Those that can DO and those that can't TWEET!

I have a question. If your married or living together what do you do about Social Networking? I don't know anything about this because I live alone (well not alone, but with child) and have noticed that living together has changed rather a lot since my days of being tolerant of another. I know several married couples who are keen about social networking. There's nothing wrong with that is there? Actually there is. It's been troubling me for a while and a couple of conversations I've seen on Twitter recently have just underlined what I have been thinking all along.

I know a couple who have been happily married for 30 odd years. They both work full time and in the evenings they like to play games with each other on Facebook. Quite normal behaviour, you would think. Except its not because she sits in the living room, feet up with her laptop and he sits in the attic surrounded by PC paraphernalia. They constantly comment on their scores and on other friends pages, but separately. Great fun for the odd evening but they do this night after night. Can they be happy living together in cyber space? Maybe that's how they preserve their marriage. I'm not judging, merely pointing out that the dynamic of marriage or partnership in this Cyber age is changing rapidly.

The conversation on Twitter that got my attention was one about passwords, computer passwords. Two couples argued that it was perfectly fine to be on Twitter because they both knew each others passwords and god forbid that they would ever go to that dangerous place called Facebook. It just made me realise that both of these couples were on Twitter pretty much all evening and talking to various people on their phones and not each other. This also begs the question, do you do or do you Twitter? Or the old adage. Those that can do and those that can't Twitter. How much of the moment do you experience  and enjoy before spoiling it and whipping out your phone to Tweet thereby missing half the experience.

I think a few people will probably unfollow me on Twitter when they read this but I'm not trying to be critical, just trying to point out that's its easy to get too involved in social networking without realising it. Many Tweeters have decided that Facebook is the Devils work and Twitter is safe 'coz my missus is on there' Facebook and Twitter are just the same. Twitter just moves faster. Facebook is not going to twist your arm behind your back and make you have an affair - that's up to you.

Time for me to get off my soapbox. All I'm saying is think about how much time you spend in the moment and how much time you spend talking about it. I can't tell you how to run your relationship but ask yourself am I married or am Borg like and part of the collective? On a lighter note there is one couple on Twitter that make me smile. Andy and Niamh tweet to their friends AND argue in a tongue in cheek way as to who is going to make the tea. Now that's what I call a positive cyber marriage!