Technology helps one to become hyper-connected in their actions, conversations and interactions which transforms into digital landscapes. Technological applications such as Facebook, Twitter, Email, WhatsApp among others, makes social interaction much easier so long as one has an electronic device such as a computer or a smartphone. The interaction is faster and quicker making conversation exciting.
Consequently, technological communication, allows more freedom as one is not limited to choices because there will be millions of people on standby to socialize with minimal possibility of rejection. “By "friending" others on Facebook, joining discussions in chat rooms or online forums, and playing in virtual worlds, users can employ the internet to connect with others”[1]. It broadens communication means between individuals without limitation to boundaries or discrimination based on gender, race or tribe which is possible in face to face interaction.
Nevertheless, technology as a form of communication, tolerate some aspect of dominance within some certain groups by way of socializing at the expense of others. According Josh Bernoff and Jacqueline Anderson, several categories of people using technology as a way of communication: First are creators who make content that is consumed by others, such as writing blogs, and uploading videos, music, and text. Following are conversationalists who share their opinions with consumers, companies, and others, for example, through social networking sites such as Facebook. Critics form the third group, they respond to the content of others by posting reviews, commenting on blog entries, or editing articles. Then there are collectors who organize content for themselves or others, using tags, and voting mechanisms such as Digg. Joiners, who form second last category, maintain a profile on social networking sites and lastly spectators who consume content generated by others. [2]
Alex Lickerman the author of The Undefeated Mind: On the Science of Constructing an Indestructible Self puts it that, “even when we're all careful to use the Internet only to exchange information, problems can still arise”[3]. People tend to delay answering emails when they don't have what they consider to be good answers or when they want to avoid whatever responsibility the email demands of them. It's far easier to ignore a friend request on a Facebook page than a request from someone made in person. This is because the person sending a request online is not around to convince the receiver with emotional body language as the face to face can do.
Marold, K., Larsen, G., and Moreno, A. in their research study on Web-based learning: Is it working? Challenges of information technology management in the 21st Century (pp. 350-353) established that performance and achievements between online students and classroom students varied. According to their findings, "achievement tended to be higher among the web students. However, performance on projects and homework submissions was found to be higher in classroom students; especially in programming classes, online students with an average ability level had more difficulty applying the theory of programming problems than classroom students”. [4]
Howard Rheingold expound that, the Internet can constitute a powerful antidote to the loss of traditional community values and can help reestablish social ties. However, a plethora of research suggests that online networks have a more complex relationship to geographic communities. Online networks, for example, sometimes supplement physical communities, providing new means of communication that can facilitate interaction among neighbors, but such online connections are not likely to replace the place-based bonds associated with neighborhood -based communities[5].Compared to face to face interaction, online platforms are a source of deceit and fraud. Many people have lost their property through online platforms which are a very rare occurrence through one on one facial interaction. Sometimes getting a criminal who has committed cybercrime is very difficult as some of these criminals use fake identities. In the real world, catching a criminal in the real world is much easier when you can easily catch the criminal in the real act. Furthermore, concealing identity is next to impossible as one get to interact with the person one on one.
In conclusion, the uses of technology in communication limit people potential and promote laziness. Sitting in the house all day, doing shopping, playing games and at times watching other person uploads promotes languor. A human being needs to engage in exercise. Lack of exercise can promote obesity. Sitting all day long glued to computer screen can also cause eye complications. Interpersonal interaction is also limited due to less movement of a person to face and interact with other people. Just, to sum up, people in the virtual world are more deceptive when communicating with them. "The question persists and indeed grows whether the computer will make it easier or harder for human beings to know who they really are, to identify their real problems, to respond more fully to beauty, to place adequate value on life, and to make their world safer than it now is", Norman Cousins – The Poet and the Computer, 1966.[6]
Reference:
Anderson, J. and Bernoff, J. (2010). ‘A Global Update of Social Technographics’. Forrester Research Report. September 28. In Media Technology –Chapter 9’ (http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/40857_9.pdf -2008)pg 302.
Conference on Computer Applications 2012 http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/cambridge/projects/hci2020/downloads/BeingHuman_A4.pdf
Marold, K., Larsen, G., & Moreno, A. (2000). Web-based learning: Is it working? Challenges of information technology management in the 21st Century (pp. 350-353). Idea Group Publishing. Hershey, PA.
Rheingold, Howard. The virtual community: homesteading on the electronic frontier. Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press. 2000 (page 302)
The Effect of Technology on Relationships.The risks of Internet addiction
Post published by Alex Lickerman M.D. on Jun 08, 2010 in Happiness in this World
1.’Media Technology –Chapter 9’ (http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/40857_9.pdf -2008)pg 302
[3]. The Effect of Technology on Relationships.The risks of Internet addiction
Post published by Alex Lickerman M.D. on Jun 08, 2010 in Happiness in this World
[4] . Marold, K., Larsen, G., & Moreno, A. Web-based learning: Is it working? Challenges of information technology management in the 21st Century 2000. (pp. 350-353). Idea Group Publishing. Hershey, PA.
5. Rheingold, Howard. The virtual community: homesteading on the electronic frontier. Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press. 2000 (page 302)
6.Conference on Computer Applications 2012 http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/cambridge/projects/hci2020/downloads/BeingHuman_A4.pdf
