Seems reasonable. Love's me some news aggregating and posting, but have plenty of biz and social acivity outside of online shenanigans.

Considering I've met most of my friends, and my girlfriend whom I live with now online, I'd agree.

I'd say it's more an issue of isolated people having an attraction to the internet. It really makes it easy for those suffering from social anxiety disorders to get just the right amount of interaction and stimulation while remaining a sense of control over the situation.

A new study says internet use is not linked to isolation. Subby posted this from his mother's basement a few days shy of his 40th birthday

But was delayed because Cheetos dust slowed down teh internets?

Ouch subby.

/I suspect Fark is a still-living-with-mom internet hot spot

archonwarp: I'd say it's more an issue of isolated people having an attraction to the internet. It really makes it easy for those suffering from social anxiety disorders to get just the right amount of interaction and stimulation while remaining a sense of control over the situation.

pretty much what I came here to say. maybe the internet will turn out to help people with social anxiety. or it could make it worse. who knows? probably depends on the individual.

Have to agree - can't say that the internet has caused me any real isolation. Because of the internet I was able to work at home for my last job and by the end of the day I was more than ready to get out in the real world and be around people.

It's great for news, games with my morning coffee and communicating w/my friends as to what we'll do out and about in person.

It is also a spectacular device for housework avoidance.

Well let me be the first to say Happy Birthday Subby!

maxpower007: pretty much what I came here to say. maybe the internet will turn out to help people with social anxiety. or it could make it worse. who knows? probably depends on the individual.

People that can string together a semi-coherent fark rant are probably in the top 5% of the population, intelligence wise. Every time I go among people in real life, I'm floored by how farking stupid and shallow most of them are. Then I get to feeling stabby, and have to return to my hermitage.

Social anxiety? Hell yeah. I'm anxious I'm gonna snap and mutilate some poor lackwit.

archonwarp: I'd say it's more an issue of isolated people having an attraction to the internet. It really makes it easy for those suffering from social anxiety disorders to get just the right amount of interaction and stimulation while remaining a sense of control over the situation.

Absolutely accurate, I would say.

make me some tea: Considering I've met most of my friends, and my girlfriend whom I live with now online, I'd agree.

THIS. I've also networked and found employment using "the intertubes"

The internet will show me boobs on command doesn't care if I'm wearing pants.

/I love you internet

archonwarp: I'd say it's more an issue of isolated people having an attraction to the internet. It really makes it easy for those suffering from social anxiety disorders to get just the right amount of interaction and stimulation while remaining a sense of control over the situation.

Check me out everybody! I'm dancin'! I'm dancin'!

FTA: The 2008 survey of 2,512 adults did find that Americans' core discussion networks -- that group of people you count on being able to confide in -- has gotten smaller in the past two decades. It's down, on average, to about two people instead of three. They've also become less diverse because they contain fewer friends and more family members.

If having less people to confide in isn't social isolation, then what the fark are you people studying?

Oh right, this is the kind of research where you don't "study" the data and simply apply whatever invalid definition you've staked your academic reputation on to survey methods and ride the gravy train of whatever media controversy your idiocy has stirred up.

I have friends. Well, the Superfriends.

Con Fabulous: Pew is not known for being hacks. They are pretty much the gold standard in Internet Research.

make me some tea: Considering I've met most of my friends, and my girlfriend whom I live with now online, I'd agree.

Have you considered living with her in real life, too?

Cytokine Storm: The internet will show me boobs on command doesn't care if I'm wearing pants.

That applies to my wife, too.

/No, she'll just show them to me. Not you.
//Probably.
///Met my wife online.

oflinkey: Con Fabulous: Pew is not known for being hacks. They are pretty much the gold standard in Internet Research.

I'm not saying that the survey results are wrong.

The advantage of socializing on the Internet is the added depression of hearing about all the IRL events you're not going to.

When you say "you and the guys", you mean the internet, don't you?

/obscure?
//met my boyfriend, most of my friends, and got my job from the tubes

I met my boyfriend online. He's awesome and I'd never have met him without the Internet since he lives thousands of miles away in a different country. I've made a lot of friends online in chat rooms and MMOs. The Internet is great for news, information and craziness. It does make it harder to deal with people in RL because they seem so stupid and small-minded. I mean, really, who doesn't know what a Cleveland Steamer is by now?

*depressed*

hits 40 on Tuesday....but not in basement (anymore)

AmazingRuss: People that can string together a semi-coherent fark rant are probably in the top 5% of the population, intelligence wise. Every time I go among people in real life, I'm floored by how farking stupid and shallow most of them are. Then I get to feeling stabby, and have to return to my hermitage.

That sums it up. If you want to hear people going on and on about Glee, the Yankees, or so-and-so's trainwreck of a life, then you talk to people in meatspace. If you want to hear about politics, science, or something nerdy, then you go to the interwebs.

/if you want to lose faith in humanity, you play WoW

bravian: When you say "you and the guys", you mean the internet, don't you?

/obscure?
//met my boyfriend, most of my friends, and got my job from the tubes

Is that from The Big Bang Theory?

PappaSon: *depressed*

hits 40 on Tuesday....but not in basement (anymore)

yep. us attic-dwellers are so superior.