The Modern Day Pop-In

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/06/10/pew.internet.fatigue/index.html

Remember the time when relatives and friends just popped in anytime during the day to check on you. Eventually, we started calling the pop-ins rude. We now started phoning the person to make sure they are ok with your visit and more importantly to find out whether they are home or not.

I remember a time when I was in India 13/14 years ago when I was fed up of all the socializing: The weddings, religious celebrations and family obligations (which increasingly during the teenage years seemed like nothing but painful obligations). However, I find myself craving the exact same things that I had once hated. Online interaction somehow does not satisfy the same craving as attending a relative’s wedding.

Human being is a social animal and can’t live without society. Although the method of socializing might have changed due to technology the craving for social interaction still stays the same. I feel now, with the internet, we are limited to socializing with people that are connected to the www. What about the rest of the gang?

The social networking sites can be seen as nothing but modern day pop-ins without too much intrusion. You may or may chose to return the greeting depending on whether or not you are “visible” to everyone on your chatting gadget.