Networking

            One word that has come up a great deal in my research is network/networked. In the Oxford English Dictionary, network (adj.) – “To link together to allow the sharing of data, interactive operation, and efficient utilization of resources; to incorporate into a computer network.” A network is very literally just something that connects. In this sense, it is talking about computers; however a network can also encompass humans or anything else. It is simply a collection of things that are in some way attached. Networks are incredibly prevalent and are featured in many aspects of today’s world. One area that it is common to hear about networks is the current rapid expansion of online social networks. Social networking is simply the connection of people to remain in contact with each other. Online social networking normally takes place on popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Young people started this trend, but it now seems as though everyone is into social networking and glued to their pages all the time. What many people don’t talk about, however, is incredible impact it is having on people and communication itself. There has never been any point in history in which this much networking has taken place between humans. We are on a completely new frontier, simply due to the fact that we now have access to each other at any time, no matter where the physical limitations lie. You can now be thousands of miles away from any single person and still be in some form of contact with them should you have internet service. This can be very helpful, such as in instances of emergencies, however it is something that is greatly abused and has been allowed to shape our society far too much. People now have more difficulties than ever vocalizing and expressing their thoughts, and can more easily do so through the use of a textual interface, such as a computer or phone. This is changing the way people are able to develop arguments and get their points across, and completely altering the way people deal with conflict. This trend is most evident in young children who have grown up right alongside this new media trend. Kids now use social media as a way to start and resolve conflict, and many conflicts now take place behind computer screens. This is a dramatic change from old practices, where serious conflicts were dealt with face to face. Networking is now and will continue to be something that consumes a large portion of peoples’ lives, and it comes with a mixed bag of incredible benefits to bring people together, but comes at a great cost of losing our basic human communication skills to network in the real world.