Internet loneliness

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

So I am wondering if this is just a me thing, or if this is more of a universal thing: is anyone else experiencing a sort of "internet loneliness", where internet-based personal interactions seem to be decreasing?   

[Reginald Ret]

Hmm, it is happening to me too, but all my social interactions are decreasing.
Mostly because i am trying very hard to decrease them.

[The Johnny]

I think this might not be a quantitative thing, because everyday theres more "interactions". It might be the quality of the interaction though, because the internet is about narcissistic satisfaction, so others are just an object from which admiration or pleasure is derived, not a human to communicate with or share experiences with.

[Cain]

It's not just you.  I've been feeling much the same way.  Admittedly, the work load I'm under and the physical isolation (very small town) do not help any.

[East Coast Hustle]

Yeah, I feel that way but I'm in the same boat as regret. I'm focusing on quality over quantity these days, and 99% of people are vastly disappointing so I just don't bother with them anymore. This is pretty much the only place on the internet that I socialize other than Facebook and to me this is a much more traditional form of socializing than that is.

[The Johnny]

Well if were not talking sociologically, then no, for me it revolves around skyping, facebook and email... in other words, my internet interactions are oriented to people i know in real life and not so much strangers.

[hooplala]

Me too Nigel, I assumed it was because I am in a sort of constant state of ennui for the last few months, but maybe it's something else...

[Lenin McCarthy]

I don't interact socially on the internet much at all these days, other than to coordinate my social life in meatspace. But that's probably because I've moved to a city that actually has people in it. The rest of my internet social interaction is mostly just shallow fishing for "likes". And maybe that's a general trend, I don't know.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What I'm noticing is that I am having fewer meaningful online interactions with people I know and like. This is kind of bumming me out because it isn't as easy for me to go out and spend time with my friends, most of whom have young kids or are otherwise also not in a position where they can run out and socialize without extensive pre-planning. It could just be the age most of my friends are at.

[Salty]

This is not the case for me, I have been on a general upward trajectory as far as that goes. I also didn't own a cumputer until 2007, and didn't start such relationships until 2009, and it's pretty much you spags and FB, which is also mostly you spags.

I am content.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

What I'm noticing is that I am having fewer meaningful online interactions with people I know and like. This is kind of bumming me out because it isn't as easy for me to go out and spend time with my friends, most of whom have young kids or are otherwise also not in a position where they can run out and socialize without extensive pre-planning. It could just be the age most of my friends are at.

I think this is probably a good part of it. The only person I socialize regularly with in person anymore are my coworkers, but while at work, and my girlfriend. I have a lot of friends that I would like to interact with more, either in person or on the internet, but the schedules sometimes don't match up. I think part of the problem too is that a lot of internet communication is being reduced to soundbyte type responses, and the use of smartphones probably encourages that too.

There's also an inundation effect. You know, one of my best friends from high school who I maintained contact with rather than refound him on the internet, is moving to Chicago and I had no idea until he said that he was going to go there with his girlfriend but it's not the big move yet? And I was like, when the fuck did Brendan decide to move to Chicago?

There's also a person on my friends list who posts constantly. And I'm not talking about her posting every couple of hours. She'll sit there and just post new statuses every couple of minutes. I didn't hide her posts because sometimes I would like to jump in on one and be an asshat. That was until I found out Bren was moving, and I was like, ok, this person is burying stuff I actually should know.

But then again, why should I have to find that out through the internet? He and I have different schedules, I suppose. He's only come to two of my shows, and I've only gone to two of his.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The internet makes it easier to find out things about people you would otherwise lose contact with, is something I've noticed. Why did you have to find that out on the internet? Most likely, because otherwise you wouldn't have found out at all, or at least not until much later.

I totally don't get the people who post CONSTANT updates on Facebook. I feel weird about posting more than maybe four or five status updates a day.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

The internet makes it easier to find out things about people you would otherwise lose contact with, is something I've noticed. Why did you have to find that out on the internet? Most likely, because otherwise you wouldn't have found out at all, or at least not until much later.

I totally don't get the people who post CONSTANT updates on Facebook. I feel weird about posting more than maybe four or five status updates a day.

I'm guilty of frequent updates myself, but yeah after a certain point I'm like, eh, tack it onto another status or something.

The person in question posts a lot of music and inspirational quotes, often of a Jesus nature. Which wouldn't be bad if she spaced it out.

[P3nT4gR4m]

I'm not spending as big a slice of my time online, atm. I've gotten back into reading, after a 20 year hiatus and I don't have enough time for both.

[Cardinal Pizza Deliverance.]

Yeah. I've been noticing this too. My close friends are either herding babies, slammed with college, or on the same work-sleep-repeat schedule as I am.