Assignment 1

Does it matter if an interaction occurs face to face? Why? What suppositions do you bring to bear in thinking about this question?

The idea of whether face to face interaction really matters is a concern within our decade because the media has become so ingrained in our society. It really depends on the situation for whether or not it should be done in person.
When we walked into class and saw the screen and did not have a professor I was a caught off guard. Traditionally, we would walk into class on the first day and be given a syllabus and talk a little and then we would be dismissed. Today was not like that. This is one of those situations where a professor needs to be present. If we have to come to class so should a professor. They are there to teach us face-to-face so we can ask questions when we have them and we were full of them today. Asking a screen questions about the course does not give us any answers. Also having a teacher in class teaching allows for a student to ask for clarification or for a the teacher to go off on a tangent and interject with stories of personal knowledge that add and enhance the class. It also adds some structure and allows us to know what we are up against for the rest of the semester."It is in the repetitiveness of the everyday, its very familiarity and predictability, that such securities are sought and sometimes found."(Silverstone) http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/new_literary_history/v033/33.4silverstone.pdf I felt more anxiety not being able to ask questions and not having boundaries of what was going to happen in class. I like having the routine of seeing a professor everyday. Having the repetition of always having a professor leads to security that is important to me and not having that caught me off guard. I did not feel anymore freedom than I would have if a professor was there. I would have acted and done exactly what I always do with or without a professor.
There are few times where over the Internet is acceptable instead of a face-to-face interaction. "Chatting with hot babes all day" is acceptable but if a relationship were to develop meeting in person would be necessary for breaking apart any relationship despite where a person meets them. It is not classy at all in any situation to break up with someone over the internet or phone. Quick things that are straight forward do not warrant a face-to-face meeting. But there are somethings in which it is necessary for a meeting to occur.
A lot can be learned from looking at someone as they talk and the way they carry themselves. As Rushton states "the face provides an instrument panel upon which a scale of reflexes, emotions, and thoughts are registered." (5/19)http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/cultural_critique/v051/51.1rushton.pdf It is important and people can learn a lot from the face-to-face interaction. A person's emotions can be displayed clearly on their face but if they were just chatting with someone online then that other person may not be able to fully comprehend what is being said. The tone in which something is expressed is also important. Sarcasm is far better when being said aloud to a person that someone else trying to interpret it through text.
A job interview would also be something that would be face to face. An employer would need to look at how they interact with people, their body language, the way they talk and their outfit. A heavy accent may impede some one's ability to convey their message which could easily be hidden via the Internet. If they are not confident or have facial piercings or visible tattoos, these are things that would be visible in an interview. Some of these things could be found out through the Internet but the overall presence of someone would only be found out through personal interaction.
Therefore I think it is really important to have face-to-face interactions especially in certain circumstances. It is what has traditionally been done and worked for our society and should continue.