How Social Media Enables Intimacy

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As social media changes the way we interact, speculation has abounded for years on how the web may be disconnecting us from intimate interactions in favor of meaningless quests to rack up followers and “friends.” I have heard it for numerous times how social media is robbing us of authentic, honest relationships.

Not so, says Stefana Broadbent, who explains that social networks function the same way online as they do in real life. While we may have lots of friends, we only really communicate regularly and meaningfully with a handful of them, and social technologies like e-mail, texting, and tweeting allow us to do so more often across time and space

http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf

How has social media impacted the way you communicate?

social media

Comments

February 9, 2010

Marc Smith

My teenage daughter and I communicate often through text messages. Sometimes we text each other while at home. What's most important as a father is not how we communicate, but that we do.

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February 9, 2010

MaurilioAmorim

Marc,
My wife has texted me from the TV room while I was in the bedroom because she didn't want to move and disturb the sleeping cat on her lap. So I understand the "in-home" texting thing.

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February 9, 2010

Lori

I am blessed by being able to text my husband and kids during the day to say I love them or I am praying for them, and to get their messages in return. I have never believed that texting or even email kills intimacy, but actually make the world smaller and more intimate.

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February 9, 2010

todshuttleworth

I could not agree more. I have never been so connected to so many people, and not just to people I already know through social media. I have met several new people through social media.

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February 9, 2010

timgodby

While for me, text messaging will never replace face-to-face or voice-to-voice interaction, it has made possible communication in situations where any other connection would be impossible. I love TED talks. Thanks for the link, Maruilio.

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February 10, 2010

Scott D. Winter

Right on, Maurilio.

As it is with so many things, it all boils down to the individual and their motive. Anything can be warped and twisted, but when social media works, it enables communication. Some of that communication is probably interaction that you wouldn't have without social media.

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February 10, 2010

Maurilio

I love "makes the world smaller" I'm going to use it sometime soon! Thanks

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February 10, 2010

Maurilio

While you and I have never met, we know about each others' lives through social media. That's a blessing I wouldn't have without it.

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February 11, 2010

Guy Walker

I don't want to be graphic BUT. Is porn intimate?

on another though… Wow she sounds really smart. I wish I had an accent like that.

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