Is There Such a Thing as Being Too Connected?

We live in an age where we have access to limitless information. Gone are the days of waiting weeks or months to hear election results or major world events. Now we are so inundated we avoid news because we feel overwhelmed. Of course, the bias in today's media outlets also cause us to avoid certain web sites or tv stations. But the volume of information coming at us daily can totally overwhelm us. Rather than taking the time to understand an issue, we have to skim or read highlights or synopses of articles.

There is also a flood of personal information coming at us. Facebook posts, tweets, even email updates bury us in the mundane details of our friends' lives. Sometimes it's fun to see the kids doing something cute, but I've found that these "fun" sites can become a burden to many. People who think to mention that they are having a bad day can (hopefully) receive encouraging posts from good friends to help them regain perspective or take a moment to evaluate their situation. Often though, well-meaning friends can use well-intentioned notes to lay a burden of guilt on their friend, making it difficult to overcome what could be a light and momentary trouble.

Another concern I have is whether these services are helping us to become a voyeuristic society. I know there have been days I've said little to my 300 facebook friends, but I've enjoyed taking a peek into their lives to see what they chose to share that day. It seems that some people actually write to an audience, coming up with really hysterical or bizarre things in the hopes of impressing(?) their friends. I am as guilty as the next person in coming up with a cute one-liner, but is this what friendship has become?

I'm sure there are people that use these tools responsibly, and they find great comfort and encouragement in keeping up with their friends' lives. I know overseas missionaries that use it to feel a connection to their home culture. I know people that find old friends and schoolmates that seemed to disappear decades before. As long as you are comfortable with the amount of information that's available out there about you and your past, it's ok to keep in touch. But I've also heard stories of jobs lost or job offers rescinded because an employer checked a facebook or myspace page.

With great power comes great responsibility. That was Ben's charge to Peter in Spiderman. None of us are superheroes in a literal sense, but we all have a degree of power with and over our friends and family. Are you using your power wisely?