OPED: Does Technology Make Us More Alone?
Technology as a whole has been revolutionary to our society, but in questioning whether or not it gets in the way of socialization, most people do not see technology in a positive light. Technology is often seen as something that creates a wall between friends, family members, and peers where they do not truly have face-to-face conversations. They only stare at their screens while off-handedly responding to one another. Though this is a common belief, I believe technology brings individuals together, who wouldn’t otherwise keep in touch or foster a relationship. I believe that while technology has been known to build barriers between people, it actually builds bridges that benefit people’s relationships.
When asking, “Does technology makes us more connected?” I believe that it is important to consider relationships that would not exist outside the bounds of technology. It is important to be able to contact and interact with one another even if you are not physically with that person. Think of friends you have that you do not share the same state, country, or side of the planet with. How do you keep up a relationship with them? With technology you are able to communicate and remain close friends with people you would not otherwise get the chance to talk to everyday. These friends would otherwise slowly become less and less important in your life solely because you have no way of maintaining contact with them. If you have a friend in the hospital in another city or state and you cannot seem to find the time to go and visit them, technology is a great way to show them you care for them and wish them well if you do not have the chance to tell them in person. Without a means of quick communication, this loved one may pass away before you get the chance to tell them you love and care for them. I think technology is greatly beneficial for maintaining contact in relationships with people who live far away and who you would otherwise never get to speak to again, but it can have its consequences.
I believe, for all the reasons listed above, that technology is more beneficial to the average person than it is detrimental. However, there are obvious “side effects” to the continuous use of technology. In terms of spending time with friends and family in person, smartphones can get in the way of true socializing. People will turn to their phones when they get bored while hanging out and will become distant from the actual conversation. At a birthday party I went to, we were playing Cards Against Humanity and some of the people present did not want to play because they believed the game was disrespectful (which is really the whole point of the game, but I digress). Instead of sitting and engaging with the people around them, they went on their smartphones and ignored everyone else. Not only were they disengaged and being rude to the other people of the party, they also were trying to get people who were playing the card game to go on their phones and play different games with them. They effectively separated themselves from the party and annoyed everyone around them. Smartphones can be detrimental to face-to-face human interaction because people who lean on their phones for stimulation will dismiss the people around them for what they believe to be better entertainment.
When it comes to documenting the things you are doing, I think some people go about it all wrong. There is a way to still capture the events and places you are going into media without forgetting to live in the moment. The people who do not realize this are the people who watch the concerts they’re at through their phone screens because they’re taking a video of it that they very well know they’re never going to watch again. This way of going about it is the wrong way of remembering the concert because it is not personal at all. Anyone at the concert could’ve taken this video because they all are pointing it at the same stage. Other people go about it the right way, they take pictures of themselves with their friends and videos of what they all are doing as a group together. These videos you can look back on and think about all the fun memories you made with those people. However, you should not be constantly annoying everyone around you asking to take staged pictures everytime you see a good backdrop. I think people should be more natural about it and take pictures of your friends doing things and laughing and actually having a good time. Pictures and videos can be a great way to document the fun adventures you go on with your friends and family, just do not go overboard and forget to live in the moment.
Overall, I believe that while technology has some negative effects on human interactions, it still brings people from all over the world together. I think it’s very close minded for people to have extremist attitudes towards technology by saying it should be disregarded and not be apart of people's lives because it “disconnects” people. It has the ability to build bridges between people and the main issue comes from when people abuse technology. Too much of anything is bad for you, but as long as you’re aware of this and make a conscious effort to engage with those around you, your use of technology won’t turn into an abuse of technology. After that, the only issue you’ll have will be people shoving their opinions in your face. But hey, what else is new?
By Jane Brown