A couple with colleagues

Tonight for the first time in about 6 years, I went out for some food and drinks with colleagues. It was actually the first time I have been out with friends of any kind since something like August last year and, it was a night filled with a lot of laughs. I am pretty worn out though and I will have to get up in a few hours for the start of the usual Daddy/ Daughter weekend but, I am glad I went and think I really should do it more.

Over the last 3 or 4 years social life has taken the backseat to just about everything else and in the last 2 years, Steem has become my place of social interaction outside of working hours. I used to be an extremely social person and I enjoy interacting with people face to face and, I think that I am better at it that way too. I am so much funnier in real life too, but I guess... you had to be there.

One of my colleagues tonight was saying how he gets nervous when his work phone rings because when he gets a call, it must be something important - and probably negative. I guess with all of the apps these days, making a phone call is treated like writing a letter. It is kind of strange that we are constantly glued to our phone yet, we don't use it very much as a phone. For me, I much prefer direct calls to emails as perhaps surprisingly, I don't like to write and my emails are incredibly concise. I can also talk through an issue much faster and with more sensitivity directly than through writing.

I have often thought about Vlogging sometimes instead, but I don't think I would be very good talking into a camera without the direct feedback of someone to converse with. I don't even like taking selfies so speaking my thoughts into a camera feels weird just thinking about it so I can't imagine it coming across naturally and therefore, who would want to watch that? Some people have very good presence and persona for vlogging, I don't think I am one of them.

Perhaps I should try it just to get out of my comfort zone and as an experiment in testing engagement and interaction. I would like to do something where there is more of an immediate discussion and conversation and essentially, just have a chat with people on steem and get to know you all better. I think that is going to also be a big part of the platform as rather than hiding behind screens, people will value people more and more.

In many ways, the internet dehumanizes us and many people forget that there is an actual person tapping away at a computer somewhere to create a post, write a poem, paint a picture or code a new application. The person becomes lost and all that is important is what they create and what they can offer, it is the commodification of humanity. as I have mentioned before though, the people who generally do the best on Steem are the ones who prove themselves human, prove they are living, breathing, walking, working people.

People make mistakes too, say stupid things and are imperfect. The dehumanization of them through the interface of the internet makes everyone much more judgmental and unforgiving in their evaluation and expression of it. Fear of judgement is also why so many people likely hold themselves back from trying and perhaps, that is why I don't vlog. Perhaps I am comfortable having the filter of my words, even though people are likely even more critical of them.

The internet is the perfect breeding ground for antisocial behavior which is funny since so much of it is labelled as social media. I don't count most of the social platforms as social at all but I do think that Steem is going to increasingly become more socially inclined as it ties relationships together in more ways than just sharing of ideas through the development of a more complete ecosystem, including the economics of a community.

In time, there is going to be so many intertwining relationships on Steem that cover all aspects of life that it is going to become a near automatic habit in people's lives. For many like myself, it probably already is and many probably feel more connected to Steem than say, Facebook or Instagram. Many get emotional about Steem.

Emotional attachment on Steem is a sign of the things to come.

For me now though, all signs are pointing toward me crashing after what as been close to a 20 hour day. Oh, the picture is one I took of my daughter this evening when she came home. Perhaps I should Vlog with @smallsteps - What do you think?

Goodnight.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]