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I’m So Totally Digitally Close To You

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I’m So Totally Digitally Close To You
The Impact of Social Networking in Life

The article “I’m So Totally, Digitally, Close To You (Brave New World of Digital Intimacy)” (2002) is written by Clive Thompson, who is also a blogger and columnist. The author aims to explain the users’ attraction of Facebook, Twitter and other forms of “incessant online contact” through his text. Since social networking has become a nearly ubiquitous aspect of human contemporary life, Thomson has effectively illustrated the invasion of the social media into human daily lives, how people are commanded by it. He later goes on to explore the benefits of social networking sites and a few challenges of the usage assumptions.
Facebook is great because it is a way for people to keep in contact with their friends, see what others are up to, and show people all the new updates, without having to constantly call them every day. Additionally, people lose phones, change numbers, etc., so if you don't keep in close contact you might lose touch, but with Facebook, and you always have the same profile. It is also fairly easy to find more information about someone since one has access to their page. After had my own profile on Facebook in 2008, and the new feature New Feeds was introduced, I have never really felt socially unconnected from anyone. I feel like I have been forced not to be. Moreover, Facebook maybe is the only way I know how to interact with some people. People from classes I barely know but need as a friend to keep me reminded of homework assignments; that awkward first in-person meeting is completely rooted out when I can just post on their wall, or better yet send them a private message. I have to admit that Facebook has saved my education quite a few times.
Even though Facebook may have brought us many benefits and the convenience for establishing or maintaining connections with others, we may have leave out the scary true behind the usage of these social networking sites. Mark Zuckerberg may have helped my college



Cited: Thompson, C. (2002). I’m So Totally, Digitally, Close To You (Brave New World of Digital Intimacy). In Comley, N., Hamilton, D., Klaus, C.H., Scholes, R., Somers, N., Tougaw, J. (Eds), Fields of Reading (pp.543-553). Boston; Bedford/St. Martins.

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