When Face Time Trumps the Internet

As one of millions who are chained to their computers, I sometimes lament the lack of “face time” I have with friends and family. Sure, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all the social and professional networking sites out there are great when bridging the gaps between people and their organizations for various purposes, but I really do relish my interpersonal interactions with people for the first or one hundredth time. We need our computers to do all the “heavy lifting” when it comes to discovering, locating, and maintaining contacts. Looking someone in the eye and using our instincts are precious assets that we as human beings should encourage in ourselves and in others, no matter how many networking sites we join, or how many online chats we have.

At The Women’s Mosaic Book Club meeting on June 17, I realized how much I miss meeting people without the aid of the Internet. Yes, I was emailed about the event and it is posted on the non-profit organization’s web site, but once we came met at the designated location and introductions were made, we went right into the discussion of plot, characters, and themes with no difficulties or awkwardness. It was the first time I remember not noticing anyone constantly checking their phone for messages until our meeting was over. As a book club “newbie,” I was pleasantly reminded of how great it is to share thoughts and ideas with people in a comfortable setting. We were occasionally photographed and video taped for promotional purposes, but this never distracted us from our group conversation. I met people who share my interests, and I hope to meet them again in the future.

So while online book clubs (like Oprah’s Book Club, for example) are great because of the numbers of people that join through the Internet, I’ll take the monthly meetings in an Italian café this summer. Nothing beats meeting people in person…most of the time.

Related posts:

1. Book Clubs for User Experience Professionals
2. Tips for managing your Social Networks
3. ‘Safety Net’work Now Not Later
4. Tips for following up with contacts after a meeting or conference
5. Inspiring Women Series – Female Internet Heros