Okay, Okay, I'm not just saying this because everyone on here is going through the forums and on a gaming website, because we all know that "nerds" have the stereotype of being socially awkward. I'm talking about the next up and coming generation of kids and all those after them. I recently read an article about the effects of technology on face to face interactions with people. Read the article before reading this post any further and tell me what you think about it. I would tend to agree with the article and here's why: I read a book called "The Tipping Point" (good book if you haven't read it) and it talked about a study done on people talking to each other. Basically the people doing the experiment took a clip of people talking, broke it up into small fractions, slowed it down, and studied what are called the "micromovements" on the people engaged in the conversation. What they found was remarkable, within the conversation was a kind of "dance" going on with the small movements (twitching of the face, movements of the hand, blinking of the eyes, etc...). All of theses small micromovements (some only lasting 1/45th of a second) were in syncopation with each other. When one person would move a hand, another would twitch their cheek, all the movements were coordinated. The amazing thing is that all of this is going on subconsciously, and it is all part of face to face verbal communication. These micromovements are basically a subconscious communication that are going on during the conversation and they strengthen it, it's part of how we communicate and understand better what the other person was saying. In the study it was even found the the voice pitch would end up synchronizing during a conversation. These micromovements and voice synchronization are what make these difference between a good or persuasive speaker and a bad one, some people are just naturally good at them and the only way to make them "better" is by talking to people. In electronic communication (cell phones, e-mail, internet, etc...) completely rule out this "dance" that goes on between people talking, thus resulting in a lot of misinterpretation. Also, our natural ability to do this "dance" overtime degrades if it is not put into practice.
I think that in 10, 20, maybe 30 years talking to people without being awkward or dull will be a almost be a very rare talent. I think that most everyone is going to be socially awkward.
Disagreed. It's a matter of parantal care. Parents should be sure their childs go out when they;re still young. You should allow your childs to go out for example, as that's really social. As long as meeting places like bars and cafe's won;t be closed, and school won't be replaced with I-learning, then everything's still fine. I spend alot of time on the computer and I can call myself social (OKAY! It is true that my reputation and social standing is something I really care about ( I want to be everyone's friend etc)). Still, going to school and going out to concerts or bars is a good way to keep non verbal communicating etc.
Being a nerd is only a personality; there are plenty of people that are shy, socially-awkward people that are popular. I'm not one to toot my own horn, but ME. I'm not that popular, but enough that there are enough people to care about me. I just can't get into the act of presenting subjects. I rely on other people to do so. However, when one is presented, I can easily get into the conversation and talk about it. When it is finished, I go back to being the quiet guy until someone starts another conversation. Usually it's "why you so quiet for after we say stuff Frank?"
I really don't think texting is much a problem as IM'ing on Facebook and other sites and such. Obviously, the social people can still converse with ease with other people, just that it is indeed costly to go to someone's house these days. Compared to talking on the phone, I just think it's easier. I dunno if it's me or its everyone else, so I can't say for sure.
It's a matter of parantal care. Parents should be sure their childs go out when they;re still young. You should allow your childs to go out for example, as that's really social.
Being socially awkward, in my opinion, is not something that is just determined how you act as a child, but I feel it can also be something that happens to teenagers, as they get more into texting and online communication, I feel they are more prone to it than children.
spend alot of time on the computer and I can call myself social (OKAY! It is true that my reputation and social standing is something I really care about
You can't determine whether you are socially awkward or not, its all about what other people think of you when they are talking to you. You views about your own qualities will always be skewed.
Yes steevo, but you can change your behavior or your attitude for example.
I am aware that you can change your behavior, but as the years pass, more and more technological advancements are made. As Freakenstein pointed out it is much easier to talk to someone on the phone, send them an IM, or text them. So my point is, with all those interactions being made easier and easier, will people WANT to change their behavior?
Obviously, the social people can still converse with ease with other people, just that it is indeed costly to go to someone's house these days. Compared to talking on the phone, I just think it's easier. I dunno if it's me or its everyone else, so I can't say for sure.
Yes, you can still converse using those vessels of communication, but the point of the article and the point I am making is that there are physical and verbal cues present in face to face communication that aren't present in electronic forms of communication.
I am aware that you can change your behavior, but as the years pass, more and more technological advancements are made. As Freakenstein pointed out it is much easier to talk to someone on the phone, send them an IM, or text them. So my point is, with all those interactions being made easier and easier, will people WANT to change their behavior?
That's why E-learning should never be introduced to replace schools. Besides that, going out and concerts help alot too, and of course, shops, hang out places like (skate) parks, Taking a private boat trip with your friends etc all help. They force you to have a good attitude towards your choice of friends. Luckily for me, I'm flexible (except in loyalties!!!)
Well the point is, you are going to continue to be socially potent, no matter if you text or talk face-to-face. You're not going to lose that gene by not using it as it was meant to be. It's going to continue to be passed on to your children and their children. Some people are just more social than others. Texting or IM'ing isn't going to destroy that, which is why I don't agree with the Topic Title.
You're not going to lose that gene by not using it as it was meant to be. It's going to continue to be passed on to your children and their children.
Its not necessarily a gene, but an ability. We all have the ability to read social cues, sarcasm, hand gestures, weird looks, etc... in relation to the conversation at hand. This skills, must be honed and developed. Just as a musician must train his ear to hear certain things in the music. Thats not to say that when these skills to be able to read people are never used they become completely nonexistent, but very very poor. If these abilities are poor, then the conversation as a whole just becomes hard to understand for the listener
Right. But all you need to do is be social and you will be. The OP is suggesting that we will lose the ability to be social because of IM'ing and texting, which is not true. There are families that have a stronger social gene than others, like how there are musicians that have a higher affinity for listening to specific parts in music-- they just need to use it.
I would classify myself as unpopular, so a nerd. I am 14. I've texted twice in my live, once to a person for like a second just to try it, and the other was just talking to another and that happened once. I check my facebook daily. I talk to my friends at lunch, physically talking. here is a question for you to ask though, the 'dance...' is it really not used while typing? sure the other person cant see the typer but they will still do those things to a degree. i know though its a lot different. go to youtube and watch an episode of fluffee talks, then watch a different one but with a minimized page. what are the differences?
oh another thing i thought of. Man from the beginning didnt really know how to 'talk' as much as we do, but they developed it and the 'dance' probably came naturally, so cant we assume if we lost it, it can come back? im not saying that as an arguing way, more of a question, but i know it would probably take a while.
I spend a lot of time on AG, FB, RPG's etc. But then again I spend 40 hours a weeks at school, talking to friends, teachers, various adults. Unless you have quite literally lived in quarantine for the first 10 years of your life, picking up the various imperceptible signals is quite literally impossible... Being shy, isn't the same as socially awkward now is it? If you're talking to a girl/guy that you 'like' obviously you're going to be shy. Socially awkward, you wouldn't be able to handle yourself at social gatherings, classes, lectures etc.
How would technology make us awkward? Everyone knows that the guy who has the coolest new stuff(as long as the guy in question is normal) automatically becomes cool! XD
