Seems like in this age of texting, IM, and Facebook messaging, the art of conversation has waned. We've even noticed friends now communicating regularly via chat features built into social games like Words With Friends as an alternative channel to keep in touch with friends and family, skipping communication apps altogether...
Another friend mentioned none of her friends are really updating their Facebook profiles any longer, having migrated over to the photo-social network of Instagram instead, everyone keeping up to date on each others' lives via photo updates.
Similarly, we've heard of cases where a person can be most easily reached using Zynga's Words With Friends app, which has a chat feature between players. There was an entire article in the New York Times about how some people can best be reached and respond the fastest to a chat on one of Zynga's games:
Natasha might take a couple of days to respond to an e-mail or Facebook message, but make a new move in a Words game and she's on it in minutes. When visitors from out of town want to let her know they're around, they tell her via Words.
There are so many other ways to "look someone up" through social media and check up on what they're up to in addition to Instagram and social games, like following someone on Pinterest or looking at a LinkedIn profile. Facebook and Twitter aren't really the only outlets to check anymore, and social gaming provides a more fun way to share what's up while also enjoying a game or two from a distance, the modern day version of talking over a game of chess for the iPhone Generation.
Although we're very active on all the social media outlets and games mentioned above, we still believe in the importance of real conversation and physical contact. Getting feed on our friends' activities are just nice updates we can access on the go or when we aren't able to meet with them in person or call them.
What form of technology or media do you use the most to stay in touch with friends and family members?
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Comments (5)
heh. guilty! i hadn't spoken to a close friend in a long time, but was able to keep in relatively close contact after we started playing Words with Friends games together. still, i'm pretty old school with communication. i prefer to keep messaging as centralized as possible -- conversations within gchat, with occasional, random commentary streams on facebook or g+ posts.
guess i'm at the age where i'd rather be settled, than to engage in constant migrations to every new social media site/service that pops up.
my coworker was talking about this. she chats with her friend in Australia through WWF. they keep in touch and it is fee free.
Since I moved away from home, my mum and aunt has been able to see what I'm up to these days via Instagram. I try to update every day, both for my sake and for their sake, it's like a visual (and open) diary.
This is practically how my relationship with my now fiancé has survived! He's from New Zealand and I'm from Texas. Texting regularly would have cost us probably thousands of dollars as it's $2 for every text even receiving. Thank you Words With Friends!
I welcome these modes of communication. I think we are at a point when people share too much and communicating in these ways helps with that greatly.