Networking Social Intra-Action

As I have been pointing out in my last two posts, the society we live in our days is highly dependant on information systems. When comparing the fresh generation of newly-graduated college students to our parents’ generation we conclude that their concept of fundamentals is radically different: while the latter sees human progress dependant on industry and manual labour, the youngsters seem to have understood that the progress relies rather on the fundamental networking between individuals. This networking is, however, no longer dependant on direct human contact, and with the concept of globalization now turned into reality, the networking has now shifted to a spectrum of diverse online communities.

Networks such as Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, ASmallWorld and even TheStarTracker serve as the platforms promoting this networking. Some more restrictive than others, they all promote networking between individuals at various levels and remove the need for personal and physical introductions, one of the main social barriers to the exponential increase of any individual’s social network.

Nevertheless, although some might defend that these networks are a great tool to eliminate social barriers and fight ethnic disparity, the truth is that these networks tend to promote the increase in the gap between social backgrounds. With selective membership criteria such as ASmallWorld (where only a few selected members are given the privilege of being allowed to invite a few of their friends to join the network and where any slight misconduct leads to being expelled to the ABigWorld network), even sometimes being nationality restrictive, such as TheStarTracker (exclusive for Portuguese with abroad experience). The reality is that these networks promote social contact between individuals of the same social class, and outcasts the so-called aliens. Some people might refute this examples with the particular example of Facebook… But with further analysis we come to the conclusion that Facebook has just the same effect: people are friends within their own social background, the difference is that you ate the one who defines this social group, and not the network managers. With this Facebook managed to capture a maximum number of clients and then be able to use this user database to capitalise on advertisement. The social barriers remain within its core: if you observe a matrix of connections within Facebook you could be able to see groups of “islands”: these are the different social groups within Facebook that have intra-action rather then inter-action.

Raises then the issue of establishing up to what point does the lack of access to these social networks alienate individuals from their social origins and deprives them of the value of the networking with these individuals at a global level. In my opinion the human contact still prevails in these networks and is the only one that can effectively establish the trust factor needed in any kind of relationship. And although many of these networks do help to open doors and keep in touch with people we meet throughout the World, the truth is that I have been witnessing ever more people committing Facebook Suicide and going along well and much more relaxed in their day to day social lives: nevertheless these facts still remain to be studied.