There is No Replacement for Physical Presence

I watched U2 3D at the Simons IMAX Theatre near Chinatown, Boston on Central Wharf. Watching them on screen reminded me of the rock concerts I experienced in high school and college, and the people I was with at those times. This type of recollecting life events is probably very common. However, why didn't I flash back to times when I watched music videos of live concerts, or times at a club or a party?

It's because there is no replacement for presence. The combination of the senses with location, time, age, who else you're with all combine to make the recollection of physical life experiences much easier than in virtual or online worlds. When was the last time a thought of an IM conversation came up, or you remember a WOW character instead of your friend playing that character? The closest thing we have been able to accompish with technology is video chat, or chatting in virtual places like Second Life or Qwaq.

Social networking helps us stay in touch with fringe contacts. Now, with the Facebook newsfeed, we can keep up with the goings on for 300-500 friends, effectively shattering Dunbar's 150. With all of this enhanced communication, physical presence becomes more expensive. The next enabling social technologies will likely come from mobile phones, which can incorporate location and match making. For instance, if I were looking for funding, it would be nice to know mutual contacts with a VC at some event, or that we both share an avid passion for white water kayaking.