Volume 21　人とのつながり


The Advent of Social Media

Michael: Are you active with the social media sites?

Ann: I mean, you know, I'm, I'm somewhat active, I mean, certainly not as much as some people I know who, you know, have, like, thousands and thousands of friends, for example on these . . .

Michael: Right.

Ann: . . . on these sites. But I, I do think there's a, an interesting, I mean, I think there are a lot of good points about it where you can be in touch with a lot of people. I think there are downsides. And I remember reading a, an interview recently with this writer and he said that he only writes when he is-actually disconnects his computer from the Internet. And even if he's not on the Internet, if he knows that the Internet's connected it distracts him from, you know . . .

Michael: Right.

Ann: . . . the task at hand. And so he can really only write his novels being physically disconnected from the Internet. 

Michael: You do have to be a little bit careful, I think, and try and balance everything. Just don't leave the real world behind, too far. But at the same time, I mean, I think it is a great tool for people. And it's a great way for someone like myself, who is living in a different country, to reconnect with my friends from the U.K., which is something I would not have been able to do previously, so that's been very nice.

Ann: Yeah, and so, and, and I think what you said about you, it has many uses is key also, is that the Internet, social media and so on, is a tool we can use for our benefit, rather than something that one becomes addicted to and you're always like checking to see, you know, do you have another message or did somebody say, "Hi, how are you?" or, you know, ha-ha.

Michael: Yeah, I mean, it's an important dimension to this whole thing that rather than being just simply a, a casual way of keeping in contact with friends, that the whole social media has become an amazing tool for social change, and we've seen that in the Arab Spring for example.

Ann: Uh-huh.

Michael: A lot of that was organized via the Internet, through these social networking sites. It's become something that the authorities have trouble in keeping control of, and, in that sense, it's taken on a political role . . . 

Ann: And a very positive-

Michael: . . . which probably the founders-

Ann: Yeah.

Michael: A very, in a positive way that the founders probably would never have envisaged, which is very interesting.

Ann: Yeah. So, on that note, we'll go check our, ha-ha . . . 

Michael: Yeah, I know . . . 

Ann: . . . check our inbox. Ha-ha.

Michael: I've got itchy fingers here. I mean, I'm thinking, "Ah, maybe there's some messages waiting for me!" 

Ann: Ha-ha.

Michael: Maybe I should just put my computer away. 

Ann: Yeah, forget all the technology, right? Just talk.

Michael: Exactly, exactly.

Ann: All right. Well, thank you so much for joining us this month and we will look forward to being with you next time.

Michael: Definitely. Take care!

Ann: Bye.

Michael: Bye-bye.