Some Youth Rethink Online Communications

"It seems we have lost, to some degree, that special depth that true friendship entails."

I am a 23-year-old member of this "Tech Generation" and have witnessed much of these details explained above. I agree with the quote I took from the story. I feel that there is a true lack of understanding emotions (both happy and sad) from someone else due to messages often being read. I could be SCREAMING this at you right now but you wouldn't know unless I put them in CAPS, and even then I can't say for sure if you'd understand.

In my friendship circle I have heard many fights happen because of the way people have read them, or even in some cases read them wrong.

Although I do feel this story was written in favor of doing away with Myspace I also have to defend it, even after saying what I did above.

Myspace.com is a revolutionary website that lets everyone feel apart of the community. I was very reluctant to join the online "friend" community but after looking at the site I can see many good uses for the site. Once again (as is the case with most things), you can either have a positive thing or a negative thing depends on how you use it. Obvious "good uses" are to be able to keep in touch with friends from High School, or college on a daily basis. Something my parents have often said they wish they could continue to do, and in some cases have found the people they were looking for.

Another great website for online interaction and "friends" is LinkedIN.com. A website that makes professional minded people continue to keep in touch after working together, or simply communicating professionally.

There are many good uses for these type of sites, the problem is that the media only reports the negative. Hey, can't blame them.. the negative is always more appealing.

Rock On.. Couldn't agree more. As for linkedin.com I don't think it is any good either. I keep in touch with friends from work through emails, IM's and like I am doing in 40 minutes, going to have a couple beers with them. Crazyness, I know.. Actually keeping in touch by voice and physical communication when possible. It's a real breakthrough technology.

BTW, Sorry about all the eggs thrown at Rollins many years ago this month. Not saying it was me but it could have been some of those punks that went to SCC in Lake Mary.. What a bunch of jerks. I'm sure they'll amount to nothign with their lives!

I agree with everything said, All these IM's apps and text messaging avoids all awkwardness, and more or less creates more awkwardness between the two people. But some use of these services has some benefit. In this technology world, you have to have a "cap" so to speak on how much use of this communication you should use.

It's called Myspacecide: http://www.wired.com/news/columns/0,70717-0.html

In the end Myspace will become a record label. That's the one thing they've done right.

Enjoyed the article. I also enjoyed MySpace, for a little while anyway. Like the article states, I just found myself spending too much time in front of the computer. It was nice to be able to keep up with old friends I might not otherwise stay in touch with, but in the end I deleted my MySpace and Bebo profiles. I haven't regretted it or looked back.

Another issue I had with both services was their advertisements. As a single Christian male I found it hard to be bombarded with ad after ad of scantily clad women in sexually suggestive positions. Then there are the friend requests that are really porn advertisers trying to lure you to their sites. You also have profiles which, if they aren't blatant pornography, border it very closely.