By Claire Gibson
So there I was watching a programme on social interaction on the internet whilst pedalling away like a madwoman in the gym last week - socially, a pretty strange place in itself. However, the discussion on BBC Two’s ‘The Happiness Formula’ programme turned out to be more engaging than I anticipated.
Rightly or wrongly, I’ve long been scornful of those shadowy groups of people who spend hours locked in fantasy battles, or directing an avatar (3D representation of themselves) around the photo-realistic dancefloor of a virtual club. Come on dorks, what’s wrong with going out and making friends with real people?!
I do have to concede though, that, while relationships struck up via the internet don't have the benefit of body language, eye contact and the ‘feel’ of a person gained during a ‘real’ introduction, the benefits of the global social interaction enabled online should not be understated. And it's not all about avatars or alternative personalities - just consider the variety of blogs, message boards and chatrooms that already exist, and have led to some remarkable stories of families reunited, friendships struck up and love found.
In an age where it often seems as though we’re being programmed to fear other people, an increase in global communication and understanding (particularly amongst young people) must be encouraged. Although the web shouldn’t be a substitute for real life social interaction, I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be an enhancement of that.
And with that, I’m off down the gym, to spend another hour staring at a TV and sweating in a room full of strangers. If only I could get my avatar to do it for me...
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