I’ve got way too many social commitments. Unfortunately they are mostly online. I have developed this terrific group of friends on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning networks, and various blogs. And like a good social networker I participate, comment, volunteer, post, etc. So much so that I have little free time.
I realized recently that my offline social life is decidedly less zingy than it used to be. Maybe I am subconsciously dialing it back to save money in this economy. Maybe I’m just trying to be a good dad to my three rowdy little boys. Either way I’m still glued to my laptop quite a bit even after office hours.
Granted, I use social media for business, so I justify much of my time there by meeting new clients and candidates. But the truly social aspect of online community is still pretty social. I have read that much of the world is feeling the same effect, more online social life, less offline social life.
We are entering football season, so my couch / beer / buddy time will be far more active soon. Still I wonder if we are forever changed by our ability to have such an active online social scene, hanging out in places like Twitter and Facebook for fun in the evenings. Even when the economy comes roaring back, is this our new nightlife?
"No," you say? "Not even close bud!" Okay, but how pathetic is it that we now take our online community with us to our offline social scene by way of mobile apps, sms groups, and smart phones. Are we desperate for attention or what?
Nowadays the party just isn’t a party without it’s own FB event page and a hashtag Twitter stream. Even if its just getting together for a football game (#Sooners_at_Fishdogs!), or perhaps a meeting of the physics club (#properties_of_physics). Is this really just for the sake of convenience and ease of communication? Bah!
We go around pretending to star in our own documentary reality show and even vainly tell our loyal viewers "Good night, signing off" when we’re done updating for the day as if the world is hanging on our every move. And maybe it is. Welcome to your social life. Demented and sad, but social.
Do you spend more time socializing online than in the real world? Are you plugged in even when you should be unplugged? Let me hear from you.
View my blog at www.fishdogs.com and Tweet me @fishdogs
This is tricky. On one hand, it seems obvious that the more one participates the more momentum one builds. On the other hand, the material that we work to produce (blogging in particular) is that much more interesting when we step away from the laptop. I guess the biggest question in my mind becomes whether someone wants to be a consumer or a producer. You, my friend, are a producer… with that comes the self-imposed responsibility of being creative on a pretty frequent basis. I find that stepping away fills up my creative tanks – it keeps me moving forward. Oh yeah… and my eyes burn less 😉
I'm blessed with a sister 20 years my junior. I've seen her enter the bathroom to vomit after a night of Patron – cellphone in hand. It's unconscious. I use the media and try not to let it use me. I had a blog with a great name and 100 unique visitors a day. When it became like a job, I dedicated more time to my job!
It is tough to deny the allure of the online community … always there, the last message always hanging waiting for the latest quip … I have self-imposed tech-free time. And a 5 year old. I don't want to miss the really real important stuff 😉
<span>@Karla @Craig @Jeff Twitter is the Borg http://tr.im/ymbp :-P</span>
Gave me a good chuckle with this post. If your face-to-face social life is suffering, step it up a pace. Hold a Tweet-up football beer guzzing event. Then you can get the best of all the worlds.
PS…I'm still wating to see you on The View! 🙂
I work with a guy who recently told me social media is the beginning of the isolation that will lead to the downfall of humanity. I think I gave him a Scooby look.
The 24/7 always on, or at least always available, allows us to blur the lines between our work and social lives allowing for a more flexible work schedule. It also extends our non-work social lives by minimizing distances, enabling lost friendships to be rekindled, and fitting in a lot more of this than would ever be possible without it. While I like to be social I don't always like getting dressed up and out of the house to do so. I like that I can relax and enjoy downtime while socializing in comfort, where I want, when I choose.
So Craig, enjoy your family, your games, your online communities of friends, answer client questions and have a beer all at the same time ~enjoy!