Is social networking harmful?

[HobbitFeet]

A lot of what I believe has already been stated, so I'll add what hasn't already.

If I've opted to hang out with you one night, and you've pulled out your phone to answer someone else's texts more than 5 times within an hour, we're going to have a problem. I'm hanging out with you. Catch up with that other person some other time. Let them know you're busy, because you're continuously halting our conversation to have one with another person.

Working at a register, I see a lot of people on their cell phones in the store. I've always considered it rude to hold a full out conversation with someone while shopping. Calling to ask what specific brand of something your hubby wanted because you forgot, fine. It happens. But when I can hear details about your life and drama halfway across the store, it's time to hang up. Specifically, there's a woman who comes in almost every night to grab a few things. I've never actually seen her without a phone attached to her ear. This woman has two young children, whom of which she seems to completely ignore. She pulls up speaking on the phone, and leaves the same way. What in the world are you teaching your children? Do you even recall that you have children to begin with?!

I think networking is a great idea, but there are some people that very obviously abuse it. I almost never talk on my cell. It's a basic, pay-as-you-go phone, so I can't afford to talk for hours. The only game I have on it is Snake. I can't connect to the internet. I can text anywhere from 0 times a day, to maybe 10 at the most. It's not a huge thing for me. I prefer talking face to face when possible.

[Aerrow]

A lot of what I believe has already been stated, so I'll add what hasn't already.

If I've opted to hang out with you one night, and you've pulled out your phone to answer someone else's texts more than 5 times within an hour, we're going to have a problem. I'm hanging out with you. Catch up with that other person some other time. Let them know you're busy, because you're continuously halting our conversation to have one with another person.

In relation to this, when I was at a friend's birthday party and we were going to the movies, everyone was constantly texting on their phone to various people at the same time. Out of 15 people, only me and the birthday girl never whipped out our phones at some point during the night. It's rude, it's disrepectful; this is her day, her time to shine, if you can't respect that, then leave.

[shiann]

I've always considered it rude to hold a full out conversation with someone while shopping.

I have to point out another side here... I always have a phone to my ear in the store, but only because I'm rather small and young and not good and self defense. I could take classes, but who really has time for that? I'm horribly afraid of being kidnapped and killed or worse, and there have been many murder cases in my town over the last years. The point is that I keep a phone to my ear because a study proved that if you're talking to someone, anyone, in a public place on a phone, you're less likely to get kidnapped. Which is why I talk to people. All I usually talk about, though, is the weather and what I'm buying. Small talk, really, but it makes me feel a lot better.

Then you also have to take into account the history and size of the place you're talking about. Someone jabbering away about their soap opera life in the grocery store in the middle of the day in a small town that's never, ever had a problem before is unacceptable. In my personnal opinion.

[MishaBaby]

Misha's Two Cents:
"A hammer is great for putting in nails, but not so much for washing dishes."

In other words, as a tool, it's great! It gives you one solid place to keep track of your relatives and contacts in a place that you can easily communicate when you're not spending time with them; as a little black book, it's quite nice. However, when it is used to excess (ie, this is the ONLY form of communication the person ever takes part in), it becomes very detrimental. It can feed things like depression and anxiety because it severely limits your support system, which can snowball into a myriad of other serious issues if left unchecked.
And of course, it's just poor manners to have that little hunk of electronics glued to your head or hands 99.9% of the time when you are out with people you claim to care about. When you are with your friends or family, they deserve your attention! The internet will always be there (until it's not, or course), but who knows how long you have left with the people you care about most? Live your life as though every moment might be your last, because one day, the next moment will indeed be your last on this earth (or theirs). If you cannot bring yourself to focus on what truly matters out of respect for the people you are focusing on, do it because you know you would regret not giving them your full attention and cherishing every moment you are given with them if your time should run out while you're sending that "omg wtf lol" text.

[HobbitFeet]

Spoiler

I've always considered it rude to hold a full out conversation with someone while shopping.

I have to point out another side here... I always have a phone to my ear in the store, but only because I'm rather small and young and not good and self defense. I could take classes, but who really has time for that? I'm horribly afraid of being kidnapped and killed or worse, and there have been many murder cases in my town over the last years. The point is that I keep a phone to my ear because a study proved that if you're talking to someone, anyone, in a public place on a phone, you're less likely to get kidnapped. Which is why I talk to people. All I usually talk about, though, is the weather and what I'm buying. Small talk, really, but it makes me feel a lot better.

Then you also have to take into account the history and size of the place you're talking about. Someone jabbering away about their soap opera life in the grocery store in the middle of the day in a small town that's never, ever had a problem before is unacceptable. In my personnal opinion.

I see your point, but the majority of the time it's nothing like that. And I've never heard anyone making a little small talk over the phone in a public place, it's always, "oh mah gawd, she did what? Bitch's crazy!! *goes into details about current boyfriend that I could have done without knowing*"

These are usually the same people that get checked out without saying a word to me. They just plop their stuff down, still yammering away in line, then leave. Maybe you can understand why I have a teensy grudge against these types of folks. I don't even hesitate to loudly say, "you're welcome" as they're leaving. If the perpetual need to chatter away with the BFF takes away from your ability to behave like a normal human being, then yes, I'mma be a little irritated.

I'd like to ask what you're doing shopping alone at your age if you're clearly that uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I'm 21 and I still look like a 15 yr old with my own height. You carry a cell phone, I carry mace, however

[KooshyKoKo]

Just about everything is harmful in excess.
Social networking, like many other things, causes no problems when taken in moderation and used with good judgement as to when and where.

That's really all I have to say.
But if you're interested, I highly recommend watching the video I'm linking to below. It gives an interesting view on this general subject that I personally didn't really consider before watching it. And it's under 8 minutes long.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/amber ... s_now.html

[shiann]

I'd like to ask what you're doing shopping alone at your age if you're clearly that uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I'm 21 and I still look like a 15 yr old with my own height. You carry a cell phone, I carry mace, however

I understand your point as well, and I usually talk to the person checking the stuff out (forgot the word, is a little off today) while I'm there. I don't like.. Rudeness.. and that sort of thing..

I help my mom with our shopping, meaning, I go to one end and get what we need there, and then go meet her in one of the checkout counters. Sometimes it takes us a while, since she hates shopping and waits a month after we need something to go to Wal-Mart. >> I could easily dissapear and she wouldn't notice it for hours. ._.