The Social Hermits

interaction - superficial - harried - updated - proximity - non-existent  - beg - physically - recluses - frequently - solitude - clamouring - condolences - achievements - fosters

Do social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter promote  social_______________, or do they encourage people to become _____________? The sites - and there are dozens and dozens of them - have now caught on with working professionals. In fact,  peopl

e over twenty-five are the largest growing demographic of users, primarily because of the  increased demands placed on time. People are more ______________ than ever, with demands  at work and at home _________________ for immediate attention. Social networking sites allow  people to stay in contact with friends and family, and without scheduling face time. 

But other reasons than time management exist. Social networking sites allow users to keep in  contact with "________________ friends "- people who are or were close ______________ but  not personally. Think of ex-classmates, ex-colleagues, parents of the children your kids play with  in the neighbourhood, and friends of friends. We may send these people holiday and birthday cards,  call with congratulations of a wedding or a new born, or express ______________ of a death in the  family. Face to face contact, however, remains largely________________. 

There is then the sense of contact, lots and lots of contact. As a result, many view the networking  sites as a tool that _______________ communication. The contact may be ______________ and  achieved through emails and instant messages, yet many people now know more small details  about one another. As long as the personal pages are regularly_____________ , it's easy to share  photos or hear about kids, ____________________, and other important news. 

Although people "talk" with one another more _________________, they rarely do so without the  forced _______________ of a computer. Social networking sites ______________ the following  question then: Are people becoming social hermits?