This post was written during my last trip to UNC, and I decided to publish it today in memory of Eve Marie Carson, who died two years ago today. She was probably the strongest believer in the Carolina way, and it was impossible to know her without being her friend. I will never forget Eve, forever a Tar Heel.
I will admit that I have been a huge supporter of social media and the idea that we can all join global communities regardless of our location. It can give you chills how truly connected we all are these days, and how much of an impact we can all have even if we’ve never met in person.
Despite the amazing benefits that social media can bring, I recently realized that there is quite a lot to be said for location-based communities. And I was reminded when I listened to Charles Kuralt giving a speech at the University of North Carolina’s bicentennial event.
And I found myself getting chills and tearing up at my desk on the 32nd floor of a Chicago high-rise.
Although I could, I will not give you a long argument about why the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the absolute best school in the world and the most welcoming place on earth, but instead I want to remind you that social media should not replace all location-based community in our lives.
There is something to be said for a place connecting us. A blog or Twitter list is a great way to instantly and continuously stay connected, but when you’re in a physical place together, you’re surrounded by time and history. For hundreds of years people have been living and experiencing, and by visiting the same coffee shop or attending the same university, you become part of that history. And that bond seems to me to be stronger than reading the same blog or following the same person on Twitter.
I think that a large part of the reason that UNC students feel connection is that we all come to this place, this center of history, because we all have a passion for our own education and future. And that passion alone binds us to this place and to each other. In an online community, it’s hard to find that same amount of passion to truly create a strong bond.
True, there are some exceptions, but I think a lot of communities are convenient or helpful for us to join and participate in, but our passion doesn’t always bind us to each other. We are connected, but we’re not bound to one another in the same way. I love to show and share my passion online, but does it really bring me the strong connections I’ve found at UNC? I’m not sure about that.
Have you found strong and meaningful bonds online? Have they felt as strong or stronger than connections you’ve made offline? Why?
Tags: Growing up, Social Media
