In Janna Malamud Smith's article, "Online but Not Antisocial" and in Brent Staples' article, "What Teens Miss When We Let Them Grow Up in Cyberspace ", the two authors contrast their opinions regarding online socialization. Smith believes there are many benefits to socializing online, while Staples sees disturbing emotional and psychological effects to online socializing. These two authors discuss a number of other topics having to do with the Internet. Regarding Internet time consumption, online socializing, and behavioral change resulting from the Internet, Smith and Staples differ in their opinions. Smith believes that people don't spend as much time doing isolated activities like watching television. In his article, Smith states, for example, that people automatically go to separate rooms to watch television when they have a free moment (333). Television distances people from family. Smith also implies that television is even more isolating than the Internet because “online, some conversations are two-way” (334). In other words, since you can chat on the Internet or use email, the Internet is a better alternative than television: a one-way communication device. Television serves as a means of acquiring information rather than a way for people to communicate with each other. ...Staples, however, sees television as a better means of socializing than the Internet. He simply says that watching television can be done with other people, while doing things on the Internet is much more solitary (296). Doing other things like shopping online, he thinks, is much more antisocial than it usually is. Shopping with real people puts a person in a social environment where... middle of paper... and basic necessities are almost as different as night and day in what they consider appropriate in online socializing, time spent and the result of time spent on the Internet. While Smith argues that online socialization and its effects are essentially good and helpful for people who cannot socialize so easily, Staples mainly discusses the negative effects of online socialization and the blocking effect it has on teenagers, in particular. Neither really sees the internet lifestyle the same way. Works Cited Smith, Janna Malamud. “Online but not antisocial.” Choices: A basic writing guide with resources. 4th edition. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: Bedford, 2008. 333-4. Print.Staples, Brent. “What teenagers miss when we let them grow up in cyberspace.” Choices: A basic guide with readings. 4th edition. Kate Mangelsdorf and Evelyn Posey. Boston: Bedford, 2008 295-7. Press.