what are your feelings on social networking? Are you more old fashioned and think social networking should still be done face to face or are you cool with meeting people online? For those of us who will be graduating college and thrust out into the real world, trying to find a job, what are your feelings? This question also applies to those seeking friendships, romantic relationships, or just others with similar interests and hobbies.
My thoughts on meeting people online? Depends on the relationship. If it is someone that I know, then meeting online is as much a convenience as anything else. However, if I don't know them and I get an IM from them...I just ignore it. I refuse the invitation. You just don't know who is out there and what their motives really are. The old fashioned "face to face" way works just fine for me.
Posted by: Socially Challenged | August 04, 2005 at 04:35 PM
I have used Linked in as a job tool but have not had much success with it. The person who set me up uses it pretty extensivly for sales and marketing as well as looking for employees and vendors. I think that nothing beats a face to face introduction, but in todays electronic world, it can't hurt to use a new medium to find opportunities.
Posted by: Stephen | August 04, 2005 at 04:36 PM
I believe that there is something to worry about in meeting people online. The scary fact is that any information, photos, facts, blogs, personality traits that may be passed online may be altered and used against people. It has happened in the past. With the advancement in technology, there is no way of turning back. However, just as one who would not want to blindly meet another in a dark alley way for the first time, all precautions should still be met online when conversing with people they especially have never met in person. What really happened to the old way of dating anyway? What happened to meeting another in a cafe, or night club, or any other atmosphere? The internet works for those who are socially challenged, by providing them a means of meeting people in a more comfortable setting. The internet has definitely provided a convenient, yet lazy way so that people can "hook up." Yes, indeed online dating has worked out for many, but that should not stop people from trying harder at the conventional, or more traditional way of meeting people as they have before the internet.
Posted by: Just my thoughts | August 07, 2005 at 04:44 PM
I'm more from the old school. It is very important to maintain face to face social skills. Networking via the computer is fine but we will always find ourselves in a situation when we cannot hide behind a computer. It is important to fine tune all skills as we grow and mature. At times we may focus on one more than the other but I do not see one as having more significance than the other.
Posted by: P. Davis | August 08, 2005 at 09:37 AM
I am old fashion and think it is better to meet someone face to face. You can be whom ever you want to be behind the computer and you don't find authenic people. Although, my niece did meet her husband on the internet.
Posted by: L. Owens | August 09, 2005 at 07:52 AM