The Unsocial Network?

I participate in a small group discussion at the basement of my church every Wednesday morning. Its basically ten men who gather each week to read the Bible, wrestle with what it looks like to be more like Jesus and share what is going on in our lives. We pray for each other at the end and one prayer request I hear from the men with children is that they do not have enough time to spend with them. One father just made partner in his law firm which is great but also means he has not had dinner with his kids in over two weeks since he gets home after they are in bed.

How do we solve this problem? One suggestion is to use the internet. He HAS to be in the office downtown at dinnertime, so why not set up a computer screen and link it up to a face-to-face webchat? The internet is an amazing thing that a father who otherwise would not be able to make a connection to his family during dinnertime can now interact as if he was right there. The kids loved it and it works with the fathers schedule, so here is a great example of how the internet has helped make a genuine connection whereas otherwise there would be something lacking.

But is the internet really helping us make a better connection to our social groups, families, and friends? Or are we just skimming the surface while making thousands of superficial connections each day. My friend is skyping into dinner... that can't really substitute for actually being there can it? But in his situation it is the best he can do, right?

I am not trying to raise an argument about the necessity of social networking and finding personal connections on the internet. I have heard many stories of old high school friends reconnecting on facebook and people finding love on dating sites. What I think is dangerous is when these internet connections replace the deep interactions we all need. We all have a deep desire to connect, to be known, and to feel love. If I only connect with people on facebook, they can only know a few bits about my personal info (favorite movies, books, quotes, etc) and possibly the few things I find interesting enough to share with the world each day (as long as it is under 140 characters). This, I believe, does not suffice.

But maybe I am wrong. Some would suggest that each connection is different for different people. There are social scientists that hold to the claim that the "weak" social connections of the internet are satisfying enough. An introvert might not have the courage to go up to someone at a bar and introduce themselves but a facebook friend invitation and wall post would satisfy. I can understand this in principle, however am fearful of the replacing effect this might have on normal face-to-face interaction.