The Social Scene

People learning English sometimes get frustrated because of the multiple, and completely unrelated, meanings many words have. It’s hard to keep track. “Social” is one of those words that is being used in every context imaginable these days however in its mainstream context, it pretty much maintains the same meaning, simply put: seeking and enjoying interaction and companionship with others.

Social networking, social aging, social media, social responsibility, social Internet…they all talk about that underlying human need to make a connection. So don’t dismiss all this social business because the truth is, your life might depend on it.

How you may ask? The strength, frequency and quality of our social support and connections are powerful predictors of well-being and lifespan. As we age, changes in work status, physical capabilities, energy and friend/family support have a major impact on our well-being. It doesn’t matter if you grow your own wheat grass, completed a marathon last week and have a BrainAge of 26, humans need social interaction to thrive. Some people are able to overcome these changes and easily bridge social gaps that they encounter as they age, others accept them as part of life.

The great news is that technology now provides many tools to bridge those social gaps in order to enrich, energize and connect your life. Technology, you say? I don’t want to learn anything new. Luckily, tablet computing devices have pretty much taken this concern off the table with their intuitive interface and pared-down approach to software applications, aka ‘apps’.

Don’t be confused anymore. Now anyone, any age, is only three steps away from being on a new social scene, the Social Internet: (1) Internet access at home (2) Tablet computing device (3) Someone to get you started, show you the ropes, so to speak. Think of it as an investment in the rest of your life.