Are We TOO Connected?

Awhile back I read an NY Times article entitled "Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction" about how all of the technology surrounding growing minds can be both a distraction to learning and enable it. Last week Seth Godin presented this food for thought:

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This idea that has been rolling around my head for some time. Where would the world be without Blackberrys? I am so dependent on my own beautiful berry that I carry around my charger. For the life of me I cannot understand why places do not have more convenient outlet spacing! Because the world will end if the berry dies. Really. I won't be able to BBM, text, email, or check Facebook and Twitter! Going of the grid these days is completely unacceptable. In fact, I've gotten so desperate that I actually tote my Macbook around at all times just so I can log on at any possible moment. Without the mac, I feel empty. I equate this feeling to leaving my firstborn child behind at Walmart for hours before realizing the house is just too quiet.

These days people have expectations. Instant gratification is what its all about! If you don't respond within 5 minutes, don't doubt that you WILL BE SHUNNED from society. A few weeks ago, I became violently ill. Imagine the episode of Glee when Matthew Morrison becomes ill and is confined to his bed.  This was me. I didn't respond to emails, texts, bbms, or return phone calls. AND I felt HORRIBLE about this. Here I was on my sickbed and I felt guilt because I was not keeping constant contact.

I think it is time for an experiment. Because going completely off the grid during school is just not possible, I've decided to do this for three days over winter break. I am forgoing my computer and my blackberry.  I am turning off the bberry browser, turning off BBM, and lockin up the mac. Note: I am already hyperventilating at this thought. 


I predict that I will probably go into Facebook withdrawal; shivers, sweats, and all. IF you want to talk to me, give me an old-fashioned phone call. Because I would certainly love to hear your voice. I will probably need someone to check Facebook or Twitter for me.

Email is Not Dead. Nice Try Facebook

Ok, everyone. Calm down. E-mail is not dead. We've seen ideas like this before that were supposed to revolutionize the way we communicate (i.e. Google Wave, Google Voice. NOTE: these are all Google Flops). Yes, Facebook is the end all be all of social networks. The introduction of "f-mail," for those of you not in the loop this is Facebook "e-mail," is Mark Zuckerberg's evil plan to become the "King of the Internet" and challenge the behemoth that is Google. See the recent launch of Facebook Places and even more recently the incorporation of Deals in order to edge over competition from FourSquare.

In my opinion while F-mail will undoubtedly become hugely popular among Facebook users and social media savy types, but color me old school, I do not believe that e-mail is going to become extinct. While you do not need a Facebook account to use f-mail, I know many people that just refuse to have anything to do with Facebook. The "social inbox" as Facebook is calling it belongs only to friends and not to your bank, mass e-newsletters, etc. While this is a great feature, I love the excitement I feel whenever I long into my gmail account and discover what is awaiting. Will it be a business email, a personal anecdote, or the latest Groupon? If I am not alone in the world here, this is a major reason why the e-mail account is here to stay.

My point is that when Facebook chat launched, AIM and iChat did not disappear. People still use these to communicate among the office or at work and socially. Most professional environments block personal Facebook use. Meanwhile there is no way to block your work e-mail. While I do admit that yes I will probably use f-mail, my g-mail account is here to stay. 

In my opinion while F-mail will become hugely popular among the younger demographic and social media world, it will not replace e-mail. E-mail is just too ingrained in the professional world. E-mail will not go way of the fax machine and a good old stamp letter, because f-mail is just not that different.