ATC Class: Twidows, it’s not cheating … exactly - The Globe and Mail

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By Lisan Jutras
From Monday's Globe and Mail
Our partners may not understand, but tweeters get a lot of, um, satisfaction connecting with others


Twidows.

I guess it was bound to happen. My relationship with Facebook had taken a back seat to my relationship with Twitter. I'd wake up in the morning and tweet first thing, maybe while I was making my guy a cup of coffee - which I often do, because I am generally good girlfriend material.

I kept my tweeting in check. I was not a person who tweeted while in conversation, or during movies and the like. But I understood the lure, the itch to tweet. I was pretty sure it released little vapour puffs of good-feeling into my brain. As good as cuddling with my boyfriend? Not quite, but, as it turns out, not far off.

Fast Company writer Adam L. Penenberg recently took part in an experiment in which the levels of oxytocin in his blood were measured before he tweeted and while he tweeted. (Oxytocin is the sexy brain chemical, the honeymoon chemical that doses happy couples and breastfeeding mothers.) The researcher, Paul Zak, measured a jump of 31 per cent, or as much as experienced by a groom on his wedding day.

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There's a chance the oxytocin might even be responsible for charitable online natures. (While one study revealed that students are measurably less empathetic than they were 30 years ago - which researchers tied into the Internet's culture of narcissism - they are also big givers. Fundraising for the Haiti earthquake broke records, with many donations coming by text message, which as a demographic that is typically young and social-media savvy.) Dr. Zak's initial findings indicate that folks infused with oxytocin donated an average of 48 per cent more to charity than those administered the placebo.

So I'm making a case for polyamory. It's never easy, but with a modicum of finesse, it can be sustained. "Love the one you're with," as the song goes - just don't bring one on a date with the other...


Vocabulary

honeymoon charitable nature narcissism demographic savvy infused placebo polyamory modicum

a way of thinking that only focuses on one’s self 2.      specific category of people made based on some factor, e.g. age 3.      smart/aware/knowledgeable 4.      a drug substitute use to trick a test subject into thinking they have taken a drug 5.      a small amount 6.      having more than one serious relationship partner 7.      an inherent quality of being giving 8.      cause to be full of something, or to have something added 9.      a time after a wedding where the married couple spend time together alone often in a resort or far away place.

Discussion

1. What is the point the author is trying to make about social networking and micro-blogging sites like Twitter.
2. Why do you think the author compares her use of Twitter to a romantic relationship?
3. Do you use any social networking sites, or interact online with others?
4. Do think that virtual interaction is as useful or beneficial to society as real conversation?
5. Imagine your significant other was going away on some trip for an extended period let's say one year.  Would you still feel close to them even if you only communicated through twitter?