Originally Posted By: mpvue
and these responses are EXACTLY why I posted. the internet was supposed to bring people together, but instead we are more oblivious, more anonymous than ever.
many of us may SAY the internet forums are not important, or a small part of our lives, but the truth is we spend a lot of time on here!
I wonder what happens to people who I used to see everyday, but now they are gone.
like a lady who walks her dog every morning on your way to work and waves, but one day she isn't there.
or the old guy who is sitting on his porch around the corner.
or yes, the retired oil guy who posts helpful information.
yes, OUR lives go on, and we might 'not care', but we do interact with many people every day and are affected by them to some extent.
I'm not so sure the internet was supposed to 'bring people together'. I would say it allows for massive amounts of information to be spread world wide instantly....some of it good....some of it not so good. It has opened the door to communication in a way never before available. Sometimes, if one is fortunate (or unfortunate), correspondence on a more personal level CAN occur. But without face to face contact (something us humans have utilized since day one), real and true relationships are rightly tough to have. Seeing a lady walk her dog daily as you say...involves more visually and perhaps 'stirs' the human mind and emotions a bit more than an internet message board perhaps. Being 'in person' still means something to us (thankfully) that the internet can't provide. Interacting with another person takes on MUCH more meaning when done with the person in your vicinity. Our perceptions and senses are making judgements and valuations that simply can't happen on the web.
I am a very realistic person (at least I try to be). Allowing myself to get too involved in chat rooms or on message boards makes me feel like I am wasting my life. I do enjoy it in the mornings with my coffee....or when something interesting peaks my interest. But I really don't take it much further than that....nor do I get concerned or 'care' if another member suddenly stops posting. I was on Facebook for quite some time recently....and then one day I decided to just delete my account. It was boring, irritating, intrusive (partly my own fault) and just a waste of time. My close friends and family know that I didn't die...I told them in person or gave them a phone call. But acquaintances? No. It's my business.