Comments on: Social media makes us approachable http://idealistcafe.com/blog/technology/social-media-makes-us-approachable/ Idealist Cafe -- A Lifestyle Project ... Writing and sharing thoughts about adventure, health, sustainability, travel, technology, personal development, and inspired living Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:10:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Russ http://idealistcafe.com/blog/technology/social-media-makes-us-approachable/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Russ Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:47:24 +0000 http://idealistcafe.com/wordpress/uncategorized/social-media-makes-us-approachable/#comment-35 That's so true. I hadn't remembered the pen pal thing! I think I may have done that too. I've always been curious about people on the other side of the world, which is why me and the internet are a good fit :) <br /><br />There are plenty of people online who I have never met, but who I feel connected to simply by reading what they write. I know there are many out there who feel the same, but I do also know that there are others who still don't feel quite right about it. But I think eventually more people will become comfortable with it, and social networking will find it's place somewhere in the middle of the road. That's so true. I hadn't remembered the pen pal thing! I think I may have done that too. I've always been curious about people on the other side of the world, which is why me and the internet are a good fit :)

There are plenty of people online who I have never met, but who I feel connected to simply by reading what they write. I know there are many out there who feel the same, but I do also know that there are others who still don't feel quite right about it. But I think eventually more people will become comfortable with it, and social networking will find it's place somewhere in the middle of the road.

]]> By: Grace http://idealistcafe.com/blog/technology/social-media-makes-us-approachable/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Grace Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:02:14 +0000 http://idealistcafe.com/wordpress/uncategorized/social-media-makes-us-approachable/#comment-36 When I was 12 years old or so, before my family decided to try out that "Free 10 hours on AOL" cd for the first time, I remember ripping out this penpal ad from my friends' teen magazine. I think I paid a fee of $10 for two penpals the first time. One was from GA and another was from OH. I was so hungry for interaction with people from outside of my world - people with vastly different lives, perspectives, experiences... I would have paid any amount to do that (that is, any amount that is possible with my meager preteen cash flow).<br /><br />I love the interconnectivity that the internet has given us. I love that celebrities can connect with us directly and make gossip hounds look like idiots. I love that I can randomly stumble across a blog someone from San Diego and hear about his thoughts and travels. :) I do NOT love that old ex-boyfriends can track me down on Facebook, but Facebook is a whole different story in my opinion.<br /><br />I don't think the internet could ever replace the face-to-face relationships that we have, but it's still pretty incredible how much bigger and more accessible our world suddenly is, as compared to 15 or so years ago. When I was 12 years old or so, before my family decided to try out that "Free 10 hours on AOL" cd for the first time, I remember ripping out this penpal ad from my friends' teen magazine. I think I paid a fee of $10 for two penpals the first time. One was from GA and another was from OH. I was so hungry for interaction with people from outside of my world – people with vastly different lives, perspectives, experiences… I would have paid any amount to do that (that is, any amount that is possible with my meager preteen cash flow).

I love the interconnectivity that the internet has given us. I love that celebrities can connect with us directly and make gossip hounds look like idiots. I love that I can randomly stumble across a blog someone from San Diego and hear about his thoughts and travels. :) I do NOT love that old ex-boyfriends can track me down on Facebook, but Facebook is a whole different story in my opinion.

I don't think the internet could ever replace the face-to-face relationships that we have, but it's still pretty incredible how much bigger and more accessible our world suddenly is, as compared to 15 or so years ago.

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