When I think about an interaction I have with someone, I typically think about one that occurs face to face. I have never been in a situation like that of our first day of class. It was quite a shock, to me and my peers sitting around me. We all read the assignment and then began to talk about what was actually going on. Why did Prof. Dean do this, what is she trying to get out of this. Is it for our own good, and different approach to a new semester. Maybe she was going to barge in at the point when we were all talking about how weird this is. Yet instead we all formed a circle and shared ideas about what was going on.
Has anyone ever blogged before? What is it all about? Then classmates started bringing up examples of people who would actually live their entire lives online, playing different role playing games, where they were in fact cheating on their spouses, online? When I reflect on these examples I think to myself, how does this happen? Sure technology is a fantastic thing that can enable interaction between anyone, anywhere at anytime. Business meetings in Beijing, from Boston over a live feed. Conference calls, e-mails, instant messages. There are so many different ways in which people can interact with each other, without leaving their computer chair.
So is this what it has come to, people would rather speak with someone over the phone, or through e-mails rather than in person. How do you know in fact who you are actually talking to. Your children may be solicited by pervs and pedophiles, when they think they are talking to a friend from the west-coast. What about sincerity, how do you know you are not being taken advantage of. I would personally have an interaction in person, because you can only make a first impression once, and nothing can compare to giving someone a firm handshake, looking them in the eye and saying it is a pleasure to meet you.
