Meet Me at the Water Cooler… Online?

No, it isn’t the name of a new networking site. I am instead referring to how we have moved from an age of how we used to gather around the water cooler as Jenkins liked to refer to it, to having this social setting online now. Certainly, the water cooler conversations haven’t come to an end, but now if no one in your work circle seems to pay attention to a show on television like you do, you now have another outlet, or should I say outlets? We have constantly been evolving in the forums we use to social, moving from the public baths of the Roman times to city hall to the water cooler and now to the World Wide Web. It is easy to access this means to network and discuss, and there are plenty of outlets to do so as well, blogs, message boards and of course, Facebook. With that said, the water cooler is now online.

I don’t know why, but I find this shift in how we socialize amazing. Certainly we’ve come a long way since the Romans. And I do wonder, what part of how we social now, will become as outdated as talking in a giant tub? While I am not saying the online network of socializing will be leaving us any time soon, I do wonder what it will make obsolete in the world of socializing? I know. A question for another time.

I am bored out of my mind at work today, so I decided to search the term “online socializing” since I am struggling with this blog post. Of course, I’d happen to come across what I think is something humorous, a YouTube video about online socializing. Of course, I am at work at can’t watch it thanks to being Websensed. You know how I blogged earlier about having restrictions and this being bad for children being able to grow and be responsible on the web? Well, being Websensed at work sure makes me know how a child whose parents monitor his/her every move online feels. Back to the video. I have no idea what it is about, and perhaps it is really helpful. I have to admit that the first thought I had was that it’s going to be about how to socialize online. Now, this is perhaps a really good idea. And after further Goggling, I even found a college course dedicated to studying online socializing.

This takes me back to the shift in us socializing more and more online. While I certainly don’t think we need to be taught on how to socialize online, I revisit a subject touched upon earlier – researching it! Now watch, I’ll go home and watch that YouTube video and think some education about socializing online is needed. But really, were we taught how to socialize face to face? Not really. Our parents made sure we had a social network available to us and we continue to keep routes to that network open, but no one is really teaching anyone about it. The Romans simply started it in the public baths. And those after simply evolved it (thank goodness!).

I realize this blog has been everywhere almost since the water cooler. My point in the end is that new forms of media are positives to how we communicate with one another. Quite personally, I am somewhat glad to be able to log on and discuss a TV show online instead of at work. At work, you always have that chance that the co-workers you are talking with will bring up something else… something you didn’t exactly want to hear about. When you are online in a discussion board or maybe even in a chat, if you don’t like something said or the topic, you leave! No offense to anyone.