Can we pick up feelings and emotion on the web?
Have you ever been choked up by a book? Maybe even shed a tear? Get mad? Laugh?
Of course you have. The fact is that emotion can be transmitted through written word.
I have been involved in a lot of conversations about whether or not ‘true community’ can exist on the internet and the fall-back argument of opponents of the idea is that feelings just don’t transmit in the context of the web. We can’t truly know how someone may be feeling in a given context.
Remember when you first started commenting on blogs or posting on social profiles? There was a learning curve for all of us to understand context, emotion, voice and all the other little nuances that go with being an internet citizen that wants to hear and be heard. I think a seasoned internet citizen can pick up on the things we think we’re missing because of the lack of physical presence.
Am I way off? Can we read feeling and emotion on the web?
I really hope you’re not way off Vince…because if you are, then I am too.
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The question is “Can we read each other’s emotions over the web?” It is, no doubt, possible, but it is, no doubt, more difficult. Nothing beats presence.
Future technological advances may should make the web more effective, or should I say, affective. Still, I am sure sold on using what we have now to do everything we can to connect with other peple on the web.
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Vince Reply:
February 8th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
I agree that we need to take it as far as we can
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you are right…we have to use every tool to reach people where THEY live, not try to get them to come to where we live. its not really an option.
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