Social Networking

Social networking sites have become the highways of our global village. If you are not a member of one of these sites, you may feel disconnected. Or is this true? Is it possible to stay connected without this form of technology? Dana Howe, 20, says it's "impossible" to stay connected. As a student at the University at Albany, she keeps in contact with her family and friends on Staten Island. She used to use MySpace, but since in college, she has switched entirely to Facebook, as "it's what everyone uses."

Are college students the only ones taking advantage of the free networking? My own mother has recently become an avid Facebook user, using it to connect to her old college roommate, elementary school teachers, and a long lost friend in California. Since being on Facebook, she has reconnected with a childhood friend and developed an in depth relationship with this woman.

Facebook is not the only site out there, but it lends itself as the easiest to use. Valarie DiStefano, 20, of Massapequa, says she "doesn't understand Twitter." For her, she would rather use Facebook, allowing her to upload full photo albums and write lengthy responses to friends. As for her friend Brittany Tronolone, 20, of Staten Island, she uses Twitter to "stalk celebrities." Tronolone says it's interesting to see what her favorite celebrities are doing through out the day, allowing her to feel as if she has formed a bond with these famous people.

I think the main advantage to using social networking sites would be the cost. With Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook giving free access to user accounts, connecting with one another is more affordable than ever. The only disadvantage of these sites, are the effects on the young people using them, causing them to become more disconnected, while at the same time, becoming connected. Although the world has become smaller, creating a global village, the youth of our nation has become emotionally disconnected. Instead of calling a friend to make small talk, a quick text will cut the extra information and get right to the point. But without the extra information, we loose a sense of the bond between friends. The extra information can sometimes allow us to become closer.

With the positives and negatives, which is better? Having technology to bring us closer? Or having a lack of technology, to bring our bond between individuals closer?