Facebook Disease

Recently, there has been a significant increase in the number of users of online social networking sites. What are the reasons for such an increase? In addition to using such websites as a method of socialization, people also use them to express either their true personalities or, in many cases, idealized versions of themselves.

I believe that the most unique element of online networking websites is the ability to “take a break” from reality, allowing individuals to hide themselves behind their computer monitors and exhibit idealized versions of themselves. Having used Facebook for the last two years, I have noticed people using increasingly cheesy language toward each other in their commenting and wall-writing habits, pretending to be excessively friendly with each other. Such a tendency is scarcely seen in “real-life” society. In many situations, individuals hide their tense relationships with polite, friendly behavior on Facebook.

When updating profile pictures, individuals often use the opportunity to show off. People often use Photoshop to improve their appearances in pictures, perhaps by clearing acne, adding a tan to their skin tone or whitening their smiles! Is superficiality the true meaning of social networking?

I do not oppose the idea of idealizing one’s public image, as it actually helps individuals to construct their personalities. However, I believe that these online habits further encourage people to live dualistic lives. Such a phenomenon could potentially inhibit the healthy growth of society. Can you think of the many differences between our real-life relationships and those with our Facebook friends? Do we really have over 100 friends in real life with whom to share our feelings, experiences and emotions?

By being aware of the disadvantages of online networking, we could further enjoy more its benefits. As an American writer once said, “Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.”

Online Technology—A Solution to Separation Anxiety?

In his book, “You Are Not a Gadget,” Lanier argues about the similarities between human neoteny and technology. Human beings require attention, socialization, networking and the sharing of their experiences and feeling; technology provides such opportunities to many people. Social networks and blogs allow people to obtain extensive attention from other individuals. Therefore, one of the most beneficial effects of Internet use is the ability to minimize experiences of separation anxiety.


“Young people announce every detail of their lives on services like Twitter and Facebook, not to show off, but to avoid the closed door at bedtime, the empty room [and] the screaming vacuum of an isolated mind,” Lanier said.

Considering my personal experience with Facebook, I have to admit that I am totally agree with him. I share my feelings and emotional status with my Facebook friends in order to receive attention, yet strangely, I become poignant whenever I don’t receive any comments (which indicate support) on my emotional status. I use Facebook as a tool to fill my loneliness.

Despite the utility of such an online networking service, I remain unsure as to whether or not such a tool is an effective method of resolving separation anxiety. I mean, really, are a few comments on a social networking site (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and MySpace) truly capable of emotionally satisfying an individual?

In 2009, I read a story about a Korean pop star, Jay Park, regarding the incorrect interpretation of a comment he made on MySpace. A Korean publication had misinterpreted his comment, and, as a result, he was immersed in a frenzy that was so controversial, he decided to leave his band—2PM—to return to Seattle. After he left, his media image quickly changed as the press and the public discovered the misinterpretation of his comment. He swiftly gained sympathy and support internationally, resulting in silent protests in many countries. His album soon became one of the most popular topics on social media sites, such as Twitter.

I believe that there is a big difference between who you think you are and who you really are, as a user of online social networks. Therefore, whatever attention or support you receive online is not truly intended for you. Thus, to a certain extent, it can be argued that such attention cannot be reasonably considered as support. When you are sitting in an empty room and begin to feel lonely, your Facebook friends may temporarily entertain you, causing you envision an escape from your isolation and anxiety. However, in truth, you would remain in that empty room, with nobody beside you.

Thinking Twice About Social Networking Websites

People have established varying relationships with technology. Some rely on it for the purposes of financial gain, while others use it for social networking and Internet dating. There are many people who would prefer to seek love on the Internet, rather than conducting a search in real life (by which method they would have a better chance of interacting with people).

Imagine this: I am sitting in a classroom, sending text messages to my Facebook friends and writing on their walls. By doing this, I am not interacting with and paying more attention to the students around me, and, as a result, I am not befriending new people. In my opinion, the Internet does not fill the gap between people—instead, it simply enlarges the distance between to a greater degree.

I have more than one hundred people on my list of friends on Facebook, but in the real world, there are less than five people with whom I regularly hang out. Although there are people who regularly interact with me on Facebook, many of them ignore me in real life, which is quite odd. I suppose the new culture is developing new methods of social and physiological interaction, which might not be very beneficial to human beings.

In reference to the idea of Internet dating, I believe that individuals who engage in such behavior exhibit weakness—they choose to hide behind monitors while expressing their feelings and chatting with anonymous people (who are generally oblivious to the legitimacy, physical status and psychological status of the individuals with whom they speak).

A friend of mine once began an Internet relationship with an individual who resided in France. Without even seeing him, she fell in love with him and decided to travel to his country to finally visit him. However, she shockingly discovered the fact that he was 27 years older than her, which was a fact that he had hidden from her.

I believe that people should become fully aware of the potential disadvantages of Internet dating and social networking. They should not allow the Internet to overwhelm and control their lives; people

need to try to develop their personal relationships, especially in places like schools and places of work, where real people actually exist. After all, technology is supposed to be accessible for the human pleasure, not dissatisfaction.

Dualism

What is the difference between a digital object and a physical object? Sometimes, a digital object seems to be more real and of better quality than a physical object, although you can never actually touch it. Basically, we are talking about a “real” object that cannot actually be touched. Is that really possible? According to physics, it may not. However, the new culture of technology has made it possible.


Having expanded the idea into a broader perspective, we are entering into a phase of reality in which two versions of anything can exist. Jaron Lanier refers to it as “the dreaded path of dualism.” One version is associated with the more mechanistic or deterministic side, while the other is characterized by digitalization (or, using Lanier’s term, “computationalism”).

I do not object to dualism if it yields the option of choice to people. However, with the new culture, the digital versions of most things often force people toward using it. For instance, a few years ago, paper, books, notebooks, pens, chalk and blackboards were the essentials tools of learning. However, with the new culture and expansion of the Internet, students are now forced to buy not only a PC, but a personal laptop, as well (which is now referred to as a “notebook”). These days, without having a laptop and access to the Internet, a student cannot sufficiently follow his/her education. All the lecture notes are online, many assignments require the use of computers and teachers no longer accept handwritten work. As a result, a new wave of distance education is becoming more popular—a student no longer needs to physically attend school in order to obtain educational credits. It is obvious that the new culture is systematically changing the culture of education. The dualism won’t allow people to contradict the standards of this new culture after it has expanded its root and been sufficiently adapted to. It is becoming a strong, dominant force. I feel its danger because of its powerful effect on contemporary society.

According to the words of Lanier, with regards to computationalism, the world can be understood as a computational process; its inhabitants are sub-processes. In my opinion, however, that’s not the definition of a real world to me. I believe that a real world is characterized by its inhabitants, who interact and live with each other on the basis of their own feelings and emotions. This is a luxury that computers have never had.



http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/computational-mind/

http://users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/harnad/Papers/Harnad/harnad93.symb.anal.net.searle.html