Offline connections - penny for your thoughts!
By Wendy789
@Drosophila (16571)
Ireland
January 29, 2016 6:22am CST
After I have finished my study, I was lucky enough to land a flexible job with a virtual social media company.
My colleagues are virtual, my clients are virtual.
I spend my days working in a virtual environment.
At first, it was great, I could wear what I pleased to meetings. I could have music on as loud as I pleased.
Then the issues set in!
"Isolation" what a horrible word yet true.
What I didn't realise was that "work" or "study" had been a valuable source of social interaction for me previously. Now that's been replaced by virtual means, it just doesn't quite cut it.
I had the odd sense of drifting apart from my local community. It was such an odd feeling.
To combat that, I've downloaded a local meetup app and have been using it find offline meeting or clubs I could attend.
I've joined a book club, a writers club, and a hiking club. It was perhaps the best thing I've done this month!
I was able to meet up with different people to talk about different things in a real environment. The change of scenery was great!
As we are living in a "virtual" era, it becomes easier to forget the outside world, and that offline interaction has an intrinsic value that can't be replaced.
It's time to switch off the computer and take a walk outside.
What's your take on offline interactions?
16 people like this
18 responses
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
29 Jan 16
I think face-to-face human interaction is what is needed for more people. I'd rather talk to someone in person than online.
5 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
I find once you've met someone it's easier to do business with them.
When you work virtually it sometimes can take you twice as much effort to gain trust and so on.
I have clients in USA who am never going to be able to meet, but yas, I find video calling them to be the next best proxy.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
29 Jan 16
@Drosophila You can't tell if someone is fibbing unless you look at their face!
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
@AbbyGreenhill Lol ya..I think being genuine is key, and given time people will see.
1 person likes this
@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
29 Jan 16
Offline interactions are kind of unavoidable since I train my students.......We have to talk and discuss things actively........
3 people like this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
30 Jan 16
In which field or subject do you train your students ? @Daljinder
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
Yep that's good, I hope to get on a volunteering program soon, where I can do just that.
3 people like this
@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
30 Jan 16
@dpk262006 Java and sometimes C++ for beginners.....
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
Thats indeed the case.. it's like being in the matrix, good to disconnect from the virtual world now and then.
2 people like this
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
29 Jan 16
@Drosophila That I agree with. We do need real human interaction. being human, we thrive on that actually.
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
@inertia4 yep the smile, the body languages, the eye contact, the virtual world just can't offer that. Maybe one day, but not today
2 people like this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
30 Jan 16
Nothing is expensive. ... off line interactions are worth their money. @yalul070
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
Not really, the meetups am going to are free. with free tea & coffee + pizza.
Walking is free :p
3 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
@dpk262006 very much so, and can help you in unexpected ways
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
Oh ya.. there are clients am never going to be able to meet, as they live so far out.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
Lol. ya that doesn't count, I talk all the time on the phone or skype too.
It's not the same. As I work mostly with US clients, it feels like I have no real connection with my local community anymore.
Whereas, previously I felt like a very integral part of our community as I was in a large local company filled with local people, who are interested in the local going ons
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
@boiboing I know what you mean.. I've lived as an expat for so long, it's safe to say I don't particularly belong to a community. But, I think as an expat the more I integrate myself into the local community, the better I enjoyed my stay there.
2 people like this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
29 Jan 16
@Drosophila I am absolutely not connected with my community. My office is 150 miles away and I only get there every 4-5 weeks because in between I'm in other countries. It's safe to say I'm not very community minded.
2 people like this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
30 Jan 16
Real world interactions can't be compared with on line interactions. In real world, you could make out about other person's mood by just seeing his face and gestures. You could come to know about his immediate reaction to your statements. Such things are not possible in virtual world. However, due to so many reasons virtual world and our involvement in it is over powering the real world.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58678)
• Delhi, India
1 Feb 16
@Drosophila Virtual world would never be able to replace the real world.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
Indeed! And definitely the real world has values the virtual world won't be able to replace, at least not for now
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
2 Feb 16
@dpk262006 virtual reality has done some amazing advances! Maybe in the future
1 person likes this
@allknowing (138049)
• India
30 Jan 16
I hardly interact in the real world. My work, my hobby, my passions keep me merrily busy on my toes and my virftual world takes care of my socialising. Perhaps it is the age as I am a senior
1 person likes this
@allknowing (138049)
• India
30 Jan 16
@Drosophila I agree with you but there has to be a to and fro interaction which I do not find. I was a people's person but not any more.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
@allknowing Interesting. I never would say am a people's person. In some aspect, I am not, I get bored very easily in social events, meetings, and so on, & eager to move on. But, I find removing that totally, has a negative impact. So I guess, it's a case of can't live with them, can't live without them
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
It's what works right, I find I always have plenty to do, work or otherwise..
But human interactions are just that much more special
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
29 Jan 16
I love being online and all of that,ok it's nice to see the real world now and again lol.
1 person likes this
@kevin1877uk (36988)
•
30 Jan 16
@Drosophila True it is if you have somewhere to go.
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
@kevin1877uk Kev, you should try to get the app MeetUp, there are lots of local groups u can join.. depending on your interest, you have photography, hiking, knitting and so on.. it's great fun really
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
29 Jan 16
These are my thoughts and not sure if they are worth even a penny but here goes.
Yes we need more than an virtual existence. The other day I went to get an eye test as it's been years and the glasses need replacing. It was nice just to get out. It changed my outlook for that day. My last regular meeting place was at a tai-chi class. I got to know a couple of people by talking before class and after a few weeks encouraged them to go out for coffee after class. It ended up being for a meal and we went out several times. It ended up with the whole class (about nine of us) going to the same establishment a couple of times.
What I found was that it got started and then ended. So in conclusion, I guess it means meetups need to be a constant effort. Right?
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
Yep it sure does take effort.. but it's worth it.
I have met a few people at my last meet up which is actually helpful to my work. So ya defo an effort worth making.
Offline connections become much more valuable when you try to do business in an online world.
2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
Yep! I've been told, am a people's person before, though I think it's kinda stretching it.
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247184)
• United States
30 Jan 16
@Drosophila
Lol! I doubt it! I do like my alone time on a daily basis, though.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
church is definitely a big one! I've been trying to find a bible study group for a while now. not much luck
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
31 Jan 16
@just4him I kinda have a church, I always go there and meditate. I've been to a few mass there but there's always something that I didn't quite agree with. So I just don't go back, it's an odd case.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317385)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
30 Jan 16
@Drosophila Have you looked online for churches in your area?
@IcyFog (17)
• China
29 Jan 16
i work in an office and we talk quite a lot everyday.sometimes we shouted at and even got shouted from other people.^^
other than that,meeting old friends occasionally in real.
but i also like to spend some time online to interact with virtual people,
we just need to arrange our time and keep it in a balance,i guess.
oh,"isolation",is really such a horrible term.its so very nice to hear you new plans and practices.
2 people like this
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
29 Jan 16
Hi Wintersweet
I found work to be isolated. 
I guess it was because everyone was so busy and we had cubicles to live in. I felt more connected to regular clients on the phone. However another face beside you made it real I guess.
I lived in an isolated cabin in the woods in a remote area of Canada for a while. It wasn't actually horrible though. Driving in traffic is horrible for me.
I guess it was because everyone was so busy and we had cubicles to live in. I felt more connected to regular clients on the phone. However another face beside you made it real I guess.
I lived in an isolated cabin in the woods in a remote area of Canada for a while. It wasn't actually horrible though. Driving in traffic is horrible for me.2 people like this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
29 Jan 16
@IcyFog oh ya, I used to work in a job where I always had a line of people coming to see me.. so I guess flipping into virtual working needed a fair bit getting used to. But it's going good, I certainly don't miss the office politics
@alchemistrx (2547)
• Philippines
30 Jan 16
I need balance between my online and offline worlds so i try as possible to travel to experience something new than being isolated in your room.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
30 Jan 16
Yep that's a good way to do it. I travel regularly too, it usually is great
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
31 Jan 16
yep there's distinct difference between interactions and gossip
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
31 Jan 16
I think it is necessary, it is the real world of everyday. We need face to face interaction or we end up wearing jammies all day lol Good for you it sounds like fun.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
31 Jan 16
Totally, the offline meeting app is definitely the best thing I've done this month!
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23671)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
31 Jan 16
Virtual will never take the place of reality!! We NEED connecting with people in person, touching ,even if it is just a handshake. We don't need a 'wall' between us whether it is a phone or a computer or a recording.
1 person likes this
@Drosophila (16571)
• Ireland
31 Jan 16
Absolutely, I must say, I'm starting to wonder whether I should get a "real job" lol
