IMO, the vast majority of social networking communication is background noise. But to go from that to, "...since online interaction lacks the human elements of empathetic facial responses, body language, and touch, will social networking media be relegated to only the more frivolous types of interpersonal communication?" I think is simply going to far.
What of all the books, diaries, letters, and poems that have been written over the millennia. No human contact, no empathetic facial responses... does it matter? Do I need Lincoln to personally recite the Gettysburg Address to me for it to be real? It's simply a ridiculous proposition. Now granted, in the history of the written word most of what has been set to stone, or papyrus, or paper or a computer screen has not been of earth shattering importance, nor does it offer the window into the soul of ones humanity. Why would social networking be any different? Why is the spoken word any different for that matter? I've heard (and said) a lot of useless things in my life - that's just to be expected. The important stuff is rare regardless of the delivery mechanism. No format is in itself doomed to frivolity. It may favor it, but not exclude all potential for greater moments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=39528 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
