Crippled by Learning : TECHNOLOGY

So the past few days I've been tracking my productivity on the internet or more like the lack there of. I sit and think... what the heck was I doing before I discovered this way of life. I became more disgusted with myself when i rezlized not only am I wasting time, I missing out on sleep. Suddenly that extra facebook stalking was not as important as I thought it was the night before when my alarm went off to go to my 8am class. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and use it for my must needed snooze that morning. I realized over the last few days...I have a problem. I could remember a time where the computer era was booming and I got my first computer. Sure it was the size of a mini fridge but the size was irrelevant when I sat and played PACMAN for hours at a time..the better to see with I thought. I  also can recall a time when my older sister was set up her aim account and got her first screenname and according to my mom instant message was a virus. That hindered our social lives from 5th well into the 7th grade. What's amazing to me now is the fact that recently my mother requested to be my friend on facebook. I look at her picture and accept of course but my only question to myself is why? I mean doesn't she see me enough in the real world now she has the luxury of being my "friend" in the world wide web. Now im sure none of you other people have the same story as myself. It seems with every generation technology advances, creating more ways for people to commnicate with others yet why is it that we are all so far apart. I think initailly the creation of the internet was a way to mend to gaps in communication by giving options, however in some ways have created a gap in communication. You may disagree but the way I see it is in earlier generations children would play outside, keeping in contact with their friends. Games like hide and seek and TAG were the norm, then came the invention of the television another advance in technology and push toward seclusion. The idea of someone isolating themselves watching an "idiot box" as my father calls it, hinders communication daily. Just think of all the times you'll see you father on the couch watching a football game and your mothers "supposedly" having a converstaion with him yet he's completely unaware of her even speaking. Or think of the times when you get home late at night  and you enter the house alone immediately turning on the television or computer. Sometimes I even do it... just to feel like someones there, instantly my fear changes to comfortability and it's because I heard a familiar voice or saw a picture. No, the television has not engaged in conversation with you but humanity yearns for communication. Although your still alone, your seclusion is pacified but a false sense of companionship. We all live this way and it's accepted. Phone calls turn to email and texts only, soon even telephones won't be needed. A friend of mines who's ina long distance relationship says she texts and emails her boyfriend more than she speaks with him, in some ways thats okay but she then mentioned sometimes she calls to say goodnight because she honestly forgets what his voice sounds like. Amazing. So close yet so far...communication. The vitual world of social networks like the facebook, twitter, myspace and even at times email have created so many options for us to communicate in order to gain the feeling of companionship, that ultimately we continue to choose isolation.