Social Media Role in Introversion

As I sit in my Social Media & Society class today and we discuss Sherry Turkle's book, Alone Together, and her ideas on the role texting and other social media in relationships and society today, I cannot help but to connect it to introversion.

She argues that texting and social media are making human to human interaction less demanded, less sincere. "We expect more from technology and less from each other," Turkle said. She argues that we turn to technology as a way to communicate in ways we can control. Today, we are able to share something on Facebook, or Instagram, or twitter and allow yourself that interaction so you are not alone, yet step away when you have had enough interaction. What is this saying about society today?

I have personally experienced situations such as this. I can talk to someone on Facebook, Instagram, twitter or text, yet when I see the people I have been talking to on these networks, I have little to nothing to say. You can be someone on social media that you cannot, or do not want to be in reality.

So what does this do for introverts? I like to think that introverts are making progress in the world today because of social media, but hearing Turkle's point of view, it makes me feel as though social media is taking introverts back. It gives them the idea that they are interacting with people, but really keeping them in the same predicament if not making it worse. It still causes introverts to have problems with being around people for long periods of time. This goes back to the issue of control. Which brings the thought to my mind that social media puts the rest of the world on the same level as introverts, yearning for interaction but only being able to handle so much of it.

I'm curious to see where social media takes introverts and the rest of society.