Social networking: The curse of relationships

As the world becomes more connected through various types of devices such as cell phones, email, facebook, myspace, twitter, and other "Get into contact with anyone at anytime" applications, do you think this is having a negative affect on our relationships?

For example, people are discovering more and more about their friends, family, and lovers through status updates, pictures, and wall notes that they otherwise probably wouldn't know. Some of the things people post are probably better left unsaid but they feel a certain safety in posting them. This in result creates friction among friends who have varying degrees of opinions and many people take a picture or status update in a way that wasn't meant to be taken simply because they are given the fortune to view it.

What do you guys think? Are social networks destroying our relationships or are they only brining us closer together. In my opinion, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" holds a very decisive meaning in this debate.

Just my thoughts.

-Josh

Your name is Josh, and you're from Georgia? >_>

Creepy.


As to the subject at hand, I do agree, though I see both sides. I think web apps like Facebook and Twitter are great, for their respective purposes (which are constantly expanding, changing and evolving) but are easy to abuse. I can't really say 'misuse' but to me, personally, posting a inane status update every five minutes is just silly and somewhat annoying.

Luckily, you get to pick who you follow/friend, and vice versa. As for the potential to affect relationships, I think if the relationship is genuine; if the friendship is strong or the love is true, then posting some 140 character update to the social networking site of your choice, whether in a drunken stupor, an angry rant, or a late-night burst of Too Much Information Syndrome, should not have any lasting effect.

~Josh

I don't think such sites hinder relationships. If the poster feels a certain safety about posting such things online, they need to rethink and stop being so stupid.

If a friend of mine posts something online that I disagree with, I wouldn't try to start a debate with them. Obviously ppl have diff opinions and are entitled to express it. If we clash too much and too often, that's the end of that. Was bound to happen anyway with or without the net (the net just speed things up a bit).

I'll open my position on this with a very heartwarming story that involves Facebook's fubar "your friend was tagged in a picture!" feature.

It begins with a girl. Often times this is the case. There was strong mutual interest.
Facebook updates with a wonderful picture of her and two other guys that a friend had tagged her in. Do not wish to describe picture.
There is no more mutual interest.

Future conflict avoided.

Just like the saying "guns don't kill people", "the internet doesn't ruin relationships".

In fact, it actually helps to start positive relationships that otherwise wouldn't have come about.