Technology and Social Interaction

I think the spread of technology has had a negative impact on my face to face interaction.  Although I hate to admit it, I feel more comfortable chatting through instant messages instead of through a web cam (of course I would always prefer to talk in person).  It allows me to “hide” behind my screen name.  For example, if someone made me really angry, the other person would not know if I replied with “hahaha” since she/he is not able to see my facial reactions.  I find it ironic how there’s a trend to use “smiley faces” to further express our emotions because typing out our responses is inadequate in expressing our feelings.  I like how instant messaging allows me to think about my responses before sending them.   I think the spread of technology allows people to multitask in the sense that they can become more social since they are able to chat with more than one person at once.  At the same time, I feel that some people might lose some social skills because they are only able to communicate through screens and not face to face.  I notice that some of my classmates in my engineering classes could be considered “antisocial” because they are so caught up with the technology.

I think it is fine to use the Internet to meet other people.  It does have a convenient factor which allows for everything to be accessible and available almost everywhere.  These online sites have the capacity to hold more data and help people find matches more easily.  I, myself, am weary of these sites because I know that risks that come with using these sites.  People can easily tailor a profile that is likeable and does not portray who they actually they are.  Some predators can upload information just to meet new people. 

I think connecting to others through online communities adds another aspect to our social lives.  It allows us to meet a broader range of people who are not bounded by geography or time.  I’m not sure if the relationships are as meaningful and intimate as meeting someone in real life.  I’m sure that we are able to carry relationships with people we meet online, but I don’t think they are as deep as actual face to face communications.  I can understand why some people would prefer virtual relationships instead of actual relationships because it can be so easy to create a world that is in their favor.  They can instantly change anything they don’t like and create anything at the tip of their fingertips.  Some people can get caught up in their virtual world that they neglect to nourish themselves.  For example, they could forget to eat or sleep, don’t even talk about talking with your family members. 

I think it’s important to remember to stay connected with others through real spaces.  Sometimes I feel that people get too caught up and addicted to technology that they neglect their real world.