Body & Soul3 mins ago
Are we lonelier today ?
The Times today says “Technology and the pressures of modern life are today blamed for creating an epidemic of loneliness…The findings, from a survey of more than 2,200 adults from across Britain, suggest loneliness affects people of all ages……Human beings are social animals, and we’ve evolved to live in extended family groups. If we’re not in a group like that we begin to feel anxious, depressed and begin to find it increasingly difficult to regulate our own behaviour.” Overall, the survey found that nearly half (48 per cent) of respondents think that people are becoming increasingly isolated and detached from each other.
While the internet has changed the way people communicate, some experts argue that social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter undermine social skills and the ability to read body language says the charity’s report. The report also says it is too early to say whether technology is changing our core ability to relate to others, but [it is] “soon enough to conclude that technology is no substitute for the human interaction that it is a buffer against loneliness.”
Do social network sites make us lonelier or more social creatures ?
Does Answerbank connect us more - or disconnect us to some degree - from the "real world" ?
While the internet has changed the way people communicate, some experts argue that social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter undermine social skills and the ability to read body language says the charity’s report. The report also says it is too early to say whether technology is changing our core ability to relate to others, but [it is] “soon enough to conclude that technology is no substitute for the human interaction that it is a buffer against loneliness.”
Do social network sites make us lonelier or more social creatures ?
Does Answerbank connect us more - or disconnect us to some degree - from the "real world" ?
Answers
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Thanks for the compliment Olddutch. And I'm thinking about your point but I don't wholeheartedly agree with it. Yes, you say no blood spilt - in that case, everyone would be ok with everyone and yet we know that's not the case. It's even evident on this thread.
Maybe because I'm new to the whole social interactive internet stuff but I find some of these exchanges quite mean to be honest. Yes I accept you saying - that depression, loneliness and distress, even physical damage can occur in real-life exchanges and that 'AB exchanges are cathartic therapeutic for some of us.' I don't know if I totally agree with that?
Because in real-life if this exchange between Gromit and Oldgit had occurred infront of me, I would intervene and say my say - I find, it distressing for myself if I didn't intervene. I haven't got the impression that Oldgit finds these exchanges therapeutic, I don't know about Gromit. I do agree that social skills can be learned from some exchanges but something seems to be lacking here, so I'm going to give it a shot.....as annoying as that is.....
cont...
Maybe because I'm new to the whole social interactive internet stuff but I find some of these exchanges quite mean to be honest. Yes I accept you saying - that depression, loneliness and distress, even physical damage can occur in real-life exchanges and that 'AB exchanges are cathartic therapeutic for some of us.' I don't know if I totally agree with that?
Because in real-life if this exchange between Gromit and Oldgit had occurred infront of me, I would intervene and say my say - I find, it distressing for myself if I didn't intervene. I haven't got the impression that Oldgit finds these exchanges therapeutic, I don't know about Gromit. I do agree that social skills can be learned from some exchanges but something seems to be lacking here, so I'm going to give it a shot.....as annoying as that is.....
cont...
And to add to that - dangerous!
Gromit - I think it is unfair to target another poster negatively on a thread in their absence especially if you are going to insult them and your insult to Oldgit is not very nice. Oldgit has said that he will retaliate to personal attacks and he rightly does - most people would.
However, saying that, Oldgit I think your retaliation is somewhat strong - 'sad and lonely life', I know the words are originally Gromit's but you don't have to throw them back at him. They're not nice words and even if someone's life is 'sad and lonely', its their business.
You once said to me that I was being sensitive but I think you are guilty of that also - if not more.
It doesn't take long to understand that there is a dislike of the views Oldgit submits in this section but as long as his views are not illegal or bordering on illegality, he is entitled to his opinion and that shouldn't merit abuse from anyone.
Good night
Gromit - I think it is unfair to target another poster negatively on a thread in their absence especially if you are going to insult them and your insult to Oldgit is not very nice. Oldgit has said that he will retaliate to personal attacks and he rightly does - most people would.
However, saying that, Oldgit I think your retaliation is somewhat strong - 'sad and lonely life', I know the words are originally Gromit's but you don't have to throw them back at him. They're not nice words and even if someone's life is 'sad and lonely', its their business.
You once said to me that I was being sensitive but I think you are guilty of that also - if not more.
It doesn't take long to understand that there is a dislike of the views Oldgit submits in this section but as long as his views are not illegal or bordering on illegality, he is entitled to his opinion and that shouldn't merit abuse from anyone.
Good night
Seadragon, I note what you say and like your sensitivity.
However in the AB news section there are a good number of political combatants who addictively enjoy the bloodless Punch and Judy much in the same way as our politicians do in their exchanges. With the masks it’s a bloodless sport with no real casualities (even when it goes over the top) - unless contributors are of a truly sensitive disposition and are affected by the more immoderate aggressive posts. Seadragon despite your kind intentions the bloodless sport is too deep in the partisan culture of this section for anything much to change. Still it doesn’t hurt to try - so good luck with your attempts at reform.
However in the AB news section there are a good number of political combatants who addictively enjoy the bloodless Punch and Judy much in the same way as our politicians do in their exchanges. With the masks it’s a bloodless sport with no real casualities (even when it goes over the top) - unless contributors are of a truly sensitive disposition and are affected by the more immoderate aggressive posts. Seadragon despite your kind intentions the bloodless sport is too deep in the partisan culture of this section for anything much to change. Still it doesn’t hurt to try - so good luck with your attempts at reform.
Seadragon
Thanks for those few words of support, but please may I ask why when you have ticked off Gromit for his attacks on me, you later apologise to him in a Ps?
Yet on the other hand you come back and chastise me for turning round Gromit's words 'sad and lonely life' I merely copied and pasted his words.
He was accusing anyone who's daily highlight was my missives (Gromits fancy name for what everyone else calls posts) a 'sad and lonely individual'
Since most read my posts, including Gromit, I could only take it that he was saying that himself and yourselves were 'sad and lonely individuals'.
Hence my comment :
"These are the actual words of one of these self confessed sad and lonely individuals".
Thanks for those few words of support, but please may I ask why when you have ticked off Gromit for his attacks on me, you later apologise to him in a Ps?
Yet on the other hand you come back and chastise me for turning round Gromit's words 'sad and lonely life' I merely copied and pasted his words.
He was accusing anyone who's daily highlight was my missives (Gromits fancy name for what everyone else calls posts) a 'sad and lonely individual'
Since most read my posts, including Gromit, I could only take it that he was saying that himself and yourselves were 'sad and lonely individuals'.
Hence my comment :
"These are the actual words of one of these self confessed sad and lonely individuals".
I take your point Oldgit but I fear that you are a temperamental person at times which blinkers you to the whole picture or at least does you the injustice of not comprehending the whole? (forgive me if I'm wrong) Why, I make this judgement I shall explain -
Gromit makes 2 points - he puts his view twice as opposites 1) As our lives would be diminished without the AB family - that is a positive view of the benefits of AB 2) The reverse point if we had no real friends and our daily missives were yours, then that one person would be a sad and lonely individual.
As I understand you to take this, you consider that he accuses 'anyone whose daily ....as being a sad and lonely individual.' Oldgit you consider 'anyone' to be most of the posters, including myself and the fact you raise this is evidence of quite a moralistic person.
However I think Gromit reduces the portion of posters he attacks by stating that 'if we had no real friends' and we derived such enjoyment of your posts then we would be sad and lonely. How many people is that? I think that is a mis-guided mis-perception to make.
I take issue with the judgement of 'sad and lonely' because as I said calling anyone that is not nice and furthermore it isn't his business to state that if a person is enjoyingly reading your posts that they are off that mournful disposition.
I think it is more of an underlying attack on you which you respond to by your comment but by saying 'self-confessed sad and lonely individual' you not only throw back inappropriate words but the snow-ball gathers more dirt?
Gromit makes 2 points - he puts his view twice as opposites 1) As our lives would be diminished without the AB family - that is a positive view of the benefits of AB 2) The reverse point if we had no real friends and our daily missives were yours, then that one person would be a sad and lonely individual.
As I understand you to take this, you consider that he accuses 'anyone whose daily ....as being a sad and lonely individual.' Oldgit you consider 'anyone' to be most of the posters, including myself and the fact you raise this is evidence of quite a moralistic person.
However I think Gromit reduces the portion of posters he attacks by stating that 'if we had no real friends' and we derived such enjoyment of your posts then we would be sad and lonely. How many people is that? I think that is a mis-guided mis-perception to make.
I take issue with the judgement of 'sad and lonely' because as I said calling anyone that is not nice and furthermore it isn't his business to state that if a person is enjoyingly reading your posts that they are off that mournful disposition.
I think it is more of an underlying attack on you which you respond to by your comment but by saying 'self-confessed sad and lonely individual' you not only throw back inappropriate words but the snow-ball gathers more dirt?
I don't know if I make any sense but I would like to say that I will defend the words not the person.
Thus I have no animosity towards Gromit and thought I should make that clear hence my P.s post. It is true Olddutch - I am unfortunately sensitive - a huge downfall on my part and I accept that some exchanges can be fun and enjoyable even though antagonistic but when I think the exchange is unfairly aggressive and not much fun for one of the individuals involved then I have the choice either to stay out as an observer or to engage out of concern for the targeted party.
Personally I think it would be a sad day for me if I chose not to get involved and detached myself from such scenarios despite the backlash I may receive.
Why can't we just all be reasonable to some degree?
Thus I have no animosity towards Gromit and thought I should make that clear hence my P.s post. It is true Olddutch - I am unfortunately sensitive - a huge downfall on my part and I accept that some exchanges can be fun and enjoyable even though antagonistic but when I think the exchange is unfairly aggressive and not much fun for one of the individuals involved then I have the choice either to stay out as an observer or to engage out of concern for the targeted party.
Personally I think it would be a sad day for me if I chose not to get involved and detached myself from such scenarios despite the backlash I may receive.
Why can't we just all be reasonable to some degree?
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