Facebook addicts 'can't relate', Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University says

Facebook addicts 'can't relate', Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University says

www.dailytelegraph.com.au

YOUTHS hooked on social networking sites are struggling to relate, a leading neuroscientist says.

Baroness Susan Greenfield says more research is needed to establish a possible link between Facebook and a lack of empathy among the young.

"If you are not rehearsing looking someone in the eye in three dimensions, but instead you have 900 friends on Facebook ... one does question what kind of relationship they might be having,'' she told the National Press Club in Canberra.

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An expert said young people using Facebook found it harder to relate.

Although I use Facebook, I do not exhibit any signs of a lack of empathy.

I regulate my time on the social networking site.

How about you, ATS'ers with active Facebook accounts? How do you avoid exhibiting a lack of empathy?

www.dailytelegraph.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

I believe it. Ever since the invent of the computer, people have a reason to disassociate themselves from others. When I was younger, if I wanted to see how someone was doing or make plans, I had to call the person. I could not get on my computer and send a message or text message them via my cell phone. I had to make a concerned effort to talk to that person. With the computer, and social networking, that face to face contact is eliminated. This disassociation from other prevents them from learning the basic social skills (common courtesy, reading body language, etc.) needed in order to grow and develop. When these skills aren't being finely tuned, they become nonexistent.

Pfffffffft...

I lacked empathy way before FaceBook came along.


TheAssoc.