I have tried Facebook – I kind of get it, but not really.  I refuse to try Twitter – life in 140 characters less??   As a friend points out, in dire situations, the bombings in Mumbai for instance, Twitter was a lifeline for people.  These advances in technoloy and communication certainly have their place.  But overall, I want in real life relationships.  That has been me goal lately, to see people in real life.  To figure out a way to do that.

Here is an interesting article in the Times – Is social networking killing you?

It makes many interesting points – how these devices are re-wiring our kids brains.  Somehow I worry that I am actually harming my kids by not allowing them to watch TV and use these devices.  If their generations brains all work that way – will they have trouble working with these other kids?

These devices are KILLING our communities because no one communes in their community anymore.   There are all these local movements, eat local, shop local – what about socialize local?

Blame my inner 80 year-old, but I just can’t get on the train.   And so like my parents who couldn’t program the VCR – I guess in some ways, I am already there.

My favorite quote from Susan Greenfield:

‘We know how small babies need constant reassurance that they exist,’ she told the Mail yesterday.

‘My fear is that these technologies are infantilising the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and who live for the moment.’

All technology has its place and so I am not trying to demonize anyone who uses these services.  It is merely to say that all things must be balanced.  And while we have these relationships that know no bounds, it is still important that we live where we live.  That perhaps we grow actual green patches in our neighborhoods rather than on Facebook.  Life has to be lived not always connected to the computer.

I am starting to think about turning mine off during the day. I wonder if I could actually do that?  Telling people if they need to get a hold of me to call?  Would that be putting myself on an island?  Probably.

With that, it is way past this curmudgeon’s  bed time……