Tuesday, December 11, 2007

An addiction to friends

There are many ways in life to become imbalanced in one's priorities. Social networking has added an additional temptation or psychological high that brings unwanted negative behavior. The article, “Tangled in the Web,” Ensign, Aug 2001, 48–51 includes a similar example. People can unknowingly become addicted to the ease at gaining attention from those they have never met.

I believe the root cause of this syndrome or problem is fame. Fame is exciting and exhilarating. Individuals will do the crazy or extra ordinary to get a little fame. Many times this is positive hard work or an exceptional skill or idea. yet, the Internet an its social webs provide instant access to everyone in their social circle. The cell phone age entered this realm, but after the fad passed became more of a tool and it seems only the teenagers struggle with trying to contact everyone they know to tell them everything they know.

But the social networking on the Internet goes a step beyond calling friends every fifteen minutes. In this new environment, you can talk to hundreds of people at once in a chat setting where potentially even half of the people listening have never even met you. Compliments are received for Witty comments or for plain just supporting each other. It does not take long before our human emotions build strong attachments we then can't stay away from. Adding an addictive game or focus group only brings an excuse to mask the real addiction.

There is a solution to the problem. But like all other addictions or false priorities, it must be won with each individual. Each person must have the confidence to avoid the instant fame online and earn their respect through day to day contacts and activities. Real friends can also help adding confidence and hopefully stronger emotional ties.