Social Notworking. You read that right.

I am not going to lie to you, reader. At its peak, I had a MySpace. I currently have a Facebook. I am trying to figure out how to work Google+...slow progress there. Social networking has been a part of my life for the past 6 years . But as time has passed, my love for Facebook has grown cold. My Space lays dormant. My Google+ stream is more like a trickle of muddy puddle water. Why do I hesitate to dive into the vast ocean of digital interaction? Let me tell you about some observations I have observed and some studies I have studied.

The Duck Face, a crime against humanity

1. EVERYONE ASSUMES YOU ARE A NARCISSIST FOR HAVING A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

You are familiar with Narcissus, right? Well, a study was done concerning vanity and Facebook. (It' true! There are scientists that are actually paid to do this kind of stuff.) No matter how into yourself you think you are, anyone viewing your profile will assume the worst. Check the study for yourself.

2. MISCOMMUNICATION ABOUNDS ON THE WEB

hey what r u doing. nuthin. This kind of communication rubs me the wrong way and I just found out why. Most of our communication is nonverbal, so a personal conversation is vital in understanding what a person means. Our interactions with people face-to-face have become extremely limited, so our conversational skills have declined drastically.

3. SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE ANYTHING BUT SOCIAL

More Facebook studies! As Facebook usage increases, the user becomes more shy. The more "friends" a Facebook user has, the less likely they are to have friends in real life. Isn't that sad?

Now, I know that everything about social networking isn't bad. Important news can fly across the world very quickly through Twitter and other sources. But think about your online interactions. Could they be spent in the real world rather than through digital mediums? Try actually having lunch with your best friend rather than commenting on their wall, "OMG! We NEED to hang soon, k?;P" Ugh. It hurt to type that...