My Social Relations Before the Internet and Instant Message Era

Slowly we have misplaced our personal touch with each other through social media like Twitter, Facebook, or instant messaging. These sites have made our life stories conveniently cheapened. We have been pulled farther apart over the high speed connects of the Internet. My personal relationships before the Internet era had stronger community connections with friends and family members through physical bonding. On the other side of the coin, take daily behaviors with occupational networking; professional social websites can have greater effects to job opportunities.

First looking slightly back in my past, to the years just before Internet craze, I remember being fresh out of the Navy with a trivial understanding of personal computing. I had just landed a field service job, as a repair technician with a local microfiche company for banking data sites. Where the first few paychecks were used to purchase my first 386 PC; it was a top of the line desktop with this new operating system called Windows with the following peripherals; 13” CRT Monitor with stand, an Epson dot matrix printer, and last a phone modem that was a little undersized. I recall saying to myself, who really needs all that speed for the Internet? Who has time to read all those emails or to go into chat rooms with my friends? It would be easier to drive over to their house and spend time with them in person. Social interacting was more of a personal relationship through phone calls or physical meeting out somewhere. Wow… these were fast times in the computing world of PCs.

Looking at a generation later, my wife and I went to the local pizza restaurant recently, where we noticed kids having a slice in one hand and a Smartphone in the other. Going out for dinner should...

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...sed, I never really got into the main stream electronic networking, like the early chat rooms or present the Facebook obsession. This was more evident by my inept desire for video games; Pinball was my game. There was an enjoyment in the physical association made with the electro-mechanical sounds, like Bally’s Evel Knievel Pinball machine. Social networking never clicked for me. I could not spend hours on-line in chat rooms or posting pictures of my life. However, when it came to job opportunities, professional networking was a whole new world for exploitation. Without even looking for a job, professional openings can be discovered. My present position was established in this format; my profile was noticed by a co-worker, which opened the door. The idea of networking now has new meaning for me, but in short term you will not be able to view my profile on Facebook.