Digital Relationships
Hello and welcome to a new era in Mark Silverstein Imagines history: MSInk, our company’s blog! My name is Spencer and I am Mark’s eldest son. As a recent graduate of Columbia University, I am spending the summer with my dad, working in the office while I apply for jobs and internships. My field of study was sustainable development and I aspire to one day work toward ensuring a sustainable trajectory for our planet and its many forms of life.
In terms of working with my dad, I really enjoy it. The allure and brilliance of my dad’s (and mom’s) jewelry always captivated me as a child, and now that I’m here I am able to bring that same joy and beauty into other people’s lives.
Okay, enough about me. With the advent of Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, MySpace, YouTube, eHarmony, LinkedIn, and other online networks, the concept of social networking has become a common phrase in the language of our ‘modern,’ tech-savvy society. Such social networking sites allow a user to log onto the website, create a user profile, input any relevant information into their profile, and then connect to the network of people within the online network. According to the Digital Enterprise Research Institute, people take full advantage of social networking sites for personal and professional use, communications, new business developments and contacts, dating, and meeting offline without the ‘burden’ of 3D interpersonal communication. The salient point here is that internet-based social networks allow people to join together for a common purpose, exchange information like never before, and become more engaged and involved with one another and within the community. The web itself has opened the door for the communication revolution to enter as the ability to send and retrieve information anywhere has changed the way people work and live.
A common discourse regarding social networks centers on the topic of relationships. These online relationships can be social or professional, and sites often cater to these two types of relationships. Three major types of explicit relationships exist online: leisure/social, professional, and real-world events oriented. Moreover, a myriad of communications methods also exist, facilitating online relations even more. Yet, some key issues and concerns involve privacy, fake users, and addiction, which can be quite serious.
In closing, the question I raise is this: are social networks hindering or promoting relationships? The seemingly obvious answer would surely be that social networks work to promote relationships. However, if I can meet my future wife online, what need is there for interpersonal skills when I can type my thoughts and feelings? Will customer service be forever relegated to a voice-automated machine? Social networks, in my humble opinion, will not bring about a social Armageddon. In fact, I think it is safe to say that they allow our world to be connected and stay connected in an era of globalization, international trade, and the redefined perspective on mankind as a global community. Thus, if we keep in mind the value of our relationships, continue to develop our interpersonal skills, and constantly question the role of the online social network, then we can reconcile the disconnect between the web and reality and can maximize the benefits from employing technology to interact with one another.
Thank you.
Spencer Silverstein
Your comments are welcomed.
Thank you.
Spencer Silverstein
Your comments are welcomed.
Honestly, I think that the online forum has created a great deal of need for face-to-face communication, and I think it has generated usbstantially more face time than it's given credit for. I think the phone was what took that away, but the Internet is giving it back.
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