New Tech, New Talk

                I’m sitting at home and suddenly, Fiona Apple’s Parting Gift, is playing in the background.  I know I have a text.  Even though this technology has been around for a number of years, I still experience that moment of amazement that someone thousands of miles away sent me a message just seconds ago, and I have it instantly! I can write messages back and forth with family I would never have even known about if not for the technology of Myspace and more recently, Facebook.  A single thought travelled all the way from Hawaii in less than 5 seconds, and I can respond just as quickly. My typing skills are awesome :)  We use old skills of mankind to enhance these messages.   We use symbols, “hieroglyphs” to express thoughts, feelings, excitement and how we actually want our messages to be read.   Is it a joke? LOL.  Do you feel bad about what you’re saying L?  Are you sending out love? <3 <3

                When I first started using Myspace, people all over the world found me, wanting a connection with family they never knew, I was overwhelmed.  I loved finding old friends that I hadn’t seen or talked to in over ten years.  I could even sneak peeks into people’s lives that I didn’t really want to friend, but definitely wanted to know what happened to them after high school.  (Yes, I was a Myspace “peeping tom” and now currently do the same on Facebook.)

 This simple technology has changed the way we communicate with each other tremendously.  We have even added words to our vocabulary or use old words in a new way. Like for example, “friending” someone, or “defriending” them.  “Like” has probably never been used more in its history, not even in valley girl heaven.  We are able to share so much of ourselves, our families. Live little bits of each other’s lives.  Keeping up with someone without ever actually having to talk to them.  Incredible. 

Though that does bring in the negative side, we don’t have to talk to anyone and still feel a sense of involvement.  I feel like I know people I have never met and probably never will.  I don’t have to go out of my house for school, or work, and thus losing the opportunities to meet other “real” people.  My social quota is filled without any effort at all. Well, except for a few clicks of a mouse, liking, sharing and posting occasionally. 

Having children, one of who is in 8^th grade, the issue of cyber bullying is also a big concern for me.  I have yet to let my son have a Facebook page because of this concern, even though many of his friends do.  Bullying will never go away, but at least before children or adults, had a refuge.  Once you were home, you were safe from the bullying, that’s no longer the case.  Now you have immediate, hurtful writing that can be read over and over again. 

So what does this all wrap up to? What is my consensus of these technologies? Well like any major achievement in history, it is what we make it.  Use it to be a better person, have fun, share your lives.  Give yourself time to think about what your words really are saying before you put them on-line for all to see.  Oh, and hit me up on Facebook.  See ya around J

Krista Oneisom, Internet Marketing CGS2069