2.0

There's a very bizarre twist coming to light that intertwines two seemingly opposite social forces: the internet and reality.

That sentence took me five minutes to write - Jesus. If you understood it, hats off to you, because I'm not sure I do.

What I am trying to say, is that isolation is the new congregation. Going into your room is like going out.

Because of Web 2.0 and all that the buzz word might entail, internet social networking provides seemingly more contact than real life ever could. More and more people are spending time talking these days, chatting on IM, seeing photo albums on facebook - allowing one person to contact friends from all parts of the globe - simultaneously.

Suddenly leaving home these days isn't really leaving home as long as you have a computer. You have your virtual home right on your lap. People, finances, information, entertainment all one mouse-click away.

I find myself spending more and more time on the computer - and for the strangest reason ever: I want to stay connected with other people. If I'm lonely I can see who is on gChat, or read a friend's blog. Maybe peruse facebook and see what people are up to, who is in what relationship and what events people are attending. You can even play fantasy sports. It makes me feel - in a limited way - involved.

The issue that I am now starting to understand, is that Web 2.0 is creating Society 2.0.

Society 2.0 is a society where face-to-face encounters are more rare, where personal connection comes second to texting, IM-ing and emails. Where - like it or not - you're online avatar is the new face of your real self. And I don't mean a literal avatar from Second Life or Sims, I mean the compilation of traits built through facebook, blogs, myspace, texting, iLike, your iTunes library, and any other information you share online.

The great thing about this system is that it provides for greater connection and communication throughout the globe - throughout friends, families, businesses and everyone else who can turn on a computer.

What scares me, though, is what Society 2.0 leaves out. How much can really be communicated through the complex relays of ones and zeros? How much is lost in translation? I honestly don't know. What I do know is that there is an inherent gush of resignation when I sit down at my computer sometimes - only to be sated with this dreaded Web 2.0. At times it feels like I am just sucking on a fake Nicorette inhaler that doesn't quite do it.