Social networking- by Teofil Otelariu, student at Traian Vuia Highschool, Resita
“The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate” so warn us the words of J. Priestly and so do they keep up the pace with the so- called ‘socializing’. We have to admit that we have gradually lost our sense of mutual affection and trust, becoming more apart than ever. Somehow, it is like the credulous Moon longing for the overwhelming Sun, an illusory, gapped encounter, that seems to be preferred within human interrelationships.
Recently, a couple of ‘social networking websites’ have popped out and gain general appeal: Facebook, MySpace or the more local hi5, all in-vogue ‘congregations’ of modernity. How should we react? Rationally, by undertaking some research into the phenomenon, or emotionally, flowing with the ‘greedy’ wave?…
If you take the path of research, you might be just surprised. This ‘god’ that you log on to, insatiably, is brand new, so you should doubt the sources within your ‘network bible’; the 1990’s … some peculiar times, isn’t it? The end of the ex-half-witted-communists, the so spectacular transition in the era’s sounds, that led to a flimsy seeking of ‘the-after’ soul, regarded by the more optimistics as ’music’ and, of course, the ‘enlightment’ of feelings, in between, later known as ‘virtual interaction’, or … the more common ’social networking’.
It is not that I am against any of these. But for me, a net account is rather an identity card, than genuine communication. I cannot fill the gap when the emotion is scatterd below the haunting paranoid fingers of the ‘actual’.
Yes, all these websites enable us to communicate, share and contact such a variety of people that we are overflowing the ‘banks’ of socializing. And yes, we all have been very much satisfied with the others, and, especially, with ourselves. And again yes, they have connected different parts of the world and they will, inherently, keep on pulling the strings of human interaction and increase the huge maze of messages, yet, loneliness is sneaking into our hearts, gently and peacefully, like a lullaby song. Are we preparing ourselves for an adventurous and long sleep?
Consider this, though: it does not take much to hold up a simple face-to-face conversation. Why should we then look for alternatives? Why are we deliberately and constantly underrating ourselves? ’We say we exchange words when we meet. What we exchange is … souls.’
But … if we do not meet, will our souls be just ordinary words?
Acest eseu este castigatorului unui bonus special in cadrul 2010 Shakespeare School Essay Competition, grupa de varsta 15-19 ani, avand ca tema “Discuss the role and future of social networking sites hi5 and Facebook“. Premiul a constat intr-un discount de 10% la orice curs intensiv de vara de limba engleza la Shakespeare School, precum si in carti si alte cadouri de la Diverta si Fischer International. Dorim sa il felicitam pe Teofil pentru faptul ca s-a evidentiat din peste 3100 de eseuri trimise la concursul national de creatie in limba engleza organizat de Shakespeare School si ii uram mult succes in continuare!
