Technology : The Positive Influence Of Technology And Relationships

Remember the days when most conversations were spent face-to-face, and not through texting or on a social media platform? Our society has changed the way we converse with one another in every way possible. Every thought, opinion, and idea we have we feel the need to broadcast it to the world, either by posting it on Facebook or tweeting it for hundreds of people to read. Is this new way of communication good or bad for our relationships? M.I.T professor, Sherry Turkle, addresses this question in her article, "Stop Googling. Let's Talk." She discusses the positive and negative attributes of the way we're using technology, and how it has overcome most of our relationships. We have abused our privileges of advanced technology by using it to replace our emotional needs we desire as humans.

“...between 2005 and 2012, 35% of the couples marrying in the US had met online” (González). The internet is used in many ways such as, communicating, posting status updates, and discovering new information. People most commonly argue the internet to be the source of loneliness and depression, whereas others say that it generates more relationships and friends. Electronic devices, such as mobile phones and laptops are utilized in everyday life, whether it be for work, school, personal matters, and in many other ways. It helps promote interactivity and involvement in a community, where you are not alone. It also permits transparent discussions, between friends, family, and others, that are beneficial in everyday life worldwide. Technology does not make us more alone as it gives people the opportunity to meet new people, supplements communications, and aids those who are already lonely.

Our society has evolved very much over time. The technology, has impacted it greatly. With technology in our lives, we find ourselves ‘glued’ to our electronics. Now, the question is, what does social media provide us? In Wu’s article, he states, “The devices we use change the way we live much faster than any contest among genes.” Meaning, we rely on these devices to make us happy, and resort to them when we are bored. Similarly, in Castells article, he says, “Media often report that intense use of the Internet increases the risk of isolation, alienation, and withdrawal from society.” However, the article also says that social media has actually “increased sociability, civic engagement, and the intensity of family and friendship relationships, in all cultures.” Answering the question, we actually get something out of using social media. We are allowed to communicate with

Today’s young adults have a lack of communication with friends and family because of technology such as social media, video games or television. In our society, parlor walls can be seen as those commodities. The large flat screen tv’s or IPads are today’s enthusiast. “Social media in our country and the globalizing world has become the voice, eye, ear, heart, and memory of the individuals. It has aspects which strengthen, weaken and include communication between the individuals and also it provides convenience for time and place.” This, according to TNS Digital Life Research that carried out a study in 2011 and held 1.938.059.098 people that were online. Researchers were able to test how many people prefer to communicate through social media or rather be involved in some sort of social media instead of actually going out and interacting. These studies show and give a glimpse of how many people are more interested to spend time on social media instead of building new relationships. Bradbury’s society and our society and similar because of the lack of communication we have because of some aspects of technology that are similar, which are the parlor walls and social media, television and video games.

Today, anyone can rekindle old flames with social media or update their status to keep distant friends close at heart. Somehow, Maggie Jackson sees facilitated communication as “clashing streams of rapid-fire imagery, floating in limitless cyber-worlds” that loosen any grip on intimacy (546). It’s understandable that face to face moments are deemed an essential aspect of connectivity. Still, a digital barrier seems minute in many circumstances. Every year college students drift far from home in the pursuit of higher education. For most, leaving family behind is extremely difficult and can even hinder the way a student manages emotions. With powerful tools like Skype and instant messaging, communication isn’t so difficult. Although looking at a screen isn’t “the real thing”, it allows people to feel closer and connected. A few glances at funny pics of mom or a second to see what a friend posted about their life back home can give a feeling of comfort to those that need it. This is progress. This is proof of successful innovation. Yes, focus is briefly split into “alternative virtual universes” but the benefits of cyber-mingling far outweigh the small cost of attention (Jackson 547). Focus dispersed between real and computerized life should be seen as a positive symbol of cultural

Both these articles provide both the goods and bads of our technology, and what technology does for us. Seemingly, social media strengthens face to face interaction skills, gives children more empathy and understanding of one another, and cues kids in on social graces. One area specialists are arguing over is that of face-to-face interactions. In the article “Antisocial Networking” a teenager named Hannah Kiliot says she can ”Make plans to meet some friends later at a party. ”“The text also states that she “Played in two softball games, texting between innings and games about plans to go to a concert

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

As technology evolves, so does our way of communication, from writing letters, to sending emails, and now through different social media platforms; Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. The topic social media has always been a phenomenon, and has led to interesting debates and research on whether or not social media have made us more social or, ironically, more unsocial. An article written by Winter, parents stated that children would rather play online games with other Internet friends, rather than actually go out and play with them (Winter, 2013). People are in a way more connected, but they are not together.

Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Instagram, and Flicker was invented to keep us in touch and keep us closer to our family and friends. But according to How Facebook ruins Friendships “we took our friendship online” (Bernstein). First we began communicating more by email than by phone and then switched to instant messaging or texting. By joining social Medias online

With new inventions and technology gradually growing every step of the way, many channels of communication have been created. Smart phones, computers, and social media have had such an impact in the way we interact with one another. Millennials have grown in a world where face to face interactions do not have the same meaningful connections that past generations have had. According to an article which explored smart phones and mediated relationships, “We found that the majority of our respondents multitask exploring the Internet or listening to music while also texting as a stable form of social contact. This suggests that young adults are increasingly blurring the line between symbolic and material spaces rather than being mentally and physically present with the other” (Pettegrew, 2015). It has been clear how much of an impact technology has had in the way we interact and communicate with one another, and this has opened up a door for new communication studies research to be done. Technology will continue to grow, and changes in message will occur along with that growth, so as communication scholars we have a lot to study and analyze within the future. “Studies of actual interpersonal relationships and how digital media affected them over time or,

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.

As much as I regret to admit it, I’m attached to my phone. I’m constantly reaching into my pocket to check the time, make sure I haven’t gotten a new update, or to send a message. I do this even when I’m not talking to anyone! It’s become an addiction, having to make sure I’m not missing anything, and I'm not the only one who has this problem. Seventy-five percent of the world population has a cell phone, and that number will only increase. With the creation of new technology portions of life have become easier. Technology has changed the way we go through life. It’s made talking to people easier, as well as keeping up with the lives of others. However, the effects have affected the aspects of our lives that don’t include technology.

These drawbacks include too many people being reliant to talking online rather than in person and not verbally communicating with friends even though they are in the same room. Jasmine Fowlkes shows the reality in how social media is affecting our new generation through her article, “Viewpoint: Why Social Media is Destroying our Social Skills.” After discussing the results conducted by several researchers, Fowlkes states,“As more generations are born into the social age, social media will continue to be the favored communication form among young people. However, this shift may begin to affect their ability to properly communicate in person with peers.” Many start to rely on applications on our devices to talk to people, but this results in less verbal communication. In addition, Kelly-Fay’s Talktrack research study showed that conversations held in person are much more impactful than on social media. Rather than making social media a huge part of your life, Fowlkes wishes that people would look up from their phones and engage more with others since that could change their lives.

People begin to connect more and more every day with the power of social media. Whether someone is thousands of miles away or a few blocks from your house there is the possibility of finding them on social media. The question is, with all the connecting possible through social media does it make us more distant to one another? With today’s youth, social media begins to take over one’s life and become their main source of interacting. Social media is possibly one of the best and worst creations in the modern world but the cons definitely triumph over the pros.

When teenagers say something bad about someone else to who they thought were there friend over snapchat, that person can send that message to their friends and so on, due to this, relationship are getting broken everyday over technology. These days, many teenagers tend to message people instead of meting up and talking. For example, if it was your birthday, ten years ago people would go up to you or call to wish you a happy birthday. Now it’s only a view lines on a Facebook message. Teenagers are too reliant on technology to make sure their friendship lives. According to pew research centre,” Adolescence is a time of incredibly physical, social and emotional growth, and peer relationships, especially romantic ones, are a major social focus for many youth. Understanding the role social and digital media play in these romantic relationships is critical, given how deeply enmeshed these technology tools are in lives of American youth and how rapidly these platforms and devices change.” This text talks about how much technology is changing and due to it, relationships, friendships and families are falling apart. According to Digital Lives,” One of the most observable effects of social media on society is social communication. Social skills and interaction are attributes people need to succeed in life. It may be hard to see, but children build these skills as they grow up