Throughout the years, technology has significantly changed how people communicate with each other. Mobile phones made people more connected with each other and positively enhanced the communication realm. It even created a safer environment. If people were to get lost or stuck on the side of the road, it was much easier to contact someone for help.
Since the inception of cellular devices, however, hand held mobile phones became much more prevalent and have become much more complicated. Cell phones are no longer a device to just make phone calls; we could now send text messages and smart phones can connect us to social networking as well as applications like FaceTime. Because of all the fancy new additions to a mobile device, I think face to face interaction has decreased. Though because of technologies like FaceTime and Skype, I think a more accurate way to describe the effect of technology on communication as less personal. People used to have to talk on the phone to communicate with someone not present, but now we don’t even have to hear their voice to have a full conversation with them. Though it may be less personal than a face to face conversation, I feel as if I am connected with a lot more people so much easier. For example, I often keep in touch with my high school friends via social networking and texting, even though we are all in different colleges.
I do think that people can become dependent on the lack of in person communication and may feel uncomfortable in direct meetings. I believe this is a skill we must not lose, and learn to take advantage of new technology without becoming dependent on them.
I feel as if some people take this to the next level and completely disregard reality for their internet life. We saw some examples in class of how people can become obsessed with their internet alter ego and give up their real life. I think that some methods of using technology to create relationships are more dangerous and addicting than others. It seems as if online matching sites have proven to be successful, especially because they encourage in person meetings after being matched up. Online gaming and virtual worlds seems to be extremely impersonal and very easy to get caught up in a separate virtual life. It is one thing to play with your friends, which is still in my opinion impersonal interaction, but it seems really strange to make friends with an avatar and create relationships. I feel as if living a double life could be really distracting and unhealthy.
However, I do believe we need to embrace technology and where it is taking us. We need to use it to our advantage, like how politicians use facebook and twitter to help with their campaign, or how twitter can spread news. We need to venture from creating false realities that are an escape from real life, and turn towards establishing a healthy method to integrate technology into our lives.
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