Modern Age Anti-social Syndrome

I just had the funniest conversation with someone I met at a club a few weeks ago. It really gave me something to think about! I'm aware I can't handle going out every weekend because at times I get exhausted by the enormous amount of brainless individuals who over-populate the clubs, the bars, the streets and pretty much the whole planet. Additionally I'm already forced to deal with people at work for 5 days a week.

This is why on weekends, I can do anything I want.

I can be social and decide to go dance and "tolerate" to be surrounded by people who struggle to have an intelligent conversation. Or I can be deliberately anti-social and lock myself in my own privacy of my home. I chose this option quite frequently I must admit.

I always think it's because I'm just not in the mood to be around people. I want to write, or read, or just watch TV... however I always end up on the computer thinking I'm just going to check my email for a minute. 5 hours later I'm still on the darn thing chatting on Facebook, sending emails, chatting on IM, searching for more reasons to chat! So am I really anti-social? Because in a way I'm striving to connect with everyone. Maybe I just have more fun virtually spending time with people rather than in reality.

Am I lazy? Hence that is what my friend suggested... in fact he had a brilliant idea that by having food delivered, a webcam, and online chatting I would never have to leave the house again on weekends... How scary.... that is usually what I do, with the exception of the webcam.

I was blaming my behavior on my recent move here in London for the a while. But now it has been almost 7 months and my "anti-social" habit is not improving. I think it might be laziness after all, you can be in your pjs, while eating and drinking, having a very busy virtual evening. Do you know how many people I have to catch up with? I have friends having babies, friends going on trips all the time and posting pictures I religiously need to comment on, plus I'm tormented by following all sort of news via Twitter!

My conclusion is that maybe I suffer from Modern Age Anti-social Syndrome (I just made it up!), a condition where you refuse to physically be around other people yet you urge to be virtually in touch with everyone you know. Maybe it's the awareness that as soon as you are bored and tired you can just LOG OFF. We are disconnected on a human level, yet overly connected online where we love discovering what all of our friends are doing in their social life... isn't that a paradox?