social networking - when does it go too far?
So the concept of social networking is definitely an interesting one. I answered a question about it in an internship application for a public relations firm. They wanted to know the impact that social network could and should have on the field of public relations.
Interesting.
However, my question is this. When has social networking via the internet gone too far?
As was pointed out in a post before this, it is what you make it. Some people choose to spend hours on facebook or myspace. And the reality is that it is becoming more and more prominent.
But I think that we need to be careful. Consider for a moment the value of a face to face meeting. As technology and the internet are growing, people are excited about the “progress” without realizing the adverse effect that it is having on other areas. More and more people are working out of their houses because the internet has enabled ways for them to have meetings without leaving their homes. I had a speaker in one of my classes last year who lives alone, and he runs his entire business from his house. All of the people that he works with work with him via the internet - and thats it. As a result, he literally never has to leave his house. No wonder people are lazy! They can conduct a meeting without leaving the comfort of their own couch! Literally, everything that they “need” is available to them via the internet.
From a personal standpoint, I don’t see how that is healthy.
From a professional standpoint I don’t see how that is beneficial.
As the use of social networking via the internet increases, the value of face to face meetings decreases. In addition to that, I think that business relationships will suffer. I think I’d be a lot less likely to sign a contract with someone that I will never meet in person. I’d also be a lot less likely to pass along the name of someone that I had never met outside of my computer screen.
In terms of many of the career paths I have considered and are considering now, social networking via the internet is a valuable tool. However, thats all it is, a tool. Use it to speed process, and schedule things/ maintain good communication. But it should not be substituted for face to face meetings.
At this point, we obviously not at the extreme that I listed above, but I feel like that is where we are headed. I don’t want to underestimate the value of what the internet and social networking through those channels can do for us. However, if we are not careful, I think this “progess” will eventually hinder the business world because we’ll have lost the value of face to face interaction.
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