Sunday, April 13, 2008

Social Networking

I gave a big surprise to my friends - I am an Orkut member now!
So, what’s big deal about it, millions scrap there?
It was a big decision for me! I am not a social networking guy. Till yesterday, I never maintained a membership in any social networking site (I tried Orkut for a week in its early, not so popular days).
I have my reasons. No, it was not that I couldn’t access it legally from office.
Recently, I had given the below reply to a friend’s invite to Tagged –
How is this special? What are the features provided?
EMail - I do not get time to maintain 2 official and 3 personal emails
Msgr- Again 2 official and 2 personal
Video- Not enough time to access youtube.
Social n/w - You know I am not a member of Orkut, Facebook and others.
So, currently I am not interested unless you give me something special about this.
- Jyothi Basu

Then is it lack of time? No, I always try to share enough time to meet friends. Then what’s the problem? Supporters of these social networking sites preach me about the numerous benefits with these sites – chief among them is I could come across a school/college/childhood friend whom I have lost touch.
a. If I am not in touch with a person, then that could be due to the fact that – either he/she or I never intended to continue the relationship.
b. If I accidentally come across a person years later, I am not sure whether I could have a relationship with the same intensity and freedom – I have changed myself so much in these years, I don’t how much that person has changed – we may or may not be able to share same ideas and thoughts.
But, on an advice from one of my engineering friends – who and I have been trying hard to reunion my engineering batch – has decided to open an account – as a majority are comfortable with it.
However, I know orkuting or online social networking could never become one of my habits, forget passion.

6 comments:

  1. Hi,

    I stumbled upon this blog from some other one where in you had dropped a comment about your stints at civil services exams. Can you please provide some information regarding that?

    PS: I didn't find any other means to contact you, so commenting on this blog of yours.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was on gentledude.blogspot.com.

    Thank you, but I may disappoint you.

    I have had the idea but never attempted. Though, I prepared on self for a month. That was 4 years back. I don't know what the current pattern is upto.

    So, I am not sure how I could help you. If you still think I can, please drop a mail to yjbasu510@yahoo.co.in

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  3. It's true that social networking helps connect with your old acquaintances. But in my 3-4 years' of exposure to social networking, the excitement is only initial in that people are really gung ho about finding friends at first. After the initial hi bye, it's back to business and people hardly ever remember to login to these sites. There are so many of them!! Just think of the number of user names and passwords! Additionally, there are multiple avenues to do the exact same thing?! Would you increase your overhead of trying to stay in touch with separate categories of friends on separate networking sites? I don't think I would want to do that, but I find myself doing so on occasions. It's weird. Net net, I think the internet may be a total waste of time if one doesn't know how one exactly wants to use it.

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  4. Thanks Mr. A. Reflected my thoughts.

    Every invention/discovery has its boons and banes.

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  5. Wow ! For the first time, someone who thinks like me regarding social networking. So I'm not along in this one.How relieving !!!

    I don't have any friends on my orkut a/c, I just created it in the initial days, quickly changed it to anon, otherwise I may be found by some 400 people some of who just share the same college or class and whose faces I hardly remember.

    Some of my friends argue why I should have orkut and build my friends network there, that the world is a place to connect with people, not bury yourself into your shell.Are they telling me, that they connect with those 400 people on orkut ? I mean c'mon really.

    I'm happy with the few people I connect with, those are the ones I keep in touch with, despite the distance, changes in life style etc.

    I feel most people also think long term.Having 400 people in your orkut means, if you need some help, you can pass it to one and one of them could do it, if they know what they do and where they live.So it's like more business minded rather than friendship there, in modern era, people call it networking, a biggest strength.

    I fail deeply in that and the sad part is I'm happy with my failure !

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  6. Thanks for the comment. This was written 2 yrs ago and your made comment made to read this again and revisit my thoughts.

    I met one of my childhood friends thru these n/ws, but it did not go forward that much.

    I think I am doing social n/w regular than I had thought, though far from addiction.

    Networking is not always done with a business mind and to just keep in touch. It provides a platform to share likes and thoughts across various boundaries, like location.

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