Choosing Cyberspace Over Hot Sex?
By Lori Carpenos. Posted on .
CBS New York's Jennifer McLogan reported recently that "[t]he hardest desires to resist seem to be social networking sites, not sexual relationships," adding, "While the urge for sex is stronger, people are more likely to give in to the desire [for] social media."
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A University of Chicago study showed that "250 participants identified yearnings to interact through tweets, photos and comments as the most difficult stimulants to turn down. More tempting even, than sex."
Many in the study said: "The Internet is cheaper and more instantaneous than sex and relationships." Furthermore, the study also showed that "the more the participants tried to resist social media, the higher the craving became."
A good friend and Uiversity of Chicago alum had this to say: "The study is obviously skewed because that school houses more geeks than you care to imagine." Perhaps so, but the study probably sounds like good news to the parent of a child on the way to college.
When I was growing up, my parents would never leave me alone in the house for a second, except for the rare occasion when my best friend's parents went away for a few days and then we were able to take full advantage. What were they thinking? Lucky for me, my parents never found out, though, aside from the few select boys we allowed into her pool parties, we were pretty innocent compared to today's teen. We had not been exposed to a gazillionth of what is available to kids today.
If you take this study to heart, and you’re a parent, then perhaps there’s a lot less to worry about these days, and you can feel free to trot off to Tanzania at a moment's notice, leaving your teenagers home to water the plants, feed the dog, and house sit. Maybe not quite...
However, according to stories I’ve heard from couples I’ve seen in relationship counseling, the University of Chicago study makes more sense than you might imagine. It caused me to reflect: what is it about cyberspace that could interrupt a naturally healthy, intimate life together?
Here are five reasons why people might choose cyberspace over real interactions:
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1. You feel less self-conscious in cyberspace. People get away from their personal thinking, more often, when they're immersed in other’s thoughts in cyberspace.
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