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How Important Is Face-To-Face Communication?
from the interesting-questions dept
Every few months or so we see yet another study talking about how the internet is harming social relationships or something, because it takes time away from them. The response, as always, is that such studies are bogus, because they never take into account the fact that most internet time is used communicating with others -- building up different kinds of social relationships. The latest study on internet usage seems to recognize this fact, but still claims internet usage is dangerous to social relationships. The argument notes that, even though over 50% of time spent online is spent communicating, it still takes away from face-to-face interaction... and that's bad. It's that last part where the jump isn't explained. The researchers just seem to assume that face-to-face interaction is better than other kinds. While it's definitely true for some kinds of relationships, is it necessarily true for all?
Reader Comments
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Internet Communication Tools Need Work
E-mail, instant messaging, even video conferencing do not provide an ideal 'social interface'. It is to easy to be rude without meaning to. It is too easy to misunderstand and be misunderstood.
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Re: Internet Communication Tools Need Work
No no, it's easier to be rude without visual feedback, that's what you mean ;)
Says something about people who do these kind of `studies', if you ask me, anyway. Most of us just use whatever medium's adequate or appropriate, occasionally enjoying the odd face-to-face meet-up as well, and have done, without feeling the need to pontificate about it.
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Let's not forget telephones
Weren't they saying this about telephones at the turn of the century?
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the Internet hardly hurt MY social life
I fact, I met my current partner online and we've been together 7 years now.
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