Subj : Facebook & online stuff
To   : Arelor
From : Boraxman
Date : Thu May 22 2025 08:08 am

-=> Arelor wrote to Boraxman <=-

Ar> @MSGID: <[email protected]>
Ar> @REPLY: <[email protected]>
Ar>   Re: Facebook & online stuff
Ar>   By: Boraxman to Arelor on
Ar> Tue May 20 2025 08:29 am

>  It seems to me, that the younger generation do go out less.  Socialise
> less.    Have less real world interaction.  I think this is evidence that
> Social Media   probably doesn't bring people together.

Ar> You are prety much correct in that people does not socialize much
Ar> anymore. Every now and then some study pops out and shows loneliness
Ar> statistics are up through the roof. I don't think Social Media in
Ar> itself is to blame here, though.

Ar> If you reach deep into serious studies about romantic relationships you
Ar> find the trend is for romantic relationships to be tremendously
Ar> unsatisfactory. There are a number of potential reasons they speculate
Ar> as probable causes but what seems to be hard facts is people is not
Ar> getting their expectations fulfilled and people does not want to put
Ar> effort into the deal.

Ar> If we think this sample is relatable to friendships and family
 Ar> relationships, it gets things explained IMO.

 I think social media is a big factor, but not the only one.  The trend
towards
 not going out, staying at home was known in the 90s.  I recall someone
talking
 of "cocooning" in the early 90s, where people were choosing to stay at home,
 eat in, etc, instead of going out.  So it was talked about back then, and
that
 was before the Internet became popular in households.

 One thing that struck me when I read "Crime and Punishment" was the
 relationship between Raskolnicok and Razhimihin (I think I spelled that
 right).  They were friends, but the friendship was portrayed as something
akin
 to a proper relationship.  They were involved in each others lives.  They
 didn't just "meet up" for a drink every now and then.  Ancient Greek sources
 of friendship speak of it in similar ways.

 Is this trend towards unsatisfactory romantic relationships relatively
recent,
 or a longer term trend?  I can see how it is true but I'm interested in when
 it started.

 But I think you hit on something with effort.  People seem to not prioritise
 human relationships.  People are just 'objects' to pass the time with, from
 time to time.  Another way to entertain yourself.


... BoraxMan
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