Readers discuss the Internet's impact on social life

Does the Internet augment or prevent meaningful human interaction? Tell us what you think.

In the May-June 2010 issue, Undergraduate columnist Spencer Lenfield ’12 assesses Internet forums, asking why their popularity among Harvard students dies out as suddenly as it initially snowballs. "It's thrilling to find that there's someone out there who thinks the same thoughts as you," he concludes, "but, in the end, it's not very helpful." Read the column, and then tell us:

 

What has been your experience with online social interaction? Does the Internet augment and enable your social life, or is it simply a tool for procrastination and the avoidance of real, meaningful human contact?

 

See what other readers are saying, and then join the conversation by leaving your own comment. (This discussion is moderated, so your comment may not appear immediately.)

Related topics

You might also like

Making Waves with Philosophy

A conversation with Harvard professor Michael Sandel

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.

Your Views on Conservatism on Campus, Doxxing, and More

Readers write in about international students at Harvard, the September-October cover, and changes at the Chan School of Public Health.

Most popular

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

The 1884 Cannibalism-at-Sea Case That Still Has Harvard Talking

The Queen v. Dudley and Stephens changed the course of legal history. Here’s why it’s been fodder for countless classroom debates.

Trump Administration Appeals Order Restoring $2.7 Billion in Funding to Harvard

The appeal, which had been expected, came two days before the deadline to file.

Explore More From Current Issue

A girl sits at a desk, flanked by colorful, stylized figures, evoking a whimsical, surreal atmosphere.

The Trouble with Sidechat

No one feels responsible for what happens on Harvard’s anonymous social media app.

A jubilant graduate shouts into a megaphone, surrounded by a cheering crowd.

For Campus Speech, Civility is a Cultural Practice

A former Harvard College dean reviews Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber’s book Terms of Respect.

Two bare-knuckle boxers fight in a ring, surrounded by onlookers in 19th-century attire.

England’s First Sports Megastar

A collection of illustrations capture a boxer’s triumphant moment.