Meredith Hodge
1/23
4:15
The 81 year old pope Benedict Friday recently became one of the oldest people in the world to have his own you tube channel. The pope argues that the online world (consisting of face book, you tube, myspace, etc.) tends to isolate it’s users from the real world. He believes that these social networking sites value the number of friends rather than the actual quality of the relationships. He warns listeners not to let the desire to maintain and pursue these online relationships interfere with real-life relationships and reality.
The popes’ method of improving what he is criticizing consists of utilizing it and using it as a tool for outreach and ministry. The pope’s YouTube site (www.youtube.com/vaticanit) “will broadcast short video news clips on the 81-year-old pope's activities and Vatican and Church events.” These broadcasts will be produced by Vatican's television center and Vatican Radio. The site will also provide links to other websites similar to their own. The Vatican Channel’s goal is to simply get visitors to their website without using advertising and to eventually expand and join the Facebook community.
While the pope does have several valid points, how many social networking users are actually likely to become addicted to it. With everything we do we run the risk of becoming addicted. Can we simply not participate if we are afraid we may become addicted to something? People become addicted to everything from drugs to food. These sites are no different then other portals of communication.
The “did you know?” video we watched last class said that 1 out of 8 couples married in the US in 2005 met online. Even though the internet does leave room for dishonesty concerning identity, one cannot deny that it is an effective tool for meeting new people.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNewsMolt/idUKTRE50M33B20090123?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
3 comments:
You have a good point about the internet being a good tool to meet people. While the pope's point about many internet relationships being somewhat meaningless is valid, I wouldn't describe that as a danger by any means.
My mother met her husband (my stepfather) on the internet. This relationship lasted seven years and was the most unhealthy relationship known to mankind. I think that talking and communicating online is amazing but how much of what comes up on the screen is truth and how much is fiction? Divorce is becoming something so common and in the catholic church (I am Catholic) it isn't exactly honorable. The pope is just looking out for the church, you have to love him for it. This is especially neat since he decided to use technology to his advatage. Maybe the catholic church is catching up with the rest of the world?
I think it's interesting that the Pope warns about overuse of social networking sites, yet attempts to use them for the purpose of the Vatican. There seems to be a bit of a conflict between the era before mass internet and after on its merits and proper usage.
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