Your reunion is always happening Aug27 '08

My ten year high school reunion is coming up. I've opted not to go for various unrelated reasons, but it got me thinking about reunions in general. Are they worth it anymore? Do we really need to cram everyone in the same room while awkward greetings are made to old friends, crushes, or that person you never spoke to?

Do we really need to feign interest in everyone's life, asking the same questions over and over:

"So, what are you up to?"

"What are you doing these days?"

"Is that your kid?"

The fact is, we don't need reunions anymore. Reunions are what pre-internet people did. They had no other choice but to organize meetups, because that was the only way.

I've already touched base with many old friends through social networks like Facebook. Granted, writing on their wall doesn't replace face-to-face conversation, but reunions will eventually end, and people will go their separate ways again (until the next reunion).

Social networks are always on. Therefore, you've already been having your reunion, you just didn't know it!

Shrinking the past

Your reunion never ends. As scary as this sounds, it's true. The more involved you are in social networks, the more old faces you'll come across. And the more of your life you put on the web, the more involved in your life your "followers" will feel.

This essentially shrinks the past. Your past suddenly became your present, with a click of a mouse.

This may be a bit overwhelming, especially for that person you haven't spoke to in 20 years. But you'd be surprised! You'll probably discover that not much has changed. The only thing that changed was that you stopped taking interest in being a part of that person's life. "Going separate ways" is no longer an excuse.

With social networks, it's far too easy to stay involved in someone's life, at least indirectly.

So what are you waiting for? Find those old friends, crushes, and people you never spoke to. Make a connection before it's too late!

Categories: Life , Social Networks , Trends

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matthom is published and produced by Matt Thommes - an independent publishing enthusiast, mobile blogger, content creator, informative writer, web developer from Chicago. Never one to conform, Matt intends to promote the effect the web has on our lives, in an effort to intensify, instruct, and clarify all that is happening around us.

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