Believe it or not, our generation can be viewed as pioneers. Not in the Oregon Trail sense where you head toward the American West in search of a better life and pray you don’t die of dysentery. Rather, I am referring to how the babies from the eighties came to explore and define the social networking boom that exists today.
Do you remember when the phone jack was your gateway to the internet? If you do, you are one of many generation techs who began the long journey toward networking nirvana, which was no way to describe it in its infant state. It was a time where downloading pictures, songs, and program files required a type of dedication you wouldn’t dare put forth today. A time where the stop loading page button was your greatest defense in the limited bandwidth war.
One of the first social networking tools to be used on a mass scale was AOL’s Instant Messenger. This extremely simple program allowed instant text-based communication between internet clients. You were able to create a screen name and then add others to your buddy list. It was no doubt groundbreaking since it was one of the first to allow social networking to happen in real time. This was only the beginning of the social revolution, but it sparked a novel concept that we have touched on before: the second self.
As the phone jack gave way to Ethernet and wireless internet, we soon began to interact with people anytime and anywhere. Your IM away message has now gave way to constant Facebook updates and blog posts. This was further intensified with the advanced technology of cellular phones and mobile devices that allow things such as live video chats. As social networking now dominates our everyday life, I feel we must be aware of its impact on our life. This TEDtalk video highlights some of the pros and cons of our relationship with social technology.
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