Just a small point here. You say real life is not made of social networks. I agree with you there.

However, real life is made up of relationships, and sometimes those relationships come about because of social networks. Friends and family use those things to connect if they don't have other methods (personally I use Skype and Tumblr, not any of the "mainstream" things that are totally classified as social networking sites), and without being able to connect to people you love, there's...really not much fun in life, I don't think.

Though, granted, I am not distracted trying to reply to someone while doing things such as driving or working. I have enough common sense to know that doing such a thing is BAD news, and it can wait until I get home and things I have to do are done. I can't imagine my life without the friends I have met over the internet, however. They've become my best friends, and that is just as real life as if they were standing next to me.

I said that doing things like that is bad news, and I meant it. It is scary, and people should not do that. If they used the common sense they were born with, they wouldn't, but unfortunately, not all do.  I am fully aware that such distractions can cause you to pay with your life; that is why I said doing things like that is bad. 

Back then internet may not have been present, but that does not mean things today are bad. Friendships over the internet (or at least staying connected through the internet) is no different from having your friend a few houses down the street. It is just as real, it is just as gregarious, and they are just as present in your life, it's simply in a different form. Internet friendships are not a detriment, if that's what you meant. If anything, they can (note I said can, not always are) better than friendships 'only' with the folks down the street, because it broadens your world, broadens your understanding, and gives you insight to other places. 

If you meant that the distractions of people being on tablets or phones when they decidedly DON'T need to be is a detriment, then yes, I agree there. I'm afraid I can't agree on internet-over-neighborhood friends, though.

If I may use myself as an example? I have never been close to the people in my neighborhood, my own age or otherwise. No one can say it is the fault of the internet, either, as I did not come into contact with the 'net until I was a teenager. I simply have never had friends here, because no one shares my interests and I have always had the stigma of being disabled. People around here don't like that.

Finding the friends I now have over the internet, however, changed that. I have friends now, and I could not ask for better ones. It's not all internet-based, either. My best friend  -- who, incidentally, lives over 300 miles away from me -- actually drove here and visited me when I graduated from college. She went to graduation with me. It was the first time we've been in physical contact with one another....and nothing was different. Things were and are the same between us, the only difference at the time was that we could actually hug each other instead of sending 'mental hugs' to each other through Skype. That was LITERALLY the only difference. Her friendship is just as real as though she'd lived next door to me our whole lives. It's the same with the rest of my circle of friends. The friendship is real, the distance between us is just great, so we have to use the internet to connect. It's far better than the occasional expensive phone call or a letter that may take weeks to arrive. It's instant. We know when something is wrong, so we can be supportive, we get so share in triumphs and good news, and we get to talk and reaffirm our bonds nearly every day, the same as though they lived close. I will take these friends, met over the internet, who share some of my interests, who don't care about my disability, and who love me for who I am over the non-existent 'real life' friends I never had in my own neighborhood, though NOT for lack of trying. That is not detrimental in any way.

When it comes to safety, I completely agree. Being on your phone when you're crossing the street isn't particularly bright. However, I think that's more a problem of being safe and using some basic common sense, than it is with social networking itself.

But as for the people who social network during all of their spare time, I can't judge. If that makes their lives more fulfilling, and for some it might, I won't say otherwise.

If they're not being responsible with it and it's destroying their real lives, then I might speak up.

On a side note, I saw this image online a few days ago:


It's a snip of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCAntD1-DIk

I think he learned his lesson about walking and texting.

I totally agree about social network "abuse". For example I only visit my personal Facebook page once a day (I look at my profile a few times more just to get rid of the notifications) in order to actually focus on more important things like work. Also, I only friend people I physically know with VERY few exceptions. If they want to befriend me and I don't know them, I refer them to my page. I also block profiles of people who just insult me, on Facebook or on forums that use Facebook as a login. I don't have any gray matter to waste with trolls.

I admit spending most of my day on Twitter, but that's mostly to get story ideas to write about. I try keeping my contact list to news websites and people whose opinions I "really" like. I also block trolls but they seem to be less frequent.

I use Youtube mainly to watch music videos or listen to music I like. I do have my channel but I prefer focusing on writing, which I do better.

Finally, I use LinkedIn mostly to keep up with everything I publish online. Again, I only befriend people I do know, although I might sometimes accept friendship requests if I believe this could lead to a job opportunity.

Now, what people do with their own lives, as long as they don't endanger mine, is their business alone. If they want to spend it on social networks with make-believe friends, it's their choice. Unless THEY recognize it's a problem, no one can help them.

However, if we are together and talking, I want them to pay attention to ME, not their phone/computer (I return the favor, of course). In that particular fashion,I agree with Amish refusing to have any sort of telephone so they won't spoil their personal relationships with people in front of them.

I agree with Yunimori about using networks for keeping in touch. I use Facebook to send quick messages to family members to plan Skype meetings. It's not that same as phone; I want to see my nephew grow up, and he seems to appreciate seeing me! It's also practical when, say, you want to "be" in a family reunion where you can't be.

Real life always comes first, as I've said and many have told me.

Even if you have a ton of friends on a social network and none in real life, you should put real life first and search for real life friends. It should be easier to become close friends with someone in real life, and there's way more you can do with a real life friend.

Most people I know are on 2+ social networks. I usually get uncomfortable when I'm talking about social networks since most people around me are on them a lot and are on a lot of them. One of my friends is on pretty much everything, and I got invited by her to join Instagram.

I'm already on Skype, Facebook, and vizzed. I have little interest in Skype and Facebook, but a ton of interest in vizzed.

I'm only on Facebook because, for most of my family members, the only way to see what's happening with them is to go on Facebook. Most of them only use Facebook for updating people on what's going on in their lives.

I'm on Skype (which I literally never use for actual talking, just messaging) because friends of mine are on there.

I already have little interest in social networks, and I really don't want to be on social networks a lot because I know they can easily take over my life. So when my friend invited me to Instagram, I knew that I wouldn't go on it. I said to her that I'm not for sure going on there, but I should've said I'm definitely not and the reasons why.