The backlash against social networking

Ha! The New York Times reports on a series of parties in Manhattan that are explicitly “off the record.” That is, guests are not allowed to take pictures, to record, to blog or even to tweet about the party. The “trend” (it’s just a few anecdotes, extrapolate at your own risk) also includes bars and nightclubs, some of which warn regulars that they risk being banned if they post photos of their outings to Facebook.

The Times spoke to one of the organizers of the off-the-record party, who are all media types:

“We are fighting against this whole idea that everything people do has to be constantly chronicled,” Mr. Malice said. “People think that every thought they have, every experience — if it is not captured it is lost.”

…. the quintet has found that there’s something magical about a life less posted.

“When it’s off the record, you actually listen to the conversation, not just wait for your turn to speak,” Mr. Malice said. When he wanted to take a photo with one guest, a well-known talk show host, he did it outside the venue. “I wanted to keep the space pure, a little bubble of decency,” he said.

I haven’t exploded onto the web in such a way that my friends feel like paparazzi, as the story claims can happen. But the idea of an off-the-record party kind of intrigues me. It’s ephemeral, which paradoxically means you might actually pay attention to it more.