Links

[chromodynamics]

Happy Birthday didi75!!!

• Just For Fun
  
  • The Unitarian Slayer
    I'm not a very religious or spiritual person, but if I was I would be all about this.
    
• Science
  
  • Chart: Belief in Evolution, by Country
    A sad state of affairs for the USA. I wish they wouldn't use the word "belief" here, I think that only helps to perpetuate the idea that evolution is a religious philosophy that you can either "believe" or not, rather than a scientific principle that you can either choose to ignore or not.
    
  • Dutch physicists get a grip on the spin of a single electron
    
  • Some online video games found to promote ‘sociability’, researchers say
    I have been seeing a lot of articles lately about how Americans are having fewer social relationships, often with the blame falling at least in part on the Net, so it was nice to see someone do some research on this.
    

Comments

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Carrie and I were talking about this the other day, and the whole Bowling Alone phenomenon predates widespread use of the internet; memberships in clubs and things like that have been declining since the mid-60s, and the boomers appear to have never become the joiners that their parents were. Then the Xers are not so much non-joiners as that they want to form communities based on something entirely different, on avocation rather than vocation. The author of that book IS finding that the 'net is promoting that kind of socialization.

In other words, the articles putting the blame for fewer social relationships on the net are at the least lazy and at the most, wrong.

[chromodynamics.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with your's and Carrie's analysis. I thought about it again when I took the kids to a baseball game this weekend: we pretty much sit where we want in our section, take everything with is when we have to hit the concession stands or restrooms, and then return maybe to the same seats but some times to different seat. And I see other people do the same thing. But there are so many groups depected in books and film where people go to the game every week, meet up with people who they only know through the game, sit in the same place, etc. Now it is true we seat in the cheap seats, and this game grouping probably still happens where people buy season tickets, etc., but I think it is still more uncommon than it was in the past. But my guess is that the loss of these relationships is far less than the growth of social relationships through sports team fansites, fantasy leagues, etc.

[didi75.livejournal.com]

I read Bowling Alone for one of my grad courses. It was an interesting read, and I agree that it's not just because of the internet. I don't think that many people are even that into the net, if you remove all the youngsters that is.

And thanks for the birthday wishes, Marc!

[shakespearechic.livejournal.com]

I LOVED the link about The Unitarian Slayer. That is one class I would love to be in - I should forward it on to my UU fellowship ["my" fellowship even though I haven't attended in about three years and haven't attended regularly since my sophomore year in high school :P].

[chromodynamics.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was awsome, wasn't it? I hope someone does one for Firefly now. :))

Hope you get well as quickly as possible.