Maybe I should stop concentrating so much on having a social life (social in terms of actually talking to real life humans and not reading text messages the whole time). And start social networking.
I'm saying this because it seems almost everyone I know is using some form of social networking "tool". Be it Facebook, MySpace, MSN or whatever...
Though I do think all these are great tools of mass communication, and most of which save people a whole lotta money... I just think all these wonderful technological innovations isolate a lot of people and as a result people end up being out of touch with reality. People end up loosing some fundamental social skills.
I was surprised when I heard this other guy use social networking as part of his pick up line...
I was cruising Menlyn Park (very popular mall) this past Saturday with my girlfriend, and overheard this other Black guy (not too sure why I'm mentioning his race) talking to this girl. It was pretty clear they had just met judging from the content of the conversation.
We were just getting onto the escalator, when he started talking to her. He somehow managed to talk her into giving him her number and vice versa. Either because it was too late for her to turn back and take the lift, or because it was too high for her to jump off the side. She didn't seem very interested either way. So just when we get to the top, he says to her... "So do you Mxit?" (for those that don't know - Mxit is an instant messaging application, installed on a person's phone via WAP) I'm not gonna explain WAP.
So, anyway. She looks at her funny and politely says no... then pulls her phone out of her handbag, presses a couple of buttons a few times and puts it back in. My guess is she was deleting his number. In fact I'm pretty sure she was.
Moral of the story:
The guy basically scored a nice girl and managed to keep her from leaping to her death, but managed to get lose her all in a space of less than 2 minutes. Just by saying something completely... eish... I can't even think of the right word.
Which leads me to my next point:
Why is it seen as such a need to be on all the popular social networks and "socialise" with strangers? Why is it so important to have a list of strangers listed as "friends", simply because you have certain things in common? Why am I seen as a "social outcast" if I don't spend hours on Facebook, MySpace and all the other social networks?
I'm not saying I'm completely "socially challenged", I do have a Myspace page, I do have a Facebook page. But I really, honesty and truly don't see the point logic behind it all. I rarely go on Facebook. I can't even remember my MySpace address. (There's a big reward for anyone who can find it for me... NOT!) I rarely go on Mxit. Simple because I think we (as people) need to get back in touch on a personal physical level. And I'm taking the first step. What's stopping everyone else from loggin of for a short while and going outside to meet your new neighbour, watching a movie with some close friends, going out for a picnic or something?? Why is so important for you to text message everything? Why is it so hard for people to just be people? Why can't we just let the computer be a small part of our lives and not totally consume us?
People look at me funny when I tell them I don't have a computer. I get even funnier looks when I say I don't really see a need for one. This is what I tell them:
I sit in front of a computer for well over 8 hours a day. I don't need to be staring at one when I get home too. I'd much rather spend time with my girl, go catch a movie or something. I don't honestly don't really need a computer. Maybe I'll need it later on in life when I actually can't find time to kick some graphic or web designs together. When the only time I have is when I'm at home. I don't think that's ever gonna happen, but until then... no PC for me.
Why is it that people take the time out of their busy schedules to go to a coffee shop (which in my opinion is a pretty cool place to socialise) but still manage to somehow get sunk so deep in their laptop screens, they don't even notice anybody else around them??
Don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning social networks at all. In fact I'm all for the whole global citizenship thing. If it wasn't for this whole networking thing (more specifically: this forum, flickr etc.), I wouldn't have learnt all the things I know today.
I know we are living in the computer age, where you can basically log in from wherever you are, but is it truly neccesary to actually do that?
Last week Wednesday, I flew from Johannesburg to Cape Town and back, in one day. And throughout those 4 hours spent in the air. I only spoke to one person. One. Just one. The guy who was sitting to my left on my way to Cape Town. While the iPod dude sitting on my right was too busy fiddling with his headphones and iPod to even greet.
Maybe I just need to take some time out from having a life and start logging in a bit more often and making a whole lot of "friends" in the process.
...just maybe
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