A blog by Jay Spencer, The Big Debate:  Technology vs. Touch, got me to thinking about how people view technology and the emotions they invest in it. 

As far as I'm concerned, technology is a tool, nothing more, nothing less.  With, as everything, the vices of its virtues and vice versa. 

Technology can be used to hold other people at bay, obviously, to put an invisible wall between yourself and others, to avoid direct contact with them, if you're so inclined.  That's not so good for our business, and probably not so good for our health, both physical and mental.  Customers, also, can use technology to avoid the "discomfort" of actually working with an agent as long as possible, while getting work out of them, if they're afraid that direct contact will somehow commit them to something. 

On the other hand, technology can be used to reach people that we would otherwise never have met.  As an example, I've blogged about Meetup.com, where I've meet people with common interests that I otherwise would never have known existed.  We meet online and arrange meetups with groups at wine tastings, restaurants, whatever venues are appropriate to our mutual interests.  After meetings, between monthly meetings, we keep in touch via email.  It's a great way to network with people already pre-selected to have the same interests and, thus, something in common upon which to build a relationship.  I've also been involved in a years-long production of a magazine (that goes out in hard copy) that is put together entirely by volunteers who are spread all over the country, most of whom have never met in the flesh, and the publication is put together almost entirely via email.  We might not recognize each other (unless our photos are really good!) if we walked into the same coffee shop, but we know each other very well and are very good friends nonetheless.

Again,technology is a tool, like any other.  Whether it's good or evil depends entirely on the hand that wields it.  Whether it's a useful tool for prospecting and networking for real estate (and other) professionals also depends on how it's used.