Writing Prompts - Thoughts on Networking.

 80 Journal Writing Prompts #1 - Found at http://www.tomslatin.com/80-journal-writing-prompts/

All credit to him for the prompts.

Prompt: Name something you lost or gave away that can never be replaced.


I have lost many great things over the years. After all, I am quite careless. This has become so frequent and expected I can't even think of something important I may have lost or given away.  I've never really been attached to my possessions, with some exceptions. The most notable would have to be technology. I lose my mind without my computer. If I don't have my phone on me, the thought of getting it back consumes me. Of course, this isn't surprising these days. I think it is safe to say most people share this "problem" with me. We live in a world of constant connectivity, whether it be to friends, information, news or media in general. We are consumers. We consume. The faster and more efficient the better. I don't find this to be a problem for me. Some people seem to carry this stigma that this desire to take in information is detrimental. Sure, I will agree that most of the people checking their Facebook profiles and Twitter accounts every second aren't doing anything more than simply networking, gossiping or spouting every random thought they have, but how is that new? We can just do it faster. Before we had the Internet you would do the same thing when you went to the bar, called up a friend, wrote a letter or went to a social club. You would listen, talk, yell, voice your opinion, force your opinion, verbally attack, physically attack, defend yourself, laugh, cry, complain, beg, taunt, cheer, meet new friends, despise new enemies, flirt, date and ultimately, consume. You can worry about what you say and how you might affect people, or you can not care at all. Now it's instant and without the need for a filter. You can post every thought you have and share it with the world, right away. As someone interested in social movements, journalism and humanity in general I couldn't ask for a better time to be alive. Information spreads like wildfire. An opinion can spread and grow and turn into a general way of thinking in a matter of days.  A flood in Asia will be known about all over the world in a matter of minutes and I can let all my friends know what I'm eating for dinner in seconds. I could probably turn this into a whole discussion about my opinions on social and political globalization but this was a simple prompt to get me writing again. Job well done. Maybe I'll write more on it later.

Thoughts?