Comments on: Alone in our “togetherness”

By: David A

David A — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:22:45 +0000

Interestingly, I think that I am going to take a different stance upon the article. I hear all the time about how the digital world especially video games are addicting and don’t foster real relationships, and is escapism from the real world. While I feel that some of these things are true,there are benefits to video games that many times we don’t realize. As a society as a whole, we are further becoming immersed into video games. As time passes more and more people are connecting themselves to games and especially through avatars. Games teach and inspire in ways that reality cannot. They unite people in ways that reality cannot. “Games satisfy a hunger for more satisfying work, a stronger sense of community, and for a more meaningful and engaging life.” Jane McGoningal A lot of this might seem like a gamer’s excuse to justify gaming. In a way yes and in a way no. I am reading a book called Reality is Broken by Jane McGonagil. In this book, it points out the benefits and uses that video games have and then takes these ideas and redirects it to how we can improve and make our own individual lives better in reality. Through the use of avatars, it can inspire us to improve our own stats as we level up in reality. The Nike+ running system takes the avatar (Mini) to a new level as users can see how running improves the health of their avatar and inspires them personally to run more. Ideas like leveling up and getting achievements also inspire a person. I’m still in the process of reading the book, but it really has offered insight into how games can change the world

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 17:38:50 +0000

Brittany,
Good comment, and I think a lot of other people feel the same way about the way our interpersonal communication is changing as a result of the Web.

By: Brittany F

Brittany F — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:51:59 +0000

This was definitely a thought provoking article as I was reflecting on my own life and the way I use virtual media to communicate with people today. I think that Facebook, texting, e-mail, or anything like it has become such a big and widely accepted part of our culture today that we do not even realize when we are using it. I will just instinctively look at my phone first thing when I get up in the morning. I do not even think about– it has become second nature. This style of living I believe has taken away from interpersonal communication. I noticed the other day when talking to a prospective employer that I would rather have a phone interview than in-person. Technology has definitely separated our society from past generations.

By: Yi-Fan (Arthur) Shih

Yi-Fan (Arthur) Shih — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 06:12:19 +0000

I am enjoying reading this blog and it is very true about it. We are already losing our self-control to computer. Why I know because I am one of them, too. We have been spending so many time on the computer, internet, and our mobile phone. They have make us really convenient to have communicate with others, but it also makes us more lazy and we less important to others. Why I say it because it is too easy to find your friends now. It makes us feel like, “oh, I really want to talk with you, but I am too lazy to meet up with you.” It makes us start losing our respect to others and we will become lazier and lazier. The good part about it is we still have connection with each others, but the bad part is we are slowly losing our respectful to others.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:41:15 +0000

Ashley, thanks for the thought you gave to this post, “Alone in our Togetherness.” The next post after this shows some of the upside of using social networks.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:39:50 +0000

Crystal, people do tend to find it much easier to be someone else when they’re on the web, so much so that avatars are being created all the time by many users. Thanks for the thoughtful reaction to, “Alone in Our Togetherness.”

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:38:34 +0000

Levi, Thanks for the thoughtful comments about “Alone in our Togetherness.” You raise some interesting points about innovation and our reactions to it.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:37:10 +0000

Micah, thanks for the thoughtful response to the video game post. Like everything on the Web, we can find some needed escape at times, just as we do in our leisure time away from the Web. Balance seems to emerge as the key thought for most of us.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:35:46 +0000

Alan,
Thanks for the thoughtful post on the digital world and how some are turning to it to replace the real world.

By: Jim Willis

Jim Willis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:30:32 +0000

Nick, more and more users are developing avatars and going to places they would only dream about going in real life.