Lab+Assignment+4

Connected or Disconnected?



I believe that through Facebook, Twitter, online communities and networks such as these people are definitely connected. The common action of going online, logging in and connecting virtually to people allows people to interact on a digital level. In my experience, using facebook I have been able to connect with people in Italy who I was related too. Without facebook this connection would probably not have been able to happen. As well with friends that I have not seen in a while, I am able to connect and communicate with them over facebook by writing on their walls and sending them messages. Twitter is more of a online community where you can let people know what you are doing, and this connects you to people indirectly because they may connect with you over the thing you are doing. For example if you 'twit' that you are at the red hot chili pepper concert, one of your followers will respond that they are also there and at that moment you both have instantly connected over the internet and over liking the same band and being at the same concert. One can also make the argument that online communities also disconnect people. If a person does not use these online community networks they are disconnected from everyone else, because the majority of people are using them. This disconnection is a counter act of being connected because there is always a person or group of people that are not part of the online communities or do not know how to use them. Therefore these online communities can connect and disconnect in many ways which either hinder one's networking experience or provide a wide array of opportunities which allow people to connect and further their lives through online connection.