#myreal

I consider myself as an in between-er. Beginning my first “real” office job in the early 90’s, I entered the new and exciting world wide web, along with shiny new portable devices such as the iPod - wow it’s so tiny I can hide it; and, brace yourself (drum roll) touch screen smart phones!

This, however, was not without constant reminders from colleagues about how this letter was written by pen, typewriter, blood (not quite), followed by a walk to a “real” mail room for a “real” postman to personally deliver.  Or how that resource was found in a “real” library with “real” books and “real” people – you get the idea.

Back to the shiny new – real time access to information and technology supporting this, continues to grow at a much more rapid pace than my brain can process, and myself along with many consumers of this new media were swept away with the promise of a more enriched, liberated, and prosperous life for it.  Howard Rheingold, author of several books on virtual communities, supports the notion that virtual communities mediated by communication technology are decentralized, and more democratic than communities predating the industrialization era.  However, he points out this is only the case in the absence of government and commercialism (Siapera, 2012). Personally, I don’t feel less governed or certainly not as wealthy as I would like to be.  

“ We use communication devices and social networking sites, to choose, construct, and show who and how we want to be seen (Wilken & McCosker, 2014).”

Contemplating my “real”, I am selective about what and how I use social media, and in my personal life, would rather engage in online communications with those whom I have developed a genuine (perceived or otherwise) connection with in a private forum. Robert Putman, political scientist, suggests that without a group of individuals with strong connections, social capital will dissolve (Siapera, 2012).  Alas I do not get left behind!

Psychologist and author of many resources exploring the relationships between humans and technology, Sherry Turkle, asserts that we use technology to clean up the messiness of the “real” world. Turkle coined the term the “Goldilocks Effect”, to describe how we control how and what we communicate and present to others in real time to a just right state (TED-Ed, 2013). The thing is, I find attractiveness in imperfections, and perhaps even part of me is caught up in the nostalgia of yesteryear.  

Admittedly, I am blown away by my son’s new virtual reality console (very generous birthday gift!). I put on the helmet and am instantly transported to a Venetian Piazza playing “fetch it” with robo-dog, then click, I’m standing on a mountain peak enjoying the calm. My physiology changes as though I was “really” there experiencing this, am I? Robert Putman (1995), following extensive data collection from the 1950’s to the mid 90’s, used the term virtual reality helmet to symbolise the erosion of social capital and growing isolation, largely due to technology.  Seemingly, this term used by Putman in 1995 is now closer to the truth in 2018 (Siapera, 2012).  Although my son has yet to connect with others online via VR, he tells me that this can be done, and I believe him.

 Image: courtesy of Jackson McDonald “VR in Action”

 For now, can I have the best of both worlds?  As dana boyd (2012), scholar in technology and social media laments, it is assumed that we are always switched on, however, we can choose when to switch off and find that balance.  

Being stuck in the middle isn’t really such a bad place to be, is it?

References:

Boyd, D 2012, 'Participating in the always-on lifestyle', in M Mandiberg (ed) The Social Media Reader, NYU Press, pp. 71-76.

Siapera, E 2012, 'Socialities and Social Media', in Understanding New Media, Sage, London, pp. 191-208.

TED-Ed 2013, Connected, but alone?- Sherry Turkle, 19 April, viewed 26 September 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0g8TsnA6c>.

“Wang Chun-Kuan 2018 “Vecta Illustration”, viewed 9 December 2018 <https://www.123rf.com/photo_70305947_stock-vector-cute-cartoon-cellphone-tug-of-war-with-finger-great-for-your-technology-concept-design.html>.