Thursday 16 September 2010

Disconnection from your online life?

I read an article today on the BBC News website, about people disconnecting from their online lives. I found it extremely interesting as I am currently building my online life, having recently starting blogging for myself and also following others blogs with interest. I'm an avid tweeter, loving the quick interactions and the speedy flow of information. I love people and people watching and being able to connect in some small way, with people I would otherwise never have "met" is amazing.

Yet my thrill at these world wide interactions is at odds with others who are actually paying a company to completely wipe out their internet life, deleting friends, images, all connections. The article states;

"People just want to get rid [of online profiles] because they noticed they spend way too much time in front of the computer," says Mr Savicic. "They are basically getting their analogue life back."

I study with the Open University, which is an isolating way of studying so being able to connect through the provided online forums, Facebook and twitter has been an immense help and at times has provided me with much needed motivation. That and the impending deadline I'm usually rushing to meet!

I have a dream I have carried with me from childhood, of writing and that has led me to blogs and all that the internet can open up. Do I think I spend too much time on the computer to the detriment of my face to face relationships? The short answer is, no. My real relationships come first, I have a family I adore, but they also have their own interests, particularly the children, so that leaves me some time to do my thing and here I find myself. It's not taking over my life, it's just another aspect of my life. An open world for me to explore and connect with and lets me do many things and provides me with so much information, and learning and knowledge can never be seen as a bad thing, it's just maybe a different way of going about it, but that's what the Open University has latched onto, accessibility and the power of the internet.

Maybe one day I will find myself tiring of some of the things I find interesting now, I can be a little bit fickle, but for now I won't be using the services of a company willing to wipe out my very existence, if only the online version of it.


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