By Megan Jicha
Connecting with others physically and emotionally takes the back seat to connecting to the Internet for some Americans, according to a study released last Wednesday.
The survey, conducted by advertising agency JWT, found one in five Americans are having less sex to spend more time online.
The survey of 1,011 American adults focused on how technology changes people’s behaviors. Besides giving up sex, 47 percent of those surveyed spend less time watching television and 22 percent spend less time socializing face-to-face with friends to spend more time on the Internet.
Some Northeastern students said they would not fall in line with the results of the survey.
“I would never give up sex for the Internet,” said Heather Markowitz, a freshman psychology and education major. “Sex is good enough not to have the Internet for a little bit.”
It is the person-to-person time that makes relationships special, and while you can communicate on the Internet, it lacks intimacy, said Savannah Rose, a middler marketing major.
“I’d be willing to give up school work, cleaning house, laundry and basically anything that isn’t fun,” Rose said. “But time with another person is worth more than being online. The Internet is just a time killer for me.”
The JWT survey found the biggest reason for the Internet taking more time in people’s lives was because most (48 percent of those surveyed) agreed with the statement, “If I cannot access the Internet when I want to, I feel like something important is missing.”
“I know I obsessively check my e-mail just in case I might get something that needs an immediate response but that doesn’t interrupt my social or sex life,” Markowitz said.
While many students find it important to remain connected in some way in case of emergencies, the Internet is not the only means of doing so.
“I just deleted my Facebook because I don’t really care about the Internet as a form of communication,” said Dan Trovillion, a middler criminal justice major. “The phone is a much better form of communication.”
The other main reason for people wanting more online time was because some (22 percent of those surveyed) said they believe the Internet has increased their workloads.
“The Internet has added to our workload as students,” said Ali Marquisee, a freshman psychology major. “Teachers make you go online to find readings now instead of just handing them out or you have discussion boards you have to take part in for homework.”
However, some students said balancing one’s workload with a personal life is key.
“Being on co-op, after sitting in front of a computer for eight hours, you just have to get offline and be social once you’re home,” Rose said.
Beyond giving rise to a larger workload, the Internet has also birthed new hobbies, like gaming.
“I know some guys who think gaming is more important than girlfriends or playing sports or school work,” Trovillion said. “Gaming is a social and major event for them. Some are willing to give up a lot for it.”
While people have invented ways to combine social and sexual lives with virtual lives with tools like websites like Second Life and through Facebook and dating phone series, most don’t find it to be a good solution for the problem.
“I just don’t think one’s sexual and virtual lives belong together,” Trovillion said. “Internet sex just isn’t a good substitute.”
Some students said balancing the areas of one’s life is a much more effective way to deal with the issue then trying to combine them.
“I just don’t think people should make the Internet such a big part of their lives,” Rose said. ” You need to spend time interacting with real people.”
