Monday Matters: The DANGERS of Social Media

Somehow I didn't think you'd be talking down SM, but your title was provacative enough to make me click in. What blogging has done for mothers (the mommy blogs) and their mental health alone is wonderful.

And while I don't care about every little thing folks do on FB and I get stuck checking Twitter a bit too much, I know that there are at least one or two precious friendships that would have been lost if not for SM.

I am reminded of Garrison Keillor's essay on writing letters (http://www1.broward.edu/~nplakcy/0021/how_to_wr...) and would love his comments on SM.

Thanks for the reminder of why we keep in touch.

xo, Suzi

I have definately had the same experience. Facebook has brought me closer together with colleagues and kept me from being isolated as a young female pastor in a small town.

You might want to check at this article too: The Evils of Twitter and Facebook

Twitter and Facebook don't make me feel isolated, if anything, they make me feel too connected and overwhelmed with all the lack of isolation! Overall, though, they can be really positive influences in life and ministry. Thanks, Jim.

"with twitter I have a built in group of conversation partners"

When people tell me they "don't get Twitter" this is exactly what I tell them. Your perspective mirrors mine, in that my circle is so much wider and richer because of the tech.

Further, I remember being a little disappointed when I was traveling across Iowa and time didn't permit me to meet my online "friend" Jim.

Rather, than isolation - I find the exact opposite.

For me, Twitter and Facebook are just another way of staying in touch just like the copied letters my mom used to send to her grown children. The sad thing about Tweeting and email is the loss of the actual message if the text is not saved to a hard file or printed out in hard copy. I recently re-read some of the letters my mom wrote that were saved. Priceless information and insight into her that the electronic medium fails to achieve. But hey! I'll take communication in any form I can get it.