Social Loneliness

Have you ever felt melancholy after spending time on Facebook? Does Instagram ever get you down? Do you check your twitter feed incessantly and yet never feel satisfied?

In the video below, the thesis states that social media is innovating loneliness.  We are trading conversations for connections, quality for quantity. We substitute what's real, deep, and complex for something inherently shallow.  Thus, the melancholy.

We are all vulnerable to making these trade-offs because these technical innovations prey on three fantasies:

1. We can put our attention wherever we want it to be.

2. We will always be heard.

3. We will never have to be alone.

However, the argument goes,  "If we don't know how to be alone, we are only going to know how to be lonely."

That's a powerful statement.  Watch this four-minute video and see if you disagree.

What is the connection between Social Networks and Being Lonely? Quoting the words of Sherry Turkle from her TED talk - Connected, But Alone. (http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together.html) Also Based on Dr. Yair Amichai-Hamburgers hebrew article -The Invention of Loneliness. Script, Design & Animation: Shimi Cohen Translation to Portuguese: Letícia Dabés (vimeo.com/leticiatranslation //leticiadabes@gmail.com) Translation to French: Marie-Caroline Braud (http://mariecarolinetranslation.jimdo.com/) Final Project at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design.

Next time you pick up your phone or when there's a real person in front of you, battle their loneliness (and yours) by honoring them with your presence.