Virtually There: The Paradox of Proximity

Being close to others is great. Close colleagues at work give us comfort and security when things around us are changing. We confide in close friends and they share their secrets (and gossip) with us. While we think of friends as being “near’*’ to us, we can also stay “close” to those far away. Alternatively, we may feel “distant” from someone sitting right next to us (Turkic, 2011). This is the paradox of proximity. While both sides of the paradox have existed as long as there have been human relationships, both are accentuated in a world of increasingly ubiquitous connectivity. For instance, using Internet video calling, we can feel closer than ever to those far away. Moreover, such technologies are lowT cost or even free to use. Paradoxically, connective technologies make it possible to sit in the same room with people who are texting or using social media with others around the world, while ignoring those sitting right beside them! In addition to our collocated friends, social networking sites allow us to socialize virtually with just about anyone, just about anywhere. But, virtual friendships and work present both opportunities and challenges for organizations (Morrison & Wright, 2009 and other authors in this volume).