The Social Network Sacrifice

Couple good reads for today, and their kinda connected (actually, they're literally connected since I found one linking off of the other):

First via Alex Whalen, there's this New York Magazine column by Paul Ford about how Facebook and social media are removing the process of narrative, of us as people being able to tell a story as beginning, middle, end.

The second was a link I found off of the above, a New York Times op-ed by author Jonathan Frazen based off of his commencement address to Kenyon College this past spring.  His piece speaks to the fear that we as a people are losing the ability to truly love and care about things because of technology and social media like Facebook - how "liking" has become a pathetic replacement for the act of truly loving something... or someone.

As someone trying to control their dosage of "The Book," both pieces hit a cord with me, especially Frazen's.  The freedom to choose is what drives not only the market but society, and it's obvious that social media is the next revolutionary phase of how we as people communicate with one another as I've said before.  But in the same way as there need to be regulators to protect us in the "Wild West" that is capitalism and choice, there should be some sort of regulator for what we are giving into this new medium that grabs us at the most intimate, individual level.  In the same way people deserve to be informed by a reliable source of what they choose to do in the free market, they too should be made aware (or at least have to stop and think) of what they are give in to this incredible new machine, what they sacrifice on the alter of social connectivity.

Two of my friends both messaged me tonight about the new Amazing Spider-Man trailer (which I refuse to link to on principle - I am not impressed - go Google it if you really care to see it).  One sent me a text, the other left me a message on my wall.  And rather than just use the same mediums to share my thoughts with them, I decided to call.  And with both I talked for much longer than I could have honestly shared via either texting or on Facebook.  I know I felt much better talking to them, it made me nostalgic for when we lived much closer together and could banter in person on almost a nightly basis.  It reminded me of how much I valued our time, and our friendship.  And that's exactly what I feel Frazen is talking about; we are losing our ability to tightly hang on to what we in our heart-of-hearts cherish.

So the next time someone sends you a text or wall post or any sort of message what is limited by the number of characters you can at one time, blow off the return message and dial their number.  I think you'll find, like I did tonight, that the little bit of an investment it is of your time will reap you a reward that you cannot get wrapped in flat blue and white masthead.