We desire connection, and also feel an obligation to be connected. This creates a duality of satisfaction in our relationships. However, if we can strike the balance, the tradeoff is worth the effort (Hall & Baym, 328). We can create wider, more diverse social networks can help to collectively create stronger bond with society. We can find more support in “looser and more fragmented” networks, and these networks can also be broader, more diverse, and collectively stronger than traditional groups ever permitted (Rainie & Wellman 8).
I loved the presentation of the Rainie and Wellman article. It made me realize the wondrous nature of this growing social structure. It gives me hope for humanity; we can rally around ideas, similarities, and threads of concern. We can rise above traditional group structures and connect with each other. We are at the root of our social networks. We create the connections that are an extension of our selves. They have the power to highlight our qualities. They can make us better neighbors, to reach out to others to seek and gain support. We become more independent, and more enabled to choose our own paths. Our stance as an individual empowers us to make endless choices around our interests and activities. Our behavior isn’t forcibly coerced by traditional social groupings. These constraints do not apply to our personal liberty. “Person-to-person networks show how community has transcended group boundaries. It is the individual- and not the household, kinship group, or work group- that is the primary unit of connectivity. The shift puts people at the center of personal networks that can supply them with support, sociability, information, and a sense of belonging” (Rainie & Wellman, 124).
The issue of isolation rose again. We have discussed this numerous times on the blog, and it has appeared in various articles. There are universal anxieties and we will continually blame new technologies for causing changes. We fear the unknown and we always seek a scapegoat to our problems. Nonetheless, all of the readings tend to point that we are more socially connected, whether the ties are weak or the content deep. The rise of networks has affected our interpersonal relations. “This is not a shift toward social isolation, but toward flexible autonomy” (Rainie & Wellman 125).
The internet expands your scope. The more you see and interact, the less alone you feel. We are not necessarily isolated, as our interests can resonate with others in the larger circle of humanity. I enjoyed the Pope’s quote that illustrates this cross-cultural connection: “New technologies allow people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of potential friendships” (Rainie & Wellman, 127 ).
I must confess I occasionally think technology leads to isolation, but the more I read, the more I realize this is not the case. The internet does not necessarily lead us into isolation away from society. We just become engaged in a new form; the more engaged we are, the more involved we become online and off (Rainie & Wellman, 119). If we take advantage of our networking capabilities, there are endless sources for connection. I never thought isolation was the fault of the technology; it is in our individual use of the technology. My personal use is an exaggeration of my natural behavior. I still choose to play the role and use technology to my own design. If I lurk and am hesitant to post, that reflects my own anxieties of expression/acceptance/worth. Technology allows for an extension of my current self, with different boundaries and expectation. Yet, I still have the ability to seek answers from others. The information that fits my needs is already there. If I chose to be more interactive, the potential is endless. It boils down to my individual choice to take advantage of these available networks. I don’t consider myself to be incredibly networked, comparatively. But, I do realize that I have to potential to be; it’s a matter of interest and dedication. Online social networking only further expands the possibilities.
I also got a sense of new hope from Rainie and Wellman’s article. I often view technology as this bad thing that has caused people to become more isolated from each other, but it has also created some amazing ways for people to band together and help others. People have so many resources to get the word out about injustices and people who need help.
The diversity, as you mentioned, of our new loosely connected networks have incentives that people don’t give enough credit to. Just like the couple mentioned in one of the readings that gained financial support amid a medical crisis, most of us have gained knowledge or other benefits from these larger networks of weak ties. Some people lose sight of the benefits we have gained in that way, and only see the disconnect or reduction in the geographic communities of the past.
The internet and technology are great tools when used appropriately. I think that is the challenge for most people to find a balance of too little or too much technology in their life. Personally, I have found myself thinking about the amount of time I use the internet and plan to scale back just a little bit to get more intune with my realities face to face!
I agree with you that there is a certain hope humanity within the internet. It is easy to get swept up in the “dark side” of the internet. The truth, though, is that there is an extraordinary amount of promise contained in the internet. The same way new technologies like the train, the telephone and the airplane had the capabilities to bring people closer together, the internet can do the same thing. I also loved the Pope’s quote that you mentioned, because I think it highlights the positive characteristics of the internet.
I don’t think I ever felt as if technology was making us all become more isolated. Connecting with others is one of the main reasons we engage in technology. I like that she is putting technology in a new light so that people won’t fear the advancements and changes, but will embrace the benefits.
I’m really glad that you brought the term “flexible autonomy” back to our attention. I think that phrase in particular is a wonderful way to codify what we’ve been learning about the way technology is transforming our social fabric and they way we interact. It’s a great way to describe how we’ve gained so many outlets for expressing themselves, yet while also gaining a great many number of ways to interact with others.
I agree that with social networking, the possibilities are endless for us to form connections. And not only personal connections, but business connections can be formed as well. A lot of businesses have Facebook and Twitter pages to promote their brands and also post information to their consumers.