Saturday, March 05, 2011

I'm not participating in National Day of Unplugging since I get lots of face to face contact anyway

I get a lot of non cyber "face to face" interaction because I live in town and I go out a lot. Much of the reason for this day is to encourage people to turn off technology and go for more face to face interaction.

"Face to face instead of Facebook."

A lot of the problem keeping us away from so called "real" contact is not about technology. It's about how we build and use our living environments. Unlike many Americans, I live where there are sidewalks and trails so I can bump into folks walking places. Others are trapped in their homes and cars.

It's easy to walk to the YMCA where spontaneous conversations can start in the sauna area.

During warmer months, people go to Bellingham Farmer's Market for more reasons than just shopping. Who knows who you might bump into.

There are often things like gallery walks and discussion groups within an easy walk or bike ride. That's one advantage of living in density and also being open to whoever might come along.

Strangers sometimes talk on the bus.

We don't have to unplug the net for face to face contact. It's more about how we build our living environments.

Do we use meeting places, or are we "insular" in our isolated homes?

Do we go out for more reasons than just shopping?

Are there places to go without having to drive a long ways?

If we don't have these face to face opportunities, it's probably better to have the net than nothing.

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