Reflect on your networked self, using some of the concepts we introduced.
A growing body of research has indicated that humans need to connect socially with others as it is a basic need alongside food, water and shelter. Therefore communication is seen as an necessary part of day to day life, as humans are inherently social beings. These interactions therefore protect our health; mentally and physically, without this we would experience feelings of; loneliness and social isolation. So, in turn, our social network is of utmost importance as we need these bonds and interactions whether it be strong or weak ties to ultimately survive.
Reflecting on my networked self, I realized that my own social network tends to comprise of both strong and weak ties, offline and online. Throughout the course my life I continuously encounter and engage with people whether it be my brief encounter with the bus driver, a conversation with a long-distance friend online or giving an update to my mum about college. All these scenarios are examples of networking with others, this therefore prompted me to ask the question as to how many people to I really network with in a day?
In regard to my social network I decided to conduct a small social experiment, tracking my encounters throughout the course of a day. I wanted to see what method of communication I used more; online or offline and who I interact with more; strong or weak ties.
Online, I found I used this outlet to interact with strong ties, mainly using platforms such as; Facebook and WhatsApp. I found on WhatsApp I connected with my close friends more than Facebook as I usually don’t give out my number often to people I’m unfamiliar with, whereas Facebook was more so for college friends or for module group chats. This was interesting as depending on the application, my level of communication was different and the people tended to vary on each platform. In contrast the only method of communication I had with weak ties online was through likes and comments on Instagram.
The most staggering observation I noticed throughout the day was the level of interaction I have with weak ties, ultimately my day was comprised completely of these interactions. Every hour I found that I engaged in some form of conversation with weak ties, for example talking to a cashier in the SU, saying hello to the bus driver, holding open a door for a stranger, asking the library desk to help you check out a book, talking to a regular customer. With this in mind, I find that I communicate and have more social connections offline, even if they are just brief encounters. Thus, reflecting on this experience I realised the benefits of encounters with weak ties as humans tend to underestimate the importance of weaker ties. However, they are extremely important not only for social reasons but according to Granovetter they can serve as a bridge between groups of people and can be a useful source in all aspects of life such as a crucial link in regards to; finding a job. This has since made me more aware of the sheer power of weak ties.
The Digital Self 