Society and the Internet

[Kakashi on crack]

In regards to this forum: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.270447-What-did-you-do-BEFORE-the-internet

I was inspired to ask this question, a question that may seem semi-strange.

Do you think the Internet has affected your "quota" for social interaction with others? Has it lowered your need for social interaction, heightened it? Perhaps its completely altered it? Just looking into this question I suppose.

Personally: I used to have a high "quota" for social interaction, and the need to talk with others was almost overwhelming. Then I came across my first forum when I was 13 or so, and instantly became addicted, filling up my need to socialize to the point where I became easily annoyed by real-life topics, and borderline anti-social. I've since come down from said "internet high" quite a bit, but even to this day I can't help but think that my time I had spent on forums and such had both helped me mature, and had ruined my social life to an extent.

 

[BonsaiK]

Depends how you define "social interaction" and "social life" I guess. My Internet experience, just like my life, is what I make of it, and I can use it to enhance or degrade my social experiences. I've quite often done both, sometimes even simultaneously. Beyond this point, I find the question fairly unanswerable.

 

[Eldarion]

I'm not antisocial anymore, but I still keep largely to myself and a few close friends.

I might interact with like 3 people all day. But they are very close.

 

[Saelune]

The internet is the only place I can be social. If anything, without the Internet, I would be an actual hermit. I am extremely shy in real life, along with a smattering of other issues that hinder my ability to do well in social settings. Online I can take my time more with how I deal with people, and my physical appearance is not in play either.

 

[StBishop]

I honestly couldn't say.

I have always had access to the internet, and have had my own computer with an internet connection since about 13.

I've changed a hell of a lot in the last 8 years and I can't attribute it to just the internet.

I suppose I would be less social, because I'd have had less opportunities to encounter individuals who were similar to me in views and interests.

I can enjoy time spent with people who aren't like me without feeling like an alien.

For example, I identify as a geek or nerd. I am currently studying a course which should, ultimately lead to being a HPE (Health and Physical Education) teacher, as you can imagine I'm constantly surrounded by people who are better than me at what I am trying to do (teach sport) which is a new experience and also who shave different opinions of plenty of issues and have wildly different leisure activities than me.

Sometimes I get bent out of shape by not having much contact with other people like me but ultimately I know that I'm not alone due to having friends back home (I moved here to study) and because there's people like this community available to me through the internet.

Overall it's made me more comfortable with being odd in some circles because I don't worry about belonging any more.[footnote]Well, that's how Abraham Maslow would have explained it[/footnote]