2 The Voice, For Students, By Students ] April13, 2011 | www.fsuvoice.com | send news tips to the editor; agarcia1@broncos.uncfsu.edu
Social Networking and Relationships
Beware false connections and bonds online
By Alicia Bayat
fiice Editor-in-Chief
There was a time when relation
ships seemed easier to maintain if
not at the very least they were less
cumbersome. You didn’t have to
worry about the girl/guy way across
the country coming between you
and your significant other. Then
along came the internet and social
networking.
The internet and the ability to
connect with others across the
country, and the world changed
everything, but it also changed the
nature of relationships. It changed
the dynamics and workability of re
lationships.
This was no longer between two
people trying to get to know each
other, with only each other to focus
on. Now mind you, there were al
ways the possibilities of competi
tion from within the social group.
But the stakes are higher when any
thing goes. Novv suddenly the com
petition can be anyone anywhere at
any time.
The attention is divided and scat
tered. Instead of talking to each
other about problems, it’s no lon
ger just the people that come into
contact with your significant other
everyday, but those that have no
contact but through the internet that
can become an obstacle.
Relationships have evolved over
time and there is only to adapt to
the changing environment. What
is the most effective solution for a
relationship when the interaction
between a couple is impeded by
these phantom ffiends? V^at is the
solution when intimacy is impeded
because of the phantom relation
ships that substitute the interaction
in a relationship?
Sometimes people seem to seek
out faux sexual fulfillment
through online porn and
faux emotional relation
ships through distance
relationships. It strips the
need for any mean
ingful interaction. It
makes reality become sec
ondary. The reality of it
is that these phantom relationship
fillers, social networking sites, tex-
ting, instant messaging and email
ing give individuals a false sense of
security and connections.
Long-term/committed relation
ships are meant to provide stabil
ity, companionship and security.
ALICIA
BAYAT
FINDING
MY VOICE
Stability is threatened by all sexual
and emotional outlets, which in
terfere with intimacy. Companion
ship is diminished and security is
eroded.
Relationships are com
plicated .at any level, but
given the influence of the
internet and social net
working sites, relation
ships have suddenly in
herited another obstacle.
The only recourse is to
establish strong com
munication between you and your
significant other. Of course there is
always adapting to the change.
How many times have I heard
that WOW (World of Warcraft) de
stroyed a relationship because the
husband/boyfriend spent 16 hours
gaming? I’ve done that. It’s just
another outlet, social network and
escapism.
In the last 10 years, I have known
many individuals who have sought
out others online to have romantic
affairs or hookups. Something so
innocent as having someone else to
vent to or talk to easily turns into
something else.
The internet has made connect
ing with others easier at many dif
ferent levels. Social networking has
brought it to a different level, to
help focus and fill that need.
The internet influences more than
the way we work and communicate
professionally. Social networking
sites influence the way we conduct
our relationships and what relation
ships we invest in and how.
FOUNDERS continued from front page
GREEN continued from front page
remembers watching Captain Plan
et and the Planeteers when he was
young. The Vice-President for the
Economics and Finance Club says
Mrs. Seydel gave a lot of takeaways
we all need to think about, during
the conference.
“We need to change to better our
future. Everyone needs to start do
ing something to do their part to
help take care of our environment.
Whether [it is] making use of the
recycling bins, turning off the fau
cet while brushing your teeth, using
lower heating temperatures during
the winter months and putting on
extra clothes to stay warm -, there
are many day-to-day actions we
can take to conserve energy. [The
Conference] was very informative,”
said Mr. Darden.
At the Conference, Vice Chan
cellor Thomas Conway made what
was billed as a big announcement,
the formation of the Sustainable
Community Foundation. It is a col
laborative effort partnering a range
of public and private entities from
across the community. Dr. Conway
shared the foundation’s vision of
our community becoming a nation
ally recognized catalyst for sustain
able living and development.
“There has to be an overarching
plan, an overarching conversation.
There is no planet B in this context.
We’ve got to get this right. We
started a set of conversations. So let
me tell you who the we is.
The we here is your university,
FSU; your power company, PWC;
your chamber of commerce, the
Fayetteville-Cumberland County
Chamber of Commerce; your Sus
tainable Sandhill organization; and
your military base. Ft. Bragg,” said
Dr. Conway to the gathering of
about 300 people.
Business administration major,
Mr. Darden said, “It will be very
beneficial to our community if more
businesses around the city move to
wards green business technology.
Businesses should be lining up to
go green because of the overall sav
ings, especially when one of the
presenters spoke of available grant
monies for converting to green.”
The FSU legacy is now going
global as Chancellor Anderson
mentioned, and telling students in
attendance that when they gradu
ate they will go on to be represen
tatives of the school. Being a part
of the number one ranked educa
tion system in the nation, UNC,
puts FSU students in a solid posi
tion.
“So when you graduate, your
degree will have some weight,”
said Chancellor Anderson.
Special guest speaker, retired
CSM Jones gave a rousing and
sincere speech telling all about
what led her to continue her edu
cation after joining the military.
She was a first sergeant at the time
and attended FSU as a full-time
student. She used her education
to inspire her fellow soldiers into
going back to school. During her
speech she walked through the au
dience belting out that if you want
something bad enough than you
won’t make any excuses about
why it can’t be done. Jones quoted
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during
her speech because she feels the
greatest thing a person can do is to
be of service to someone or some
thing else.
“Knowledge is power, but only
if you use it. Your experiences
mean nothing if you don’t tell
anybody.”
Jones gave the audience at the
J. W. Seabrook Auditorium her
“Bones Theory” on how to be suc-
cessfiil.
Backbone: “Having the courage
to stand up when you are tired.”
To stand up and speak out about
things you feel are important.
As well as having the courage to
stand up and admit when you’re
wrong or need help. “Pride is a
terrible thing to have.”
Wishbone: If you don’t believe
it can happen, it won’t.
Funny bone: Every time some
one gets in the way of progress,
giggle.
Tailbone: “Nothing happens if
you don’t get off your tailbone!
Stop talking and do something.”
Jones is a 1993 graduate of
FSU. She is a retired Command
Sergeant Major for the US Army
Reserve. She currently serves as
the special assistant and senior
adviser to the Under Secretary of
Defense and Principal Deputy Un
der Secretary of Defense.
The 144th Founders Convoca
tion was a day for all those af
filiated with Fayetteville State
University to look forward and
make clear the goals they have set
for themselves and the university.
As members of the Bronco fam
ily, we should all continue to be
ambassadors for the university
and keep expanding the dream of
those seven black men who for
$134 purchased a small piece of
land in hopes that education will
be widespread within the black
community.
With the Vice Chancellor of
education of China coming to
the 2011 Spring Convocation and
having a partnership with five uni
versities in China, FSU is quickly
moving to become a global force
in education.
“Have we lived up to the expec
tation of our founders 144 years
ago? I say yes!”
CONTACTUS:
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Editor in Chief Alicia Bayat, agarcla1@broncos.uncfsu.edu
News Editor Cfiarnell Harris, charrl129@broncos.uncfsu.edu
Desiign Editor Stacey Robinson, srobins9@uncfsu.edu
Adviser Professor Kevin M. Dilley: kdllley@uncfsu.edu
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