"Personal Connections in the Digital Age" : Chapter Four [Post #3]

For me, Baym's discussion of the concept of online communities through Chapter Four, "Communities and Networks" was really thought-provoking. Most of the debate that many of us have discussed in our blog posts so far has revolved around questions of reality: what constitutes as real, what makes a relationship, and where do we draw the line between tangible and digital reality?

The idea of online communities adds a whole other dynamic to this discussion. Most people would argue that the truest, realest, most effective relationships in our lives involve face-to-face interaction, physical contact, etc. I would even argue that this is a common standpoint for the social media addicts among us. But I think the real question is, does any of that really matter when it comes to interacting within an online community? I feel like if someone is actively choosing to participate in an online community, they're doing so for a reason. I can't speak from experience, but something tells me these people join these online communities for the exact level of interaction that they provide. For example, support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous or Weight Watchers online revolve around such sensitive topics that members might like the idea of being able to interact with others, gain comfort from these interactions, and become part of a community that doesn't necessarily push to a level of intimacy that meeting in person might push. Either way, these people have the choice of which kind of community they want to be a part of for their personal experiences and needs.

Along the same lines, people part of more casual, social online communities might also be looking for this somewhat limited interaction. For example, kids playing on Xbox or YouTubers posting their vlogs can interact with other members of their communities, and gain exactly what they're looking for on that particular platform: whether it be someone to play a casual game with and maybe chat with briefly, or someone that subscribes to their YouTube channel and comments on their videos. More importantly, they gain all of this without the pressure of forming a deeper, more personal relationship with the other person.

"Personal Connections in the Digital Age" : Chapter Two [Post #2]

Right from the beginning of Chapter Two: "Making New Media Make Sense", Baym addresses the fears that many of us have surrounding social media, as well as several dangers of social media that have given reason for this concern.

I've probably heard it from my mom the most: "you can't convey tone through texting!", and that's true. A lot is left unsaid through a quick written message. We have no body language, facial expressions, or vocal tone to work with. And with that,  ample opportunity is left for misunderstanding and misinterpretation. I'm guessing that we've all been there, on one end of it or the other. We've all wondered about someone's cryptic "K". We've all wondered if maybe we should have added a quick "lol" at the end of that subtly snarky message to lighten things up a bit. That's because we all know how much is left to the imagination in these situations, and we try to make up for that in the ways that social media has taught us to.

And if we're not careful, there are consequences. We accidentally send someone a message intended for someone else, a photo they weren't meant to see, or a rant that should have never been put into writing. We publish what should have never been published. We allow ourselves to be tricked by the mask that social media can provide. We form impressions of people in our minds before we really know them. Or maybe, as Nick Carr wrote in his 2008 essay, we let these devices, networks, apps and sites "[make] us stupid", changing the way we see ourselves and others.

All this being said, it's important as media consumers that we learn to "make sense" of new media, as Baym argues throughout the chapter. The more we educate ourselves about the specific media, its potential consequences, and its possible effects on us, the better chance we have of fully understanding it and using it in a smart way.

"Personal Connections in the Digital Age" : Chapter One [Post #1]

I like how this chapter points out both the major pros and the serious cons to being involved on social media, discussing how while we seem to be "connecting", we're simultaneously disconnecting. Nowadays especially, this issue revolves mainly around our smart phones. We're putting ourselves and our creation out there for our online "friends" to experience, but at what cost to the friends there with us in person?

This is an important question to ask of ourselves and of others. How many of us put our smart phones away when we get together with a friend? When we're at the dinner table? When we're having a conversation? For most of us, that's probably a difficult question to ask, because deep down, we know that we probably spend a little too much time on those devices than we should. But how much is too much? At what point does editing that Instagram photo become a genuine distraction from the life going on around us?

I've personally witnessed both ends of the spectrum: people that can't seem to keep their phones down, insisting that whatever they're doing is necessary and urgent, and people who take a passing glance at their phones whenever they happen to think of it. Both can be annoying in their own ways. At what point do we become obsessive? At what point do we become negligent to those who may be trying to connect with us? There has to be a way that we can use our smart phones and/or engage in social media in moderation. But what would that look like?

I'm looking forward to delving into the different ways that social media have changed human relationships, improved them and posed challenges to them through the rest of "Personal Connections in the Digital Age", and hopefully coming closer to answering that question.