Is Social Media The New Front Porch Swing?

My mom is a television junkie.  When I was still living at home in high school I swear she'd knock on my bedroom door, interrupting me working on my homework, to tell me to come watch TV with her.

"Beck?  You've got to see this!"

I liked TV just fine when I was a kid.  I enjoyed watching "our" shows with my mom: "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Soap" and "Dynasty" and "Seinfeld".  But now I never watch TV.  We gave up cable over a year ago and I don't miss it at all.  I much prefer to watch stuff online.  It just seems so much less artificial than what you see on TV.

So here's one of my favorite vloggers talking about this very subject.  People used to gather around the campfire or on each other's front porches, talking, singing, jamming, exchanging recipes, telling stories.  Just like we do now on YouTube and Facebook and Pinterest and--on blogs like mine.

Have a seat.  May I get you a glass of iced tea?