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TPB1988's picture

The Missing Link

I think saying that blogging and playing video games go hand in hand is generalization that does not always prove to be correct. I personally cannot see a link between bloggers and video gamers aside from the fact they both use technology when either playing or writing and that they both are opening themselves to a more social atmosphere. The social interaction that one receives from a blog atmosphere and a video game atmosphere is also completely different.  Bloggers and video game players do not even share the same set of skills when they make use of the technology. A blogger is using his/her words to convey whatever it might be that is crossing their mind while a player is making use of his/her hand-eye coordination to reach a certain goal. When I read that Geeky Mom played WOW I was not shocked at all. She did after all claim that her job title was a technologist as well as a consultant. From what I hear not many can resist the technology involved in WOW and perhaps that is why she is attracted to the game(although similar to the bloggers above me videogames hold no appeal for me) but, it never occurred to me that maybe she enjoyed playing WOW because she was a blogger.  

Blogging and video games are very common nowadays and it is not surprising to know that most users of blogs and video games run in the same circle. To me it would be like saying that because someone enjoys Harry Potter they will enjoy Twilight and there is a link between the two. Both Harry Potter and Twilight are books that are read and enjoyed worldwide and therefore it makes sense that a lot of people will be fond of both but to say there is a link between the two novels would be an overstatement. With concepts so widely used it might be easy to notice connections but, with that thought process most things would appear to be connected to others. This is just my view on the matter although I definitely would love to hear Geeky Mom’s opinion on the “link” between blogging and playing video games.

As far as the lowering social capitol in the United States I think it would be a safe assumption to attribute it to the more modern “interactions” that are now preferred by many people, at least according to Putnam.  I think Nk0825 made an excellent choice in bring Putnam’s argument into this blog and his point of view poses the question of how much the internet is really helping create social interactions.

 

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