Are we too tired to use social networks?
Online sociability fatigue is growing among users of Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo and other social networks. Perhaps it is overuse, or a desire to maintain privacy lost in an ocean of peering, driving a new movement away from 24/7 access.
A recent Pew study found that 7 percent of social network users are feeling conflicted about staying in constant contact via the new electronic communities. This group is afraid of missing important communication, yet so exhausted by the attention, and time, required to maintain social network presence. Maybe they wish for an organic life beyond a digital Second Life or Linked-In.
Maybe too much of a good thing is too tiring.
I think people spend way too much time on social networks causing them to lose interest in the networks. You can only spend so many hours on facebook before you get bored. All facebook junkies need to break sometime. But, it is very difficult to sign off knowing that you might miss out on the next hook ups and break ups, gossip, or comments your friends post. There is a wonderful feeling of being the first one to respond to a friend's post, whether it is good or bad. We, as a society, always have to keep ourselves occupied with the latest technology to feel productive with our lives. So what about the time before social networking? Before online networking became "instant?" We were content with ourselves before internet networking; therefore we can function in lives outside of social networking. I think networks life facebook are great to have, but also a bad influence on many people. People are wasting their lives "stat stalking" each other and then complaining about being bored on facebook. My solution is...sign off facebook and do something else because I promise you that your same friends will be on facebook when you sign back on.
ReplyDeleteAgreed.
ReplyDeletetrue
ReplyDeleteI think Amber said it all!
ReplyDeleteI relate to this as I have had a falling out of using social network sites. Yes, I still have a facebook, but it is rarely used. I feel that these social networks site contribute to people just reading about living, instead of actually living.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what happened with myspace. It used to be the top hit, having millions on everyday blogging with their friends. But, when Facebook came in (A new and brighter source), everyone became attached to it instead. So I totally agree with Amber. I never go on my Myspace anymore, it's old news, not as simple but yet advanced as Facebook. And we all know that in the future something is going to take Facebook's spot. Until then, I am a Facebook fan all the way :D
ReplyDeleteI feel that this phenomena of "online sociability fatigue" is an apt description for a particular niche of the social networking crowd. My comments here are dealing solely with the issue of "a desire to maintain privacy lost in an ocean of peering." I remember when facebook first came out and in order to view and interact with others, you had to be a legitimate college student. Because of the lax in requirements for having a facebook account, the ability to freely comment on statuses and pictures as well as the other interactive features of the site have completely overshadowed what I perceive to be the true purpose of Facebook (and sites like it). However, as of late, facebook, in particular, has allowed one to have a hand in implementing specialized privacy settings. I feel that this takes us back to the roots of facebook, and other social networking sites, by allowing us to keep in communication with friends and relatives about our daily happenings without the constant worry of who will be viewing your content. I still agree with Amber's solution of simply signing off and putting your online social obligations on hold when they become too overwhelming.
ReplyDelete-Well stated Amber
I seem to have it all... I have all of the following accounts: Facebook, Myspace, Tumblr, Youtube, Formspring. I used to be on Myspace all the time. Making my profile look better, making a new profile picture, editing my about me. I'd do this all the time, my page would look different constantly. But then it all got so tiring. I didn't seem to have time for this in my life anymore. I didn't want to go and change around.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been on Myspace in approximately 2 years. I rarely go on my Tumblr, and Formspring. Youtube's just a place for me to share my videos.
I think I lost interest because it actually was getting tiring to log in and change things around. It mainly just got annoying. I couldn't keep up anymore, and I didn't even seem to want to. I was tired with it.
But now there's Facebook. I'm not annoyed with Facebook yet. Facebook seemed to have killed Myspace. Everyone was so excited to see a new form of networking. Families who didn't see each other often would friend each other, and seem to become closer. Adults can find their high school buddies, and childhood friends simply by searching a name. Teenagers can use Facebook to share amusing stories, videos, photos to entertain others. Companies and bands can make "fan pages" and have people "like" them, so they can be followed and get their name out there. Everyone seems to be so addicted to Facebook.
But we'll see... Who knows what will come by next? What will kill Facebook?
I think this is a really interesting topic you've brought up. While social networking has led to entirely new and innovative ways of communicating, it also has led to people possibly communicating less with people in "real" life. Although it is much easier to communicate with mass amounts of people through social networking sites, it has almost made it so there is no real communication going on at all. If we continue to rely more and more on social networking, people may eventually communicate less and less with people in real life and rely solely on virtual settings.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with this, however I believe that yes users may get bored with the social networks out their now, but eventually others are going to pop up. I think this because of what has occurred in the past. AIM used to be popular, but now not as many people use it, and the same goes for myspace. I'm not sure what kind of networks are going to come out that will bring back some user's interest, but I don't think these networks are going to ever go out of style.
ReplyDeleteI find this post extremely interesting! I am a person who is on facebook probably a little too much. And I myself also find it a little tiring. Once you get on thought it becomes a little addictive. I have an Iphone and when im bored I usually find myself scrolling though facebook. I have in recent days considered deleting it, but I cant get myself to do it. I know once I delete it I will feel left out with every single one of my friends one it. Maybe one day I can be a little less tied down to facebook.
ReplyDeleteI feel that many people over use social networks and abuse them for what they were first intended for. People rely on these websites to find out what they are going to do with their lives on a day to day, hour to hour basis. Many people will sit around the computer and wait for a friend to sign online, rather then to call them and speak to them within seconds. Hopefully we will never come to a time when we rely on technology entirely too much and end up in some sort of terrible situation when we need to be in contact, and cant be.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree because when I first got Facebook I was always on it and I found myself sharing information that no i cannot believe i shared. People even rely on the social networking as an inexpensive way to stay in touch with people rather than using cell phones if one is not available. Now that is has been a few years and the initial craze of the social networking sites has calmed down some, the constant flow of updates has become smaller, or at least it seems like that on my own page. People have decided to move away from their computers and start to acknowledge people as individuals rather than a mass communication through social networking.
ReplyDeleteI find that this is a very interesting topic that was brought up! I really agree with it as well. My use of social networking sites takes up quite a chunk of my day. I often find myself getting bored with it but can't help but continue to log on day after day. It is almost the fear of missing something. In the conversations I've had with many people (face to face) often revolve around something that has been posted on facebook. It takes up a large amount of time to always keep up with everything but you can't miss anything because people's online communication is now affecting their real life communication. While people may be getting tired of always being logged on they can't help it because if they don't keep up to date with everything that is happening on one of the many social networking sites they are not going to be able to participate in conversations offline.
ReplyDeleteJoseph Kirkpatrick MPC MW 9:15
My personal experience with Facebook is the more homework I have, the more I use Facebook. When I am constantly on Facebook I get tired of seeing the same information over and over. I can understand people outgrowing social networks due to overuse. And when I am not on Facebook very often such as over the summer, when I do get on Facebook it is annoying from not being used to it. Basically I think that people are starting to realize that being addicted to social networks is a waste of their time and only enjoy them when they are bored.
ReplyDelete-Christina Kehres
MPC Monday/Wednesday 9:15-10:30
I couldnt agree anymore with what everyone aboved me said. I also like to add on that i can releate to how facebook is taking over my life. My homework get pushed aside along to all the other things i have to do such as laundry, cleaning or studying. I have come to realization that i need to stop spending alot of time on social networks and to improve in my school work area and anywhere else in the outer world. THe social networks are taking over my life and there are even times to when i have to limit myself to how many times i can get on the computer and go to any website i want. Sometimes i have to reward myself by saying after i get my paper done i can go on facebook!
ReplyDeleteMarissa Auletta
MPC M/W 9:15-1030 SPRING SEMESTER 2011
I happen to love social networks! I'm addicted to twitter! But I must say when some other new network comes out which will probably be soon i might grow tired of twitter and venture on to that new network! That's the reason I have a twitter now! Facebook was just not as enjoyable anymore once i discovered twitter! But I must say there are people who can't pull themselves away from these social networks leading to fatigue and overload. Me myself as an old facebook user would find myself on the computer for endless amounts of time! Perhaps I could accomplish more in the amount of time I spend on twitter but I guess we'll never know!
ReplyDeleteI can admit it, I love Facebook. But there are some downfalls to how much I favor the network. Homework gets pushed aside occasionally and things get put off. I check my Facebook multiple times a day and get notifications on my phone. Social networks such as this are taking over everyday communication. Aside from these downfalls, networks such as Facebook offer people opportunities to connect that they may previously not have had. Many adults have had the chance to reconnect with high school and college friends. At times, keeping up with Facebook posts and notifications can be a hassel, but there are also ups to this technology.
ReplyDelete