Virtual socialization

Add me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, comment on my status, like my photos…. Are terms we commonly heard every day from almost all kind people from different level of society.

Twitter, Orkut, Friendster, Hi5, Facebook, and MySpace-do these names sound familiar to you? These are examples of social networking sites. Such sites allow people to make new friends, send messages, share photos, etc. In recent times, these sites have become very popular amongst old and young alike the world over. Rather than going out in the sun, they would happily dole out a couple of hours gawking on the computer screens and chatting with the friends and the strangers alike.

Most of the people count heavily on the social networking sites as a mere connection that binds them to the world. When the society is undergoing transformation with every passing moment, it is more than inevitable that our routines and customs are too affected by the winds of change. The beginning of this millennium has been witnessing major technological advancements and is considered as only the beginning of a whole new discoveries in the field of Electronic world.

With the social networking sites like Orkut, Facebook, AOL becoming the staple of the young breed, socialization has altogether assumed a new meaning. Be it a school going cheerful kid or a professional, everybody counts upon these social networking sites to meet their social needs. Only few years' back, you would have gladly counted reading, playing, and dancing as one of the favorite pastimes.

I’ve been to 15 Countries, one of the common denominator for all of those 15 Countries is that all of them were invaded by facebook mania. From school children to common citizens to young professionals are all facebook users. Most of my meeting abroad, after giving out calling cards amongst the group, they would normally say “I also have facebook account, just add me”. Even in my short stay at CLSU to take my Masteral Studies, after meeting somebody, the next question ask is the Facebook account. Socialization has change a lot, but no one knows if it is for the better.