distance dating a reality. It lets us keep in touch with old friends who live far away. And it lets us share with, and hear the thoughts of, people we care about in ways otherwise impossible. Social media, the internet, and technology can be used to benefit relationships, but they should not be used to replace them.

I am with Kyle on this one. I mean technically anything can be addicting. It just so happens that with the growing popularity in the internet, more and more people are finding and making uses for it. Yet, all of this is merely a balance, just like everything in life. We must learn and know how to balance our work time with our play time. In the same way we must know when to talk to someone in person and when to just send them a Facebook message. I think that people know, deep down inside, that they need interpersonal connection. There is just no way to substitute that feeling of someone being there with you, talking to you. Also,I really think that in time, people will grow to know the difference because there are always those people who strongly dislike the ‘new’ thing. These people always find ways to bring back the old and make it cool again. Thus, I think that the wave of the internet will slow down and people will once again find joy in having a fun conversation over tea.

The internet has definitely changed the way people communicate with each other, and it is evident in many lives. Even personally, Facebook and other social networks have greatly influenced the way I communicate with others. It is easy for some one to get sucked in and become addicted to social networking, or to virtual relationships. This can take a toll on interpersonal communication. Social networks can have major advantages and beneficial ways to communicate with a large amount of people, but if they used as the only way of communicating, and takes up a large amount of time, then there can be some major causes for concern.

Modern technology has resulted in the advent of the term technological dependence. We see friends out to dinner who, instead of speaking to each other, have their heads buried in their phones. I have friends who have rules with their significant others about responding in under 20 minutes because they always have their smart phones on them. The sense of “social identity” is so prevalent that consumers feel as if their online presence contributes to their social standing and identities. Rather, the amount of comments of “likes” we receive can play into our confidence and how we feel about ourselves. In this sense, we are addicted because theses media sources are directly contributing to how we perceive ourselves and our social situations.

I believe that it is fair to say that most of us can agree on how impersonal our relationships have been with one another due to the internet and technological advances. At the same time, we can all agree that even with the research that has been conducted and its findings, none of us would want to give up the advancements we have. It is a love and hate relationship. We love how close Facebook brings us with those that are far away, but we hate how apart we are from those that are right next to us. It is only a matter of time before Facebook is replaced with something more innovative, just as it replaced MySpace and other things.

Even though I am a college student, growing up and even still to this day, I would not consider myself very “tech. savvy.” I have personally come to a conclusion that this is a blessing and a curse. I would consider it a curse because, being a college student, I think it is safe to say that a large majority of assignments and projects have something to do with the web. Practically everything that has to do with homework or work that is to be done outside the class somehow involves using a computer and the internet, even if it is not an online class. This is obviously a much easier way for teachers and professors to handle their grading, but for people like me it can make things somewhat difficult. The reason I would consider it a blessing is simply because I can confidently say that I am not apart of the population that is addicted to using the web or putting themselves into isolating positions because of it. Because of this I spend a majority of my time in face to face contact with other people, and really enjoy it. I will say that even though I was very late to obtaining a Facebook account, at least compared to people that I was around, I do take advantage of keeping in touch with friends from high school that I am not in close proximity with. Whether we are several hours apart, or across the nation from each other, I really try to take advantage of the opportunity that the web offers with keeping in touch with them.

I have long been awaiting a conversation to take flight that deals with the dangers of spending too much time on the web verses having interpersonal communication. For some, there is nothing like taking time on Facebook to see what one of their “friends” has been up to or to view their latest photos. For me I would rather call them or meet over coffee. I am unlike, according to the PowerPoint New Media Landscape, the 175 million users who have made Facebook the most vistited social media site to date.
There is nothing wrong with having a Facebook, I know many people who have connected with long lost relatives on the site, so it does serve a purpose far beyond what Mark Zuckerberg had anticipated. Yet, have we lost what is is like to hold a conversation with people face-to-face? Have we gotten so used to typing what we feel, that is has become hard to express it through our own lips? Facebook has, “daily traffic that averages about 115 million visitors per day” (Vivian, 2001, Pg. 184), does that mean that those 115 million people have lost a conversation with someone face-to-face that would have been life chaning, worthwhile, or just for fun? Hopefully as time progresse we can being taking our conversations to the interpersonal world, where it all started.

It is so crazy to me that our society now has come to terms with being “okay” with how much time we are spending on the Internet. I completely agree with the statement about how the use of the Internet is becoming an addiction much like gambling. An addiction of any kind is obviously detrimental to the person and that persons relationships but to loose so much just because we want to spend hours upon hours on the Internet? It is just so sad to think that this is what our society has come to.

The use of the internet, social media sites, and cell phones offer many great benefits to its users. Through outlets like Facebook, we are able to connect with distant friends and family with ease, rather than letters and long distant phone calls. There are many positive outcomes of these things, but people can easily abuse it. Without the everyday social interactions, we are able to hide many feelings and social awarenesses since we do not need immediate responses or need for body language, since it is not instantaneously in person. Many people take the use of online social media and texting too far, and remove themselves from the reality of life and actual social interactions. The internet offers so many great things; research, explanations, news, and connections, yet can easily be taken advantage of.

I was able to really relate and understand this blog, this may come to no surprise, but when its late at night i tend to just lay in my bed and stay on my phone till the late hours of the night scrolling through my news feed on Instagram or Facebook. Most of the time i wont even talk to anyone but i tend to just have made it a habit to go straight to the social networks to keep me company in these strange hours of the night. I agree with what you said because just like a person with a gambling addiction they will become depressed and also social isolation. Lately i have been feeling as if all i want to do is lay in my bed and be on my mac book or my phone.

There is no doubt that the Internet is incredibly useful and convenient. We are able to access information within seconds about absolutely anything under the sun. But there is a reality in the fact that we are slowly losing our ability to communicate with others in person. Virtual worlds allow us to create an image for ourselves that we simply cannot control in the “real world.” Outside of our computers, people have conceptualized us based on the reality of our behavior. But online, we can create that for ourselves.

Marriages are being compromised, as well as friendships, and relationships with people’s children. I know a married couple in particular that email one another throughout the day because they are so busy with their jobs that they don’t even have enough time to pick up the phone and call the other person.

What you said in the concluding paragraph of this post really resonated with me. “Ultimately, each of us has to decide for ourselves how much to immerse ourselves in virtual relationships on the Web as opposed to real ones in-person.” We are the deciders of our fate. If we subject ourselves to being 100% immersed in online fixes, then that is the person we will become.

Wow! Some scary stats out there regarding our virtual world and its effects on this generation’s communication and interpersonal skill. As the blog stated, to think that the Internet can lead to, and have similar manifestations of gambling leading to social isolation and depression is frightening and frankly appalling. However, I have witnessed, like it says, many people who would self-disclose and identify themselves as a “loner” to have found that the virtual world has opened up life and relationships in ways they have not yet been able to find elsewhere. It has provided them with human interaction where they have found common ground, ultimately reducing social isolation. Bu the question remains, is that real interaction if it happens via Internet, by phone, or text? I think Jim WIllis said it best when he said that we get the ultimate say in how much is too much, and in what ways we prefer to immerse ourselves in the virtual world. For some, it has quickly become a life they always wanted and opened doors that might not have opened otherwise, and for others, the idea of virtual, online relationships and communication is sickening to think about because of what it has done to the interpersonal skill of this generation. The opinion and the decision is up to

The internet, due to its accessibility and wide array of entertainment, is easy to resort to when one feels lonely (along with other medias such as television). The media has played with peoples emotions and has allowed them escapes to uncomfortable emotions. However, this prevents growth and encourages extreme investment in alternatives to real relationships of substance. Reflecting on this particular post provided a lot of insight into myself. I feel that personally much of my time is spent on the internet when I feel as if I do not have much else to engage in. Many times, I actually search to build relationships with others via technology rather than in person.

I have a facebook, but I hardly find the time to actually go on it. Even during the late hours of the night and I can not get to sleep, I still don’t visit facebook. I send my fiancee a message and see if she responds. If there is silence, i go watch tv or turn on my Xbox and play online with whatever friend is still awake, usually there is 1 or 2. A majority of my “friends” on facebook hardly talk anymore. I find that my current friends are those I work with and see on a regular basis. My thoughts are neutral with technology. Yes, it keeps us in touch with the people we know. But how often do we talk to all of them. I have a handful of people I contact on a regular basis through the social networks. I try to keep a healthy relationship with people in person and through technology