Week 4: Friend Request From Mr. Who-Gives-A-Damn

There is a lot of discussion about social networking sites these days, especially the nature of online relationships. Specifically, much of the literature that has studied this phenomena called "online friendships" and their differences from traditional face-to-face interactions seem to weigh against the virtual kind; there is a consensus that online relationships are inherently inferior to the real-life kind, that "quality" is better than "quantity". For example, Rosen hints that most online interactions can be reduced to reflexive exercises in status-garnering and emotion-rewarding, like rats punching at a food button. The conclusion is that that society (especially youth) is ultimately losing something by devoting more time to Facebook than real-life friendships.

But I am going to play Devil's advocate and post the question: Is this really the case? Who's to say what is "normal" and what is "aberrant"? (Or even "abhorrent".)

As an example: When I was a youngster some 30 years ago, television was being derided for ruining the family. The view was that everyone just sat drooling in front of the box rather than (say) talking over dinner; this was earmarked as abnormal behaviour, and quality family relationships were ultimately suffering. (There are people even today who refuse to have the "idiot box" in the house, although the crass puerility of TV content may have more to do with it.)

These days, by contrast, we see that TV is being lauded for bringing the family together in one place to enjoy quality time! And the Internet is now the feared family wrecker.

Such is the nature of things: As society accustoms itself to some new media, the setpoint of what is "normal" will ultimately move in response. And as new media gives people more "symbolic materials" (to borrow Thompson's verbose nomenclature) they will simply incorporate these to re-image their "symbolic projects" to suit. As for online friendships and social sites, good or bad... they appears to be the way for the (foreseeable) future. Maybe it's better just to go with the flow, lol rofl.