For me the technology was always the most positive thing, especially because I had to work to own it so my connection to it is kind of special. It was never the limiting environment, it actually allowed me to develop a side of me that was impossible to express anywhere in my real world.
And as I am a natural born extrovert, I was extremely social even as a very small child, an outlet which I gain in my adult part of the life channeled through the power of the internet and technology was a true blessing for me.
The cultural blockage is evident in media, but not in the internet, there you are completely right. I used the Facebook, but it never impressed me too much.
The stuff you talk about the presence, yes, it is quite different to peek into the person's mind, how they think, what is a dynamic of their feelings and internal dialogues , because we do that when we 'read' a person, much more than while we talk in 3D which is quite weird, because we can't see a person. It can be quite overwhelming, especially if a person in question is me, because I have a tendency to perceive a lot of things in that way. Too much. I overthink everything.
Sometimes I even think that I maybe gain too much of my friend's privacy for example, while discussing some things, you can't see some of those things in every day life. And, as mentioned before I am extrovert, so many of those people would never talk about certain things with me, as they are maybe even withdrawn because of my eloquence and outgoing nature, I come too forceful in the normal discussions.
I believe that technology gives them a courtesy of a shield against my energy, as you suggested people feel safer that way. But, I see this situation from a different angle, because I will get off-lined if I am too energetic, and in real life they don't have that luxury.
Gossip websites flourish on lack of respect and ability to be a keyboard warrior , lol.
Technology is kind of crappy from a side where people loose a touch with the reality, when they forget that it is not a machine on the other side, and when they become somebody else.
Even with my mileage in talking and talking, I can't do that, because the fiction we sometimes make can even produce a sort of a semi-illusion of something we want to believe, but it is not true.
Real conversation just can't be substituted entirely with anything, because we are not wired that way.
That's my opinion. I hope you like my reaction to your recording.
Yes, I agree with this. I've learned to be a chameleon with my communication though - stepping back when someone wants the top spot, and also leading when a person needs to be lead. I need human interaction on the personal level else I'll go crazy lol