Social Media and the Introvert

I have been batting around the idea of writing about Introverts and Social Networking for a while now. And when I was ready to get writing, I posted a note on Facebook to ask for feedback. Of course immediately both of my parents (no doubt from separate rooms in the same house) commented back.

And that is where the beauty and irony of social networking get complicated. Two people in the same space communicating with a third person miles away almost instantaneously.

As an introvert, I like the idea of being able to connect with people on my own terms- to set up boundaries and avenues to communicate, to have immediate gratification and human interaction without the messiness of actual human interaction.

So does social networking bring us closer together, or further apart? The answer to that is likely in how you use it. Just as email was seen as a miraculous new tool for communication and at the same time, the cause for the degradation of our language skills. New media is untested, un-studied, un-understood. And yet utilized at uber-light-speed and spit out on a whim when it no longer meets our needs, or if a "new" fad comes along. It will be interesting to see where this social networking trend takes us, and if in the end the power is ultimately harnessed positively...

- meg


Meghan Wier
Author Writer Web Consultant

The art of making new friends

I have been living in the Charlotte area, and I find myself with an unusual problem: I need to make some friends. I just don't know that many people here!

I haven't had to work to make new friends since I was in 5th grade. I just made friends. I can say I probably never had a lot of friends, but then I was always ok with that. I preferred a smaller, closer group.

So here I am in a new town, working from home with no natural friend-making opportunities presenting themselves and no one actively pursuing my friendship. Making friends as an adult is quite frankly, a little awkward. It is a balance between being interested and aggressive... and being too desperate. Maybe like dating... although I didnt do any of that as an adult either. ...Not only will my new friend-prospect need to like me, but they will have to like my son, and not annoy my husband too much. They will have to be intellectually interesting, but not too much of a smarty-pants.

Oh and the list goes on. As I write it I realize I have high standards. Guess that is why my friend list was always short....

:) -- well, I will continue to look for new friends and try not to overly freak them out with my awkward friend-seeking skills.

If nothing else the process is great research for my next book about introverts and relationships!