Digital Communication And Its Effects On Our Society

Stephen Johnson in the article “Social Connections” argues that “technology is dividing us as much as uniting us.” Johnson supports his argument by explaining that technology helps us block out people due to the use of technology. He even states, “We wear white earbuds that announce to the world: whatever you’ve got to say, I can’t hear it”.The author’s purpose is to point out to the reader that technology has pretty much taken over our means of communication. The author writes in a formal tone for critics of the communication technology, and educate the public on the effects that technology plays in our social

Imagine receiving a text from one of your friends; a hilarious joke they had thought of on a whim. You could send a laughing-face emoji or the more common "lol" text back, but it could never take the place of both of your side-splitting laughs filling the room if you were together. A group text couldn't even come close to what a night out with friends would be. Technology is creating a deadening power on society by disconnecting people from the world around them, replacing the meaningfulness of human interaction, and simplifying thoughts and pleasures to only the most immediate.

All advantages have corresponding disadvantages. Sherry Turkle’s essay “Connectivity and its Discontents” address her stance towards technological communication. Throughout her essay, she provides examples that illustrate how the world is consistently depending on technology for communication. Turkle’s opinion towards the issue is that, “she believes we’ll eventually sacrifice communication for mere connection.” Her examples make the reader consider that technological communication leads to human beings losing intensity in communication in both personal and professional situations because of distraction and convenience. The twenty-first century widely introduced a variety technological advancements which made people rely often on the technology. Thinking back to her opinion towards the issue I would agree with the idea that humans are becoming too attached to technology, but I would disagree that technology draws a wedge between people.

Since the beginning of recorded history, people always have developed new technologies. Technology was like a double-edged sword: it always brought destruction and improvement. Even though technology has both disadvantages and advantages, it had more advantages if it is well controlled. For example, fire, one of the old human inventions, is dangerous and is capable to destroy objects but people still use it because it allows people to cook, heat oneself, melt metal, combust to generate energy, and etc. However, there are always people who disbelieve in new technology.

Over this past decade or so, people all around the globe have been granted with greater advancements in technology. From cellphones we can talk to, to 3-Dimensional televisions, we are able to pretty much do anything thanks to these high-tech products. But, should we really be grateful for these easy-to-use devices, or are they taking over the lives of millions? In the articles written by Michael Malone and Daniel Burrus, we receive an inside look on whether todays modern, wired, Web world is, or is not, benefitting society. Although both authors held pretty neutral views on the subject itself, Malone’s support towards the negative effect of technology definitely lures readers into

The written word,now a weapon, is now digitized and feed through media. “A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it. Take the shot from the weapon.” (Bradbury 58). Not only have books become a media revolution so has social interaction. Social media allows for connections formerly unheard. “The problem, they say, is that we spend so much time maintaining superficial connections online that we aren’t dedicating enough time or effort to cultivating deeper real-life relationships.”(WSJ). This avenue of socialization allows for discretion of the true life and person of the poster. “And even worse, the human condition is beginning to devolve. We have become addicted to the vanity of social media unable to expose our lives to the world.”(Green). This media based socialization can overtake the lives of many. “When you add it all up, the average American spends more than 10 hours a day plugged into some form of media.”(Synder). Making the human race even more technology

“The major advances in civilization are processes that all but wreck the societies in which they occur” (A.N Whitehead). Marshall Mcluhan, the author of The Medium is the Massage, would agree to this and add that electronic technology is “reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and every aspect of our personal life” (McLuhan, 8). He would argue that society has always been shaped by the medium of the media affecting everything from government to family, leaving no part of us untouched. Using the alphabet for example, is a technology which is absorbed at a very early age in a completely unaware manner. “Words and the meaning of words predispose the child to think and act automatically in certain ways” (McLuhan, 8). McLuhan would add that electronic technology does this in the exact same way, as it encourages unification, involvement, and commitment. As we grow to learn more about each other, “[w]e have become irrevocably involved with, and responsible for, each other” (McLuhan, 24). If we don’t conform McLuhan believes we will eventually enter into an “Age of Anxiety”, where we “... do today’s job with yesterday’s tools - with yesterday’s concepts” (McLuhan, 9). This causes us to live in a rear view mirror society, and McLuhan says one must use tools of the present to make sense of the present. George Orwell author of 1984 would have a lot to say about this particular topic for instance, “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the

How does electronic communication affect our social behavior as a whole and our psychological development? Communication is an important part of life. We all do it in a daily basis whether it’s face-to-face or through electronics. Communicating through the internet helps us as it decreases a bit in the time that it would usually take for us to keep in touch with our loved ones. However, it also takes away from the face-to-face interaction we would have with them. One of the most popular ways that people communicate electronically is through text messaging. Just like all the other diverse ways that allows us to communicate electronically such as email, instant messaging, social media etc., text messaging affects us both positively and negatively. Actually we are affected both positively and negatively with just the ability to communicate and interact with others electronically. Electronic Communication tends to affects us socially and psychologically; Socially: in a way that it allows us to keep in touch with our loved ones, especially those who live far from us, however it distracts some of us from our priorities; Psychologically: one can be affected in a

When Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “the medium is the message” back in 1967, we were facing a very different society than we are today. His focus was of course on the mediums of the time: radio, newsprint and television. Mark Federman, a Chief Strategist for the McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology asserts in his article, What is the Meaning of the Medium is the Message? (2004), McLuhan was not speaking directly about the medium itself. His thought process went to a deeper level. Federman “note[s] that it is not the content or use of innovation, but the change in inter-personal dynamics that the innovation brings with it” that is the issue. In a world that we can now access hundreds of thousands of bits of information in milliseconds, we can certainly see a shift in media influence. Today we can actually watch events as they unfold, whether they are events for a greater good or events of horrific acts of terrorism, technology has enabled society to be omnipresent. Melody Thompson (2011) refers to Jaron Lanier in discussing how technology shapes our relationship to itself. She notes that Lanier believes technology imposes on us its own viewpoint and that shapes our decisions. In a world where we live with a 24 hour news cycle and news stations that can skew their reporting to send the message they want their viewers to hear, it is quite prophetic when Lanier states “it

Technology has revolutionized communication and the world like nothing before. The Internet has given the world a freedom never explored in the past. The Internet has broken communication barriers to an extreme level. Now day’s two people from two different countries can talk or chat without interactions. Internet has given people the ability to connect forever through social networking. Some of the biggest world social networking services are Facebook and Twitter. Through technology communication is made much easier, but the communication with the people that are right next to us might be getting weak. Technology has its positive and negative impacts on society. It could keep us informed, but it could also affect anyone’s communication life. Even though it’s an easy communication barrier it’s being over used by society every day. The Internet has charge everyone and everything over the years, it has giving us the ability to be informed on a much deeper level. Families are losing their communication, but not just because of technology. Not everything is positive when it’s about technology. It could help us connect no matter the distance, but we could lose communication and relationships. The world has not yet notice that losing important face to face communication because of technology it’s important.

Media is always an alternative story. Media is no longer being a part of the culture, but it creates cultures. In "Convergence Culture", Jenkins’s claim that “when people take media into their hands, the results can be wonderfully creative; they can also be bad news for all involved” (para. 39). Indeed, media brought human so many benefits and profit. However, like what Jenkin said, they can be the problem for the society. For me, if put two sides of the media’s outcome in the balance it would always be equal. Due to the development of technology, from first black-white television to the smart phone with many functions. With the phone on hand, people can connect to everyone, watch, listen, and learn. So who would control our activities on

Morozov states this subject is about economics and logistics. He claims we confuse the intended uses of technology with the actual uses. Cyber-utopians truly believe in the power of the web to change societies for the better. People believe that if all persons can get online, and have enough connectivity, through collaboration they can get what they want, and democracy is inevitable. His argument is that this ideation disregards political, cultural, and sociological elements, and paints a precise deterministic picture of the role technology plays. A myth is that authoritarian leaders fear technology like the internet, when in fact they are actively using and allowing its use. The younger generations, having not been subject to brainwashing and by using digital media in all aspects of their lives are assumed to have a healthier chance of a revolution or democracy.

Over the past few years, technology has become a significant part of people’s every day lives. It helps people connect with those far away, but in the process, disconnects themselves from others close with them. Technology has helped improve the lives of many people through transportation and more, but overall has torn us apart. The constant usage of technology has people’s eyes glued to a small screen; they often forget to communicate with those around them.

The launch of a new digital media gadget does have a huge influence on society and can provoke such great excitement for people worldwide as any sort of media outlet can be used in multiple ways. Most digital media gadgets are everywhere and people will always come across it, especially because technology is improving, advancing, and is everywhere. Certain digital media gadgets over time have shaped the expectations, perceptions and interpretations of reality within society. This is evidently shown through the Apple IPhone. This cellular device over time has provoked great excitement within society as it has seduced and even duped consumers into always having the next new product. Consequently, the question in which the consumers need to ask themselves is do they really need the new IPhone for work use or do they just want it as a form of social status? This essay will firstly refer to the launch of the IPhone and how it provoked great excitement worldwide and then it will examine how consumers are being seduced and/or duped into this product. Reasoning as to how and why this is happening is due to the great advancements and development of technology over a period of time.

Since the 1990’s the world has experienced vast improvements in technology and what seems as an endless expansion of the Internet, and as a result, laws and legislation have had to evolve was well. Technologists and policymakers exist in “two worlds, “two cultures” when it comes to viewing a problem and developing a solution. Nevertheless, technologist and policymakers have been up against some very complex issues such as how to control piracy of copyrighted digital media. However, copyright owners have sought out legal means to protect their intellectual assets.