Social Media and the Disadvantages of Networking

picture source:

jmparada.com

The Good

It’s becoming a small, small world. It seems, with the Internet, places that seemed so far away really aren’t anymore. People you never thought you’d communicate with are a button away. Social media is a concept that has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years. Many companies and people now see Facebook and Twitter as a valid method of raising their profile. The Internet affords an instant connection to a global audience which is now being used to its full potential by these companies.

There are great examples of social media. One of them relates to my employment. The company I work for sells kitchen appliance online. Maybe not the most interesting of things. But that’s the beauty of social media. We can make it interesting. Through a representative who is considered the ‘face’ of our business, we gained interest on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Facebook has almost 50,000 people interested in what we are doing. Twitter has almost 5,000 follows. We have created a community that shares information and gets involved. When news gets out, it’s shared almost immediately.

The Bad

But is this always a good thing? Like human nature, social networking can become pretty disappointing at times. Like all technology, it can be abused, twisted and turned into something negative. Remember the riots last year? The planning of that was done in part via certain social networks. The instantaneous communication that resulted from social networking mean that people were informed about police locations and actions before the police had chance to maintain an effective presence.

Basically, it was like the flash mob from hell.

And the Ugly...

The negative sides to people can really come out in new ways thanks to the Internet. For example, bullying can take on a whole new level that transcends the physical. Tales in the news of cyber bullying are constant. This isn’t focused solely on school children or work colleagues. More recognisable faces are in fact more likely to be targeted in this way. Matt Lucas (of Little Britain Fame) for example, felt he had to leave Twitter because of derogatory comments made about his partner, who recently passed away. 

The argument could also be made that whilst it makes communication between people much simpler, are we damaging the personal relationships of those closest to us? People are now ‘addicted’ to networking sites, which can have an adverse effect on their personal as well as professional life.

A decline in productivity has been seen in companies that allow access to Facebook and Twitter. And remember, often your personal information contained on these sites can create a ‘life brand’ potential employer might check to see if you are suitable candidates. 

Those ‘harmless’ comments, photos and posts you and your friends might have found amusing may actually work against you in the long run. Think about when you meet someone new. They seem to really like you, until they see your Facebook and Twitter posts that make disparaging remarks. These days, no one is anonymous. 

Social media and social networking takes a certain amount of responsibility. When used right, it can be a powerful tool. When used wrong, then lives can be affected in the real world.

About the Author-

Halit Bozdogan is a writer for Appliances Online. He likes Japanese culture, has lived in Japan, loves playing squash and is going to be a father in July. It’s a boy, so the only real question is which will be his favourite; Batman or Spider-man! You can follow Halit on Twitter @TheBozDog

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article and the picture used are those of the author, and they are in no way related to the Dispassionate Observer.

The Make Belief World of Social Networking

picture source: Harold Elam Jr (picasa)

                                          know more about the picture                                

“Hey! Have you changed your profile pic! You are looking so nice…”

“I have updated my status, check it out.”

“Have you uploaded our party pics? Don’t forget to tag me buddy...”

“I poked you, why didn’t you? It’s not fare.”

“My favorite hero twitted yesterday that he would tie knot soon. I’m gonna die!”

“Hey buddy, what’s up? I’m just chatting.”

“Why don’t you download information from net? It’s too easy. You can just Google it.”

" Hey! Have you seen my baby? Isn't her smile one in a million?" 

 

These are few expressions which have become a part of the world of social networking. Across age groups people are getting used to conversations of the new generation. This is the trend of a generation who are too obsessed with themselves. 

 

Am I being rude saying that? May be I’m not. Isn’t it our obsession to spend most of the hours of a day in front of a screen & make new friends who can never be met (even running the risk of being duped by fake profiles), giving updates of every single step taken in the day ( I just washed my teeth, I am feeling sleepy now etc), editing snaps in Photoshop or Picasa to create beautiful profile pictures? Nowadays we do not even have any personal or private life, because we update our status, flood our walls in facebook with every change in our life. Even we have given right to every person (known or unknown) to make comments on that. Now we have become attention seekers by creating our "hip and happening" profiles consciously or subconsciously waiting to count how many likes & comments we get.

Can we instantly become prettier after someone make a comment or can we become ‘not so cool’ after someone thinks that? These social networking sites are overpowering our minds & we are forced to believe what others think or say about us. These websites like Myspace, Facebook, Orkut, Twitter,  Yahoo 360 & so on got instant popularity for its ease of use & free subscription. A person does not need to be a computer expert to use these websites. Therefore every single person has their own account & profile these days. Not everything these websites have offered so far is bad. However, the way the young generation is using it is unworthy, useless. It would not be so harmful if it becomes a tool to relax in leisure time or to get refreshed after a stressful day, but it is affecting the mental-development of young generation who are more conscious about their profile settings than the real world, society, career and the future.

Social networking websites have discovered a wide field where people around the world can access what they want. There are millions of sites (such as Google) where we can search for valuable information, news blogs, & other essentials. If this social networking can be used fruitfully, no other medium can be better than this one. Even Facebook, Orkut and similar websites like this are useful to voice one’s own views, opinions, protests against social or political issues & to make strong public support on a burning problem. Now it depends on us how we use it. It can be fruitful if we wish or can just ruin our ability to think if used in a wrong manner. Ideas and opinions in Facebook, Orkut or Twitter should not guide our lives, images posted there of life and happenings should not be the real story. The real story should come out of life which is real and not virtual. 

About the Author- 

Shayani Gupta is student of Journalism & Mass Communication at Muralidhar Girls College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and they do not reflect in any way those of the Dispassionate Observer.

HyperSmash.com

Solution to Turbulent Times

Life appears different when you are down and out with a leg injury. Confined to the cosiness of your bed you try doing things which in a normal busy day you hardly get time to do. You would concentrate on the colour of your wall in the room; occasionally you would glance at the hour and minute hands of the clock and look through the window. Illness comes as a curse for those who love to remain amidst work all the time. However, it also opens a door of possibility-the option to take a look at life around you differently. It gives time to ponder on issues which at the beginning appear to be utter madness or sinister.

The world that we live in is not what men and women in an ideal situation would desire to be. There is hatred all around, people are busy killing one another, flexing muscles and plotting downfalls. The major political events that we witnessed globally have been the result of some plots which were chalked out in the comfort of air conditioned rooms. Ambitious men and women with nefarious designs have brought doom and destruction to human race and the trend will follow. People have grown cynic and are taking potshots at everything. This cynicism stems from disguised wants at the inner chambers of human heart. If you are happy with whatever comes your way in this lifetime you are never cynic, but people choose to be different. They plot to kill, design to threat and egg on young and impressionable minds to commit crime. In countries like India young men and women fall prey to dirty politics in college and university levels. Political consciousness is good for everybody but it is always beneficial to keep it out of educational institutions. It is not the place to pick up young minds that are aggrieved for one reason or another, use them as pawns in bitter personal rivalries and ruin their ability to think freely in the long run. Excellence in education, the primary objective, becomes a hostage in the hand of miscreants who took to this profession to fill their own coffers and encourage corruption at all levels. It is a sad state when teachers become political commentators, regulate the life of students to serve their own ends and make them believe in a world that is built on false promises. Apart from politics and education another worrying area is the role of media. The freedom of media is necessary for any democracy to move forward, however, this freedom comes with some responsibilities. Print or audio visual medium needs to behave in a matured fashion to deliver right messages to the masses. When media becomes business the spirit of democracy is undermined. Film, a powerful audio visual medium, has developed a special liking towards deviance and some of them are glorifying gangsters as gods.

Then where is the hope? The hope lies in the Bhagavad Gita. All power hungry men and women forget one thing. Whatever they do in this life is predestined and they have no power, what so ever, to inflict damage on anybody without the wishes of the almighty. The Lord, the Supreme Being, smiles at the petty achievements of mere mortals. He allows every offender to grow to a point before bringing the final curtain on his or her journey.

The world that we live in is highly competitive and ruthless. However, there are some eternal truths about life which need to be understood more in times of crisis.

Everything, even the pure effulgence, rests on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the knower of everything that is happening in this world, and if knowledge has any end, He is the end. Therefore, He is the known and the knowable. He is the object of knowledge because He is all pervading. Because He is the cause dwelling in the spiritual world, He is transcendental, and He is chief personality in the transcendental world.  (Bhagavad Gita As It Is)

Tolerance, one of the biggest virtues, is missing among people. Intolerance to others is the root of troubles which could have been easily avoided. However, it is hard to be tolerant in tough situations. Nevertheless, it is the path to be followed for a world that seeks a better future.

Tolerance means one should be practiced to bear insults and dishonor from others. If one is engaged in the advancement of spiritual knowledge, there will be many insults and much dishonor from others. This is expected because material nature is so constituted. Even a boy like Prahlada, who although only five years old was engaged in the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, was endangered when his father became antagonistic to his devotion. The father wanted to kill him in so many ways, but Prahlada tolerated him. So there may be many impediments to advancement in spiritual knowledge, but we should be tolerant and continue our progress with determination.  (Bhagavad Gita As It Is)

Love, in its eternal spirit, is finding it difficult to remain afloat amidst strong negative energy all around. Human beings are finding solace in hating others and ridiculing opinions and ideas which are different from the way they think it right. However, love leads to ultimate emancipation. We can lend an ear to Jesus and think from the core of our heart "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"(Leviticus 19:18, The Bible)

Its No April Fool: Dispassionate Observer is Back

There has been no posts in Dispassionate Observer in 2012. This primarily happened because of some other engagements and a shade of laziness on my part. Regular followers of this blog were justified in questioning my absence for such a long time and they were right in speculating whether Dispassionate Observer has ended its journey. I am happy to declare today that Dispassionate Observer is again back in operation.

We are passing through a tough time amidst political instability, global recession and social unrest. However, this phase will passover sooner or later and things will again fall into place. This is the cycle of life, what goes up must come down and again rise.

The world of media is ever changing and are facing new challenges. New media, criticized by the detractors for helping in fostering monopolistic tendencies, is still one of the few platforms which offer plurality of information. Attempts are being made to regulate it as well but still there is space for hearing different viewpoints and engage in conversations. Whether some like it or not, new media will rule the media scene in the coming decade. This will happen partly because of the bankruptcy of ideas on the part of the established media forms like newspaper, television and radio and partly because of the rise in Internet literacy. More Internet literates will seek multiple media outlets from a single platform. Hence convergence will happen. However, the world today is seeking plural media and new media is giving some hope to the masses that plurality, at least to some extent, is possible.  

Dispassionate Observer has crossed 7,500 page views and strive for more in days to come. It is a challenge to remain dispassionate in hard times but that is a path that this blog will continue to follow.

Saying Good Bye to 2011 with a beautiful poem

A lot happened in 2011. It was a mixed bag of happiness and sorrow. World, India as well as our own state West Bengal witnessed good and bad. Today we will not revisit the days gone by..Let 2012 bring happiness for all.

We say good bye to 2011 with this beautiful poem from Srirupa Ganguly..

pic:Srirupa Ganguly

                                                

''When dreams seek expression, what do you do?

Sometimes you stare at the stars, you delve into the silence of a foggy night

You search love and endlessly hope you get it:

May be sometimes you speak, speak to yourself

Speak the language of an untold dream....

last time you felt that magic touch, that belonging,

You think of the far away country road that took you there

The feeling of warmth  even in the winter chill….a boulevard of thoughts

…you still feel;

The night passes by, the twilight gleam…

You fall a prey of unexpressed love

And then as sun rays wake you up from a beautiful dream

You reconciliate-- sometimes it’s best unsaid, untouched and unraveled….''

About the Author- 

Srirupa Ganguly lives in Hyderabad and is in perennial love with writing. Having a distinct style of her own and wide experience in writing for quite a period of time, she is known for her insightful view on events.

Guest Article: 10 Interesting Facts About Egypt

Egyptian Museum Cairo pic source:

Adam Spawton-Ricer

Egypt has been drawing in tourists since the ancient Greeks first struck up a relationship with them in the 5^th century BC, but today the most popular region with foreign tourists are the Red Sea resorts. All inclusive Egypt holidays in the red sea resorts have a wide appeal because of the variety of activities on offer – as well as the chance to see some of the lesser-known historic sites of ancient Egypt.

Before you head to Egypt for your summer holidays, get to know the country a little better with these 10 facts you probably didn’t know (or had long forgotten)!

1. Did you know that the official name of Egypt is actually the ‘Arab Republic of Egypt’ and is known to the locals as ‘Masr’ or ‘Misr’.
2. Cairo, the capital city of the country, is the largest city in the whole of Africa and the Middle East.
3. Many of the most useful household objects were originally invented by ancient Egyptians. Scissors, deodorants, toothbrushes, keys, combs and locks are just a selection of these things we couldn’t live without today!
4. 5,000 years ago the architect Imhotep lived and worked in Egypt; it is believed he is the earliest scientist to be known by name anywhere in the world today.
5. We have the Egyptians to thank for our 365 day calendar and 24 hour day!
6. Most of the Egyptian population is located near the Nile River as this is the only ground across the country where food can be grown.
7. Sadly, global warming could threaten many coastal cities of Egypt with flooding if the sea levels rise in future years.
8. Egypt is about the size of France and Germany combined and most of the land is barren desert terrain.
9. Around a whopping 78 million people live in Egypt!
10. In Egypt the literacy rate for locals is only 68% for men and 47% for women. 

    

    Spices such as Cumin, Fenugreek and Corriander were used as medicine in Ancient Egypt. Pic source:
    

    Adam Spawton-Ricer

On your holidays to Egypt you’ll find it hard to get away from the fascinating ancient history of the country, so here are 5 quirky facts about Ancient Egypt too!

1. In the time of Pepi II of Egypt, the pharaoh used to have a number of naked slaves covered in honey nearby so that any flies would be deterred from landing on him.
2. Egyptians used early folk medicines in an attempt to cure ailments; infections were treated with soil or mouldy bread.
3. Ancient Egyptian children did not wear any clothes till they were teenagers due to the extreme heat.
4. Egyptian Pharaohs never let their hair be seen, wearing either a headdress or a crown to cover themselves up.
5. In Ancient Egypt both women and men wore make-up (mostly eye make up). It was originally thought to be a form of protection against the sun but later became a way to adorn themselves!
   
   
   About the Author-
   
   
   Adam Spawton-Ricer is a writer and blogger whose main focus is on Egypt's Red Sea resorts, he intends to return to Egypt in the new year to dive in Dahab. Adam also writes about Amsterdam and review hotels there. 

   
   

   Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article  and the pictures provided are those of the author, and not of the Dispassionate Observer.
    

Off the Cuff: A road trip to Bardhaman

A trip to Bardhaman by road was always a dream in my student days in the University. In those days I commuted from Howrah Station in Kolkata to Bardhaman by train (mostly local trains which made inordinate delay in reaching the destination and at times express trains which were a shade better.) In mind, though, I always longed for a long drive from Kolkata to Bardhaman traversing the beautifully laid highway. After I completed my study the link with the "Rice Bowl of West Bengal" faded away as I concentrated hard on my job in Kolkata. Two years passed and Bardhaman became a story of the past. However, destiny chose to play a different game. I resigned from my job and came back to Bardhaman after two and a half years as a Junior Research Fellow in the University. Bardhaman has changed quite a bit by then. SBSTC buses have started operating by road from Dharmatala in Kolkata to Tinkonia Bus stand in Bardhaman. The day I got this news I made up my mind to avail a bus back to Kolkata from Bardhaman. To my wonder air-conditioned buses were also available at an affordable cost. I got the ticket of an AC Volvo bus and ran up the stairs in excitement. The journey that day was one to remember amidst a chilling air condition which made me to shiver at times! 

                                     

                                     Me and Ananda Sir at the Highway

This, however, failed to quench the thirst for a long drive. There were days when one fine morning I would wake up in bed and decide that I should get hold of a car. Fortunately, my loony impulses found strong resistance from my head. Paulo Coelho might have taught us that listening to our hearts is a virtue and following our dreams the ultimate goal but in reality one can land up in big trouble by just following the heart! I always had regard for one of his statements-When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. True were his words! My dream became a reality after a long wait and when it came, it came good!

Department of Mass Communication and Department of Sociology in my University are housed under one roof and this opened up the opportunity for me. Ananda Mohan Kar, one of the young professors of the department of sociology turned out to be a neighbour back home. A suave and knowledgable man, Kar, is a delightful company for a scholar who is yet to learn the nuances of his trade. The best part about him is his love for travel and zeal to learn new things. One day he came up with the idea of a road trip to Bardhaman by car. He was driven by two interests- primarily to ferry some books and journals to Bardhaman from home and secondly to enjoy a trip. I agreed to the proposal readily and the date was fixed in no time. He got hold of a white ambassador which came honking early in the morning. The books were placed in the dickey and we sat cosily in the car. To our delight, the driver was a prolific speaker with a number of interesting stories to share!

                                     Ananda Sir with the "Special Driver"

Soon the car was speeding past beautiful fields and trees in the national highway. In this time of winter the morning was pleasant and I had put on my jacket. Ananda Sir looked animated and at times was humming one of his favourite tunes. Sunlight was smiling on the trees along the road. I loved the sight of paddy fields, cattle and busy farmers. Refreshing and soothing for the eyes used to vehicles and gigantic buildings in Kolkata. As the car approached Singur, Sir started looking for a road side Dhaba. In my mind I tried to recollect the location of a Dhaba which I saw in one of the bus rides back to Kolkata. Not far away from Singur, we landed up at the spot. The Dhaba named 'Destination Veg Food' had impressive exteriors and as we strolled past the corridor into the restaurant, the interiors spoke of class. Alu Paratha and a preparation of peas were in offing and the order was placed in a jiffy. Three of us devoured the delicious food. Good food and some interesting stories from our driver acted as a fuel for the rest of the journey as we got back to the car. Ananda Sir rubbed his eyes, adjusted his specks and then with a jovial smile quipped, "Next stop will be at Shaktigar. We should have a taste of their famous Langcha sweet."

                                               Destination Veg-Food

                                          Ananda Sir waiting for the food to arrive

We stopped the car near the famous "Adi Langcha Bhavan" (Adi meaning the original one to distinguish it from others having the same name). Three of us sat at one of the corners, caught hold of one waiter and asked the rates. The Langcha sweet was available at Rs 5, Rs 10 and Rs 25 according to size. We ordered the one which cost Rs 10 and waited eagerly to have a bite. Pictures of some notable personalities on the wall caught my attention. Celebrated names like June Maliya, Bratya Basu, Somnath Chatterjee, Kharaj Mukhopadhay, Chinmoy Roy and Rabiranjan Chattopadhay have all posed for photographs after having their share of this special sweet. I felt good to be in august company. Finally each of us was served one big Langcha sweet in paper plates. On contrary to general perception it did not seem to me an irresistible stuff. It was good but not one to die for. 

                                            The Adi Langcha Bhavan

                                               One big Langcha Sweet

                               pictures of some notable visitors at the eatery

The end of the Langcha episode signalled that we were at the final lap of the trip. Soon we were approaching the Bardhaman town. The car hurried past the hustle and bustle of a busy town life and we knew this journey was all but over. I could see the sombre face of Ananda Sir as he looked through the window. The ambassador took the last turn to enter the gates of the University of Burdwan. Getting down from the car for the final time was not pleasurable. I felt like leaving back a wonderful part of me back in the seats. Ananda Sir gave a sigh and made arrangements for unloading the books and documents which also were a part of the journey. Deep down our hearts we both knew that this was an experience that we both wanted and maybe we both wanted it to linger on for a little more..