network anxiety

A couple of days ago two satellites collided, creating an unknown amount of debris in orbit. There's some small chance that one of these pieces will collide with another satellite, creating lots more debris and setting of a chain reaction which will destroy many more satellites.

Telling a friend about this yesterday, she commented that it would be great to have a little less communication in this world - a few fewer emails, maybe a smaller dose of news, not as many friend requests on facebook... After learning about the value and methods of networking while I was in Washington, I have seldom given voice to my own desires to be more cut off, more disconnected, more careless about the thousands of people I've met and learned the names of and don't really care about anymore. But this describes it almost perfectly: we're aiming to become too connected - maybe there's an optimal amount of friends and acquaintances, and maybe it's finite.

Steven Levy wrote about a similar feeling yesterday in Wired. While lots of people would probably disagree - those with 800 facebook friends, rolodexes with the business card of everyone they've shaken hands with, or who make those few thousand dollars worth of conference worth every cent - maybe there is a place in our society for those of us who don't want to be networked. Personally, there's a 90% chance I'll find joy and fulfillment sitting at home, alone, reading philosophy, while there's closer to 10% chance I'll have fun going out and meeting new people. Perhaps this extroversion even evolves during one's life?

If you agree, don't leave a comment, don't friend me on facebook, just be content that we're all together in our fear of falling satellites.