Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles
Since the advent of social networks such as Twitter, Google+ and Facebook, and being able to access these networks 24/7 either via computer or Smartphone, this writer is convinced that as a society, we are definitely promoting an artificial and temporary long distance social environment in interacting with our fellow man, over a long term virtual reality social environment wherein we have personal one-on-one contact with our fellow man.
As an example, while taking my daily afternoon walk today, I noticed a couple of ladies on the other side of the roadway walking and talking without any cell phones of any kind. They were engaged in an actual one-on-one conversation. Conversely, I also noticed a young teenage girl on the other side of the roadway, who was looking at her Smartphone – possibly looking at all of her downloaded applications, trying to choose which one she would use next to access certain data. Sadly, she was not walking or conversing with anyone, but was preoccupied with looking at her cell phone — not noticing or rejoicing in the fact that the sun was out and the birds were singing.
Jim Daly, a member of the Focus on the Family Community, refers to an interesting question asked by writer Stephen Marche of the online publication, The Atlantic, “Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?”
In his article, Mr. Marche presents a provocative perspective on the impact of Facebook and other social network software on society:
“We live in an accelerating contradiction: the more connected we become, the lonelier we are.”
Marche’s conclusion sums it up nicely:
“What Facebook has revealed about human nature — and this is not a minor revelation — is that a connection is not the same thing as a bond, and that instant and total connection is no salvation, no ticket to a happier, better world or a more liberated version of humanity. Solitude used to be good for self-reflection and self-reinvention. But now we are left thinking about who we are all the time, without ever really thinking about who we are. Facebook denies us a pleasure whose profundity we had underestimated: the chance to forget about ourselves for a while, the chance to disconnect.”
After choosing to be disconnected from the social network, Facebook, for about a month because of work-related responsibilities, this writer totally agrees with Mr. Marche’s above assessment regarding human nature and Facebook (or any other social network). Perhaps we need to disconnect from social networks (at least for short periods of time), quit thinking only about ourselves, and focus on the spiritual needs of others in the world of virtual reality (Luke 19:1-10).
In his ministry, Jesus interacted with people in “real time” (Luke 19:1-10; John 3:1-21; John 4:1-30), forming a lasting social bond — not just a temporary connection.
Let’s think about it!