A recent study finds that people -- teenagers in particular -- prefer forging and keeping friendships online to doing so in an offline setting.
If this doesn't signal that we're living in an almost-purely digital age, I don't know what does.
It won't be long before "old school" forms of communication -- writing letters, making phone calls even -- become entirely obsolete.
But does this indicate that we, as a society, are becoming more introverted?
I don't think so.
What it means is that as technology continues to become more advanced, we only become lazier.
People want things yesterday. As we become busier, we rely more on technology to get things done as quickly as possible.
Buy groceries through Amazon.com and have them delivered to us? Check. Watch movies at home via Netflix without having to set foot in the theater? Check. Set up doctor's appointments online? Done.
When it comes to friendships, the internet offers the opportunity to connect with others in a non-threatening environment that allows one to remain anonymous. This is especially convenient for shy types who don't want to go through the hassle of striking up conversations in person.
Critics say that such friendships lack the human element of face-to-face relationships, and that they do little to build the social skills of the shy and introverted.
While such claims have some merit, I think having online friendships is better than nothing -- so long as you're talking to someone who positively impacts your life and has no ulterior motives.
Still, people should strive for a healthy balance of online and offline friendships. You don't want all your friendships to be solely virtual ones, and going out with friends every day can be time-consuming and exhausting.
What's your take?
Please check out other posts here: How to Understand People
If this doesn't signal that we're living in an almost-purely digital age, I don't know what does.
It won't be long before "old school" forms of communication -- writing letters, making phone calls even -- become entirely obsolete.
But does this indicate that we, as a society, are becoming more introverted?
I don't think so.
What it means is that as technology continues to become more advanced, we only become lazier.
People want things yesterday. As we become busier, we rely more on technology to get things done as quickly as possible.
Buy groceries through Amazon.com and have them delivered to us? Check. Watch movies at home via Netflix without having to set foot in the theater? Check. Set up doctor's appointments online? Done.
When it comes to friendships, the internet offers the opportunity to connect with others in a non-threatening environment that allows one to remain anonymous. This is especially convenient for shy types who don't want to go through the hassle of striking up conversations in person.
Critics say that such friendships lack the human element of face-to-face relationships, and that they do little to build the social skills of the shy and introverted.
While such claims have some merit, I think having online friendships is better than nothing -- so long as you're talking to someone who positively impacts your life and has no ulterior motives.
Still, people should strive for a healthy balance of online and offline friendships. You don't want all your friendships to be solely virtual ones, and going out with friends every day can be time-consuming and exhausting.
What's your take?
Please check out other posts here: How to Understand People
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