Connections

The debate rages on about the internet: Is it de-humanizing? Does it devalue good writing? And worst of all, will it make us fat? To my mind, the answer to all three questions is "yes and no".

Perhaps good writing is being devalued, because being online allows everyone to participate in the conversation, whether or not they understand grammar and syntax. The bad news: nobody wants to pay writers for web work ($20 an article? You cannot be serious!). The good news: everyone can participate in the conversation. How can that be bad?

And sure it can make us fat, if we choose to do nothing but sit around and type and eat nachos (not easy to do at the same time). But it also allows us to work quickly and efficiently, so we have time to go out and play and move our bodies around. Besides, it's probably replaced passively watching TV and eating nachos - at least the Web encourages active participation.

De-humanizing? In the sense that we may have less face to face communication on a daily basis, yes. But in the greater sense, the internet has dramatically increased the ability to connect with other people. Through email and social media last week, I was able to a)chat with high school friends from St. Johns, Michigan b)arrange a visit to Santa Fe with our dear friend Jerri from Texas c)gossip with colleagues in Florida d) get instant information on everything from World Cup to Wimbledon to the oil spill e)pay bills f)send congratulations to children in Nepal. It's a goddam miracle, that's what it is!

Speaking of miracles, our visit with Jerri and her dog Margie in Santa Fe was definitely "un milagro". Nostalgia, meaningful conversation, spicy Santa Fe cooking, terrific live R&B, exciting art galleries, and an eyeful of the Land of Enchantment was balm for the soul. Let's raise a glass of tequila to "staying connected."