Does anyone remember when talking face to face was the most popular way of communication. For most who will read this, the idea of talking to someone with out a phone or computer seperating them is unimaginable. It is hard for most of us to imagine what it would be like if we couldnt tell what are friends were doing without checking their "Facebook" or "Twitter" accounts. It wasnt to long ago that you actually had to get on a bicycle, walk, get a ride, or take a bus to your friends house just to see what they were doing. I am only 26, but I remember these days. I remember a time when hanging with friends consisted of going to a park, sitting on a swing set and talking. No computers, cell phones, PDA's, or anything like that.
So I pose this question... Think about what it was like before "Social Networks" and share with us your memories of what it was like before you could text/status update/tweet. How has this revolution changed your life socially?
When I was growing up, all the kids in the neighborhood would meet up at the schoolyard and play kickball. Also, during the summer we would spend all day at the local swim club - swimmming, playing baseball and laying in the sun. We did not have video games, computers and the tv never had any good programs, so we spent most of our time outdoors riding bikes and playing in the woods. I had a wonderful childhood!
ReplyDeleteIm only 26 and I remember life like that as well! I think it was so much better that way. Each day had a purpose!
ReplyDeleteIt is so easy to communicate with someone by texting, emailing, or facebooking. I am 29, and remember when there was none of these. We had a phone with no caller id or call waiting, there was actually a busy signal. Socially everything is quicker, you can get in touch with a friend in more than one way.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree Kathy, but really I guess where I am getting is that communication has lost all passion and emotion in it. Think about... love letters used to be the way you communicated with someone you cared about, or you would pass a note in class letting them know you were interested (with or without check boxes)... but today.. if you send a text, email or facebook message.. how does that show your true feelings.. its doesnt, it is brushed off as a lazy... people have sacraficed passion and emotion for convience.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Joe. There is really not much interactions with each other, the interaction is more with the computer. It does seem people have lost that emotion with communication.
ReplyDeleteJoe, I think people would go crazy if there was no more Facebook. I think with social networks it makes it easier to communicate with one another because of advanced technology. Before people would have to write letters and call on the phone but now we can email, text, and more. Technology is changing the way we live.
ReplyDeleteJoe, your post made me remember my childhood. I was born in 1959, so things were really different back then. There were no computers, cell phones, and our television only got in three channels initially. My friends and I used to ride our bicycles everywhere we wanted to go. We rode all over the place. It was just like it was portrayed in the movie "Now and Then." If you have not seen this movie you should, it portrays things exactly as it was when I was growing up. We played more games and did more face to face because there was no other way to do things. Sometimes I really miss those days. Great post. Mary Ann Reday.
ReplyDeleteMy social life now consist of going on the computer to find out what my friends are doing. Before, like 10 years ago, i would walk over my friends house and we would walk around the neighborhood. Then, we would go to our separate homes and then talk on the phone. I really miss those days because I miss seeing their faces.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post and question. When I grew up there were no computers, cells, etc.. and social networking was what we would call meeting at the corner to discuss the days events, and what games to play. Very rarely did we use the phone, as we saw all of our friends at school, after school and weekends. Watching TV was very simple, not many channels and went off the air during the early morning hours. We always rode our bikes to get around, very rarely did we ask our parents for a ride, only for a dance or if it was late at night. Life was a lot different, not as cluttered, but I like the tools that we have today to communicate. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI am really glad that everyone is enjoying this post... It was designed to make you think about life with out "social networks" and remember life as a simplier time. Thanks for great comments... new post coming later!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post Joe. I must say though from my personal experience the social network revolution means almost nothing to me. Yes I see everyone engrossed in their phones with their texts and status updates, but to me it just looks like a bunch of people staring into the machine, more connected yet more disconnected than ever. That is why I have consciously avoided Social Networks sites. I have no myspace, facebook, or twitter account. I have never sent a text message and prefer to keep my online identity as basic and clean as possible.
ReplyDeletei will have to agree with most people that if Facebook, twitter,etc were not about people would think the world has ended. i will have to confess that i would be going nuts because facebook would be gone just for that fact that is the may way i get a hold of my friends. also with cell phone involvement, people would lose it just because of a stupid web site, well i cant say it all that stupid.
ReplyDeleteI was in High School in the 90’s and I remember that if you wanted to make plans for the night you would call one friend and then each of you would start calling others. Today all you have to do is send out one text to all of your friends and in a matter of seconds, everyone knows where to go. Or you could post it on Facebook or Twitter. Things are a lot quicker these days.
ReplyDeleteJoe, I'm 47 and I remember when my family did not have a phone. I remember writing letters to diffrent family members. And I remember making a call for 10 cents at the telephone booth that was located on the corner. I was twenty when my father passed away, and I learned about my fathers' death from a call I made from the telephone booth on the corner of Hoffman and Stuyvasant Avenue, Trenton, NJ. Today you can reach all your family members at one time tolet them know about a family member death. Now I can't live without my cell phone. The other day the battery on my phone died, and I could not function all day, wondering if my mother and grandmother will be okey, because they have no way to contact me because my phone is dead. I literally was in panic mode.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was twelve, my friends and I would have our parents drop us off at the mall. Communication was difficult and if someone was running late due to traffic or any other reason the others would wait unsure as to whether the others were only a few minutes behind or if they were unable to make it. It was also common to hear mall announcements asking for individuals to meet with their group at customer service. Thank God for cell phones!
ReplyDeletebefore the "social networks" comes, I remember when I was a kids, there was no TV, computers. when our family gathering, we just kept talking, laughing playing games all the time. but know even though we are gathering at my parents house, most of time, some in front of TV, some in front of computers.
ReplyDeleteBecause of the evolution of Technology, people barley ever talk face to face anymore. Whenever I go to WaWa, I have to order my hoagie through a touch screen rather than ordering face to face. My friends would rather text me then have a face to face conversation. When ever I don't want to text anyone, I call them and they never answer. No less than 10 seconds later, that person texts me saying "Whats up?" I wonder when face to face interaction will become popular again?
ReplyDeleteSocial networks have brought me closer to my friends any family without have to physically be with them. Their are pro's and con's to this. Just sitting in front of the computer to socialize decreases the face to face interaction but being able to learn about family events keeps me involved and closer with my family.
ReplyDeleteI remember well the period of my life when I was talking to my friends and my parents mostly face to face. I enjoyed very much the evenings when all members of my familiar gathered together to have a dinner and to share their opinion about the last events that were going on. I recollect the moments when I was taking a walk with my friends or we were sitting somewhere on a bench and confide our secrets. I really miss those days. In my opinion, face to face communication is the best way talk because one can express his or her thoughts completely and use nonverbal elements that give a great amount of information. Mimicries and gestures that are a part of face to face conversations help to express emotions, feelings and thoughts significantly and contribute to better to the better understand interlocutors.
ReplyDeleteIn spite of all these benefits that face to face communication gives us, the main way of interaction with my dear people has become the Internet. It allows me to be in touch with my parents and friends that are overseas any time I want at the low cost. From that point of view, I appreciate technology and the opportunity that it gives us for communication.