Social Networking are a 'modern form of madness'

[katty]

more:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/8276948/Social-networking-sites-are-a-modern-form-of-madness.html

The way in which people frantically communicate online via social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook can be seen as a modern form of madness, according to the leading sociologist.

Sherry Turkle, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, writes in her new book, Alone Together: “A behaviour that has become typical may still express the problems that once caused us to see it as pathological.”

She explains that people are become isolated from reality due to such social networking sites because technology is dominating our lives and making us "less human".

Under the illusion of allowing us to communicate better, technology is actually isolating us from real human interactions...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Sorry, but this is bullshit.

I am distinctly more human since I began playing on these networks.

:P

[Kurovski]

6. But you know Peggy, my theory is that everyone's pretty much nuts already

so let's go for it! :hi:

[Drale]

2. I suppose it could be it really depends on how you use them

I talk to people I never get to talk to in person through facebook all the time. I think I might talk more when playing an MMO then I do in real like. I still go out with friends but sometimes you just feel like you don't want to talk to people in real life.

[katty]

3. concur, it is all in how the sites are used

[Boojatta]

4. I'm surprised that a biological pathogen can write an article and get it published.

However, I'm not surprised that a biological pathogen would be annoyed by human interactions that don't allow for transmission of a pathogen from one person to another.

[progressoid]

5. So the only "real" human interactions have to be in person?

Bullshit.

[Kurovski]

7. Really. look at the rich history of human relations that are to be seen in letters.

The letters that people don't write so much anymore, but they were indeed communicating.

[Qutzupalotl]

8. Face-to-face contact seems more meaningful to me, but

electronic contact is usually more convenient. E-dating, for instance, can quickly sort out people with similar tastes. On the other hand, a face-to-face encounter is usually the best way to see if there's chemistry. So I think she has a point, but is maybe overstating her case.

[katty]

9. yes, I think it is overstated-with a dollop of academic

hysteria over social networks.