Happy Atheist Forum

Community => Social Issues and Causes => Topic started by: Dave on September 05, 2017, 08:16:43 PM

Title: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Dave on September 05, 2017, 08:16:43 PM
The Internet/Web is a sort if socuial facilitator in all sorts of ways, but I realised that a friend and I used it as a "conversationsl tool" as well.

Jane would sit there with her tablet, me with my smart phone, conversing but using those devices to find information, on tbe fly, to check on things. Maybe even, say, taking a photo of a butterfly or a bird in the garden to seek an image match online to identify it, find its favourite food etc. All sorts of subjects came up for immediate investigation. This use of the technology stimulated rather than stultified the local discussion.

I can quite imaging a certain member of HAF and myself doing something similar over language! And a glass or three of intoxicant maybe . . .

Anyone else had this sort of experience?
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: xSilverPhinx on September 06, 2017, 12:16:10 AM
One thing I think is great about the internet, and forums in particular, is you can answer or engage in conversation when you have the time to do so. It's very convenient. :smilenod:   
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Icarus on September 06, 2017, 02:44:07 AM
Dave, it would be my great pleasure to have a glass or three with you. ( my treat, I keep a suitable supply of libations for such pleasures)  I may not be the one that you referred to but I would be a respectful conversationalist.

Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Arturo on September 06, 2017, 03:00:25 AM
This is why internet
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: No one on September 06, 2017, 03:10:38 AM
I love how the willfully close minded can be so open about it in the world wide webs.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Dave on September 06, 2017, 03:50:14 AM
Quote from: Icarus on September 06, 2017, 02:44:07 AM
Dave, it would be my great pleasure to have a glass or three with you. ( my treat, I keep a suitable supply of libations for such pleasures)  I may not be the one that you referred to but I would be a respectful conversationalist.
Thank you, Icarus. I can imagine a few of us more mature types enjoying company, conviviality and conversation, maybe even controversy.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: hermes2015 on September 06, 2017, 06:26:06 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 06, 2017, 03:50:14 AM
Quote from: Icarus on September 06, 2017, 02:44:07 AM
Dave, it would be my great pleasure to have a glass or three with you. ( my treat, I keep a suitable supply of libations for such pleasures)  I may not be the one that you referred to but I would be a respectful conversationalist.
Thank you, Icarus. I can imagine a few of us more mature types enjoying company, conviviality and conversation, maybe even controversy.

We truly have a global village now, enabled by the internet. I enjoy the electronic interactions very much. It takes me back to many late night conversations when I was a student, so think that meeting in person over a glass of wine would be wonderful - unfortunately our "friends" now are often in different countries and continents. The older I get, the more difficult I find it to meet like minded people in the flesh, so thanks to the HAF people I interact with for the stimulation  :boaterhat:.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Dave on September 06, 2017, 07:04:20 AM
Quote from: hermes2015 on September 06, 2017, 06:26:06 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 06, 2017, 03:50:14 AM
Quote from: Icarus on September 06, 2017, 02:44:07 AM
Dave, it would be my great pleasure to have a glass or three with you. ( my treat, I keep a suitable supply of libations for such pleasures)  I may not be the one that you referred to but I would be a respectful conversationalist.
Thank you, Icarus. I can imagine a few of us more mature types enjoying company, conviviality and conversation, maybe even controversy.

We truly have a global village now, enabled by the internet. I enjoy the electronic interactions very much. It takes me back to many late night conversations when I was a student, so think that meeting in person over a glass of wine would be wonderful - unfortunately our "friends" now are often in different countries and continents. The older I get, the more difficult I find it to meet like minded people in the flesh, so thanks to the HAF people I interact with for the stimulation  :boaterhat:.

Yes, how well I know this. It was such a lift having an intelligent conversation with a foot therapist on Monday. Very intelligent young lady, could do nothing for my feet but we talked for half an hour anyway. She refused her fee at one point but she had driven to me and spent time talking and I insisted she take it.

Have nade a couple of attempts to form some kind of conversstion club locally but no takers so far.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: hermes2015 on September 06, 2017, 07:21:27 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 06, 2017, 07:04:20 AM
Yes, how well I know this. It was such a lift having an intelligent conversation with a foot therapist on Monday. Very intelligent young lady, could do nothing for my feet but we talked for half an hour anyway. She refused her fee at one point but she had driven to me and spent time talking and I insisted she take it.

I haven't heard the "foot therapist" euphemism before.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Dave on September 06, 2017, 07:33:43 AM
Quote from: hermes2015 on September 06, 2017, 07:21:27 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 06, 2017, 07:04:20 AM
Yes, how well I know this. It was such a lift having an intelligent conversation with a foot therapist on Monday. Very intelligent young lady, could do nothing for my feet but we talked for half an hour anyway. She refused her fee at one point but she had driven to me and spent time talking and I insisted she take it.

I haven't hear the "foot therapist" euphemism before.

Ha! My friend Jane wondered the same thing! She really was a foot therapist and she did oil my feet for me (which I very much enjoyed...) Seems that I have kept them in good nick for an old man.

Wanted to make sure the discomfort I was feeling had nothing to do with callouses on the heel but was related to the bursitis I have suffered for the past 6 weeks, or a side effect due to the effect this has had on my gait, stretching other tendons abnormally. Now I can tick a box for consultations with the physiotherapist.

(PS: these days perhaps the social intercourse is more important than the other kind for me...)
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Tank on September 06, 2017, 09:37:44 AM
Quote from: No one on September 06, 2017, 03:10:38 AM
I love how the willfully close minded can be so open about it in the world wide webs.
This!
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Tank on September 06, 2017, 09:39:35 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 06, 2017, 03:50:14 AM
Quote from: Icarus on September 06, 2017, 02:44:07 AM
Dave, it would be my great pleasure to have a glass or three with you. ( my treat, I keep a suitable supply of libations for such pleasures)  I may not be the one that you referred to but I would be a respectful conversationalist.
Thank you, Icarus. I can imagine a few of us more mature types enjoying company, conviviality and conversation, maybe even controversy.
Don't be too ageist about this. Forums tend to attract like minded people irrespective of age. Buddy was one such person. She rocked up at 15/16 and grew up here.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Tank on September 06, 2017, 09:47:14 AM
I find internet interactions fascinating. I've been an active forum participator for over 12 years now. Facebook just told me that my posts there have now accumulated 30,000 'likes'. I have acquaintances (I baulk at the term friends) all over the world all genders, sexualities, faiths and races. It's brilliant fun. I often chat to a Nigerian medic who is with the UN in Somalia. He is an intensive care nurse and an atheist in a war that is fuelled by theistic tribalism. His insights are unique. 
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Dave on September 06, 2017, 10:24:11 AM
Quote from: Tank on September 06, 2017, 09:39:35 AM
Quote from: Dave on September 06, 2017, 03:50:14 AM
Quote from: Icarus on September 06, 2017, 02:44:07 AM
Dave, it would be my great pleasure to have a glass or three with you. ( my treat, I keep a suitable supply of libations for such pleasures)  I may not be the one that you referred to but I would be a respectful conversationalist.
Thank you, Icarus. I can imagine a few of us more mature types enjoying company, conviviality and conversation, maybe even controversy.
Don't be too ageist about this. Forums tend to attract like minded people irrespective of age. Buddy was one such person. She rocked up at 15/16 and grew up here.
:D But there is that sort of humorous iconic thing about a bunch of old codgers, or old women, in a verbal huddle in "their" corner of the pub, or in the barber's or hairdresser's etc. In Gloucester a bunch of elderly Asian men once used to occupy a set of facing benches in the city centre to discuss, usually in English, all kinds of things. We don't gave banyan trees to gather under to put the world right around here, the Internet is a sort of substitute but not quite the same as face to face. Youngsters (oh, dear, I have said it now!) tend to have face to face friendship groups (unless they are total screen addicts) whilst those of us in their 7th decade tend to have less immediate friends - and to lose even those.

The Internet is global, that gives extra dimensions and forums allow time slippage and time for research or reflection. However I sometimes wish there were time zone specific (plus a couple either side) real time adult chat rooms of some kind. Hermes and us Brits share a similar time slot, but those who have work, or a life, might miss a lot of that. Thus we GMTers usually have to wait for the morning to see the responses and make our new ones. Still, I remember the days when it took many months to gave a short conversation by snail mail!

Actually, though, my written replies in those days were probably more poetic and considered than those on a comparatively immedate platform such as this. Hand written stuff seemed to need more "art" than typing!
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: hermes2015 on September 06, 2017, 10:54:44 AM
Yes, I am on GMT+2. One of the first things I do after my morning coffee and rusk with my parrot Lulu is to check what's happening in HAF. Only then do I check my various email inboxes. I don't have too many close friends anymore, but here I really feel that I am part of a fairly intimate and non-judgmental community.
Title: Re: The Internet as a facilitator of social intercourse?
Post by: Dave on September 06, 2017, 11:01:41 AM
Quote from: Tank on September 06, 2017, 09:47:14 AM
I find internet interactions fascinating. I've been an active forum participator for over 12 years now. Facebook just told me that my posts there have now accumulated 30,000 'likes'. I have acquaintances (I baulk at the term friends) all over the world all genders, sexualities, faiths and races. It's brilliant fun. I often chat to a Nigerian medic who is with the UN in Somalia. He is an intensive care nurse and an atheist in a war that is fuelled by theistic tribalism. His insights are unique.
Yes, I have to grant the fact that the Internet opens up your pov - if you let it. HAF tends to be more open in that respect than some I have seen, and I exclude specific group/organisation forums ftom this. "The Thinking Atheist" has a mainly American membership and, at times, almost an isolationist American feeling. Especially where gun ownership is concerned!