Anti-Social Networking

  At our core, we as humans are meant to live in community.  We thrive best with a strong sense of loyalty and support.  It feels natural to be able to live in an environment where we are close, interdependent, caring for those around us.  Relationship and intimacy are what life is all about.  So it's only natural that all of these new modes of communication have been birthed out of this universal need.  Social networking; facebook, myspace, twitter...even texting.  We have come up with all of these ways to stayed locked in and connected to those around us. 
  What's interesting to me is how this method of "intimacy" has backfired.  Have you ever been in line at the store and witnessed people talking on their cell phone while checking out?  How about keeping track of personal events through status updates on facebook?  I think that we are all guilty of these things.  What's ironic is that while our motive is to stay interlaced with peoples lives, we have actually become more detached.  If I am in line at the store, carrying on a conversation to my friend on the phone, than I am missing the opportunity to extend myself to the person standing right in front of me...the cashier.  If I'm checking status updates on other peoples lives, I am missing the intimacy of hearing their voice in person, being a shoulder to lean on and seeing the expression of their heart, through the expressions on their face. 
  We have somehow become a culture who has learned to keep intimacy at bay.  Attached just enough to stay in tuned with others ongoings, yet detached enough that we can throw up our facades, and people have no choice but to believe what they see.  I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with these mediums, I use them too. They're enjoyable and fun, yet we need to make sure that we are not trading human contact in for a cheaper version of what it means to be relational.  It's good to be cautious and not to forget that we all need human touch, and a revealing look in the eye.  We were created to live in community, so let's do it!