Oh the humanity....

Today's news carries a story about a survey of IM (Instant Message) useage and its helpfulness to teens. It's entitled, "Poll: IMs Help Teens Avoid Embarrassment" It describes how teens are using IM to ask people out on dates and to even break up relationships. All of this instead of doing it face to face.

While I heartily wish there was a way for me to have asked out some of those women who crushed me by saying they didn't think of me "that way," I think there is something almost cowardly by using the computer to do that. The fact that a woman feels ok being asked out by someone who doesn't even think enough of her to "man up" and ask her face to face concerns me.

I will admit that it is often easier to say things on-line that you wouldn't necessarily say in person. I have sent e-mails that were a little harsher than what I would've said in person. The whole thing is a little dehumanizing. It is great to have such expanded access to people and places throughout the world, but we need to remember that the receiver is still a person.

This is the risk faced by those growing up with such instant and impersonal communications available. By learning all of their socialization through IMs and text messages, I worry how they will fare when they have to carry on an actual conversation with a live person in the booth at the restaurant. Will they be able to handle the emotional response? Will they even recognize it? Will they be able to appropriately filter their statements? What will this do to the art of conversation?

Thoughts anyone?