The AIM Phenomenon: Stalkers and Cowards Beware
An interesting psychological thought has just touched upon me, when I realized the implications behind "Instant Messenger" and all other online chat programs.
Essentially, we have created a text-based protocol that allows for you to talk to anyone anywhere at any time. You can send images, files, and all manner of dirty things to people you don't even know through Instant Messenger.
It's a great idea on paper. You have an unprecedented level of communication between people that is quite cheap and easy.
The problem appears when the other side of human ingenuity comes into play.
You have on AIM the ability to instantly determine where someone is by their idle status. Since most teens and young adults now sit at computers for a growing percentage of their day, you can pretty much determine how long it has been since they have been at their computer, let alone what their 'away message' says.
Sure. It's handy.
But doesn't it bother people that there are those who know where you are all the time? It certainly bothers me. There's a massive opportunity for stalking through the internet that has only appeared since Instant Messaging became mainstream.
But here's the next, and more worrying aspect of it.
Since I'm currently enrolled at a college, and everyone has a computer and Instant Messenger, sadly, this replaces real conversation. In my state of split-second telecommunications, I can hardly imagine what my father and mother must have done without their cell phones delivering their Internet Messenger messages to them during class.
Instead of people talking in person, people talk on the computer. Instead of people calling other people, they speak on the computer.
Instead of visiting people in their dorms (if they don't live in yours), you talk on the computer.
How sad is this? I've had people who live in the same dorm as me, check to see if I'm online before dropping by my room.
Obviously, we have a case of social misfitism that is pervading everything. Its disgusting!
Everyone should take heed to my message and stop the bullshit. Don't replace real conversation with online bullshit. If you can't bear to talk to someone face to face, don't bother talking to them at all. And, al-hamdu lillah, don't put up away messages "aimed" at people (forgive the pun).
I'm done.