Sunday, November 24, 2013
Technology and Human Interaction: Part Two
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Thursday, November 14, 2013
Technology and Human Interaction: Part One
#technology #socialinteraction #awk
If you can't make small talk with strangers in an elevator, where can you? And what does this say about our ability to interact socially with each other? Unfortunately, it seems our generation's ability to communicate with each other directly without mediums such as Facebook or text messaging is rather lacking. Or at least, so say the "old people" who aren't with the times. Well then, it seems I am an old person.
Such concerns about the deteriorating quality of human interaction have been raised before: so what? What’s the value to talking face-to-face, anyhow? In a world of technology, I see fewer and fewer children playing outside as they did back in my day. They are all inside playing Angry Birds on their iPads and Wii Sports on their Wiis. The implications of this are quite detrimental. In the early years of life, children learn to build friendships, trust, cooperate, and so on so forth.
If you can't make small talk with strangers in an elevator, where can you? And what does this say about our ability to interact socially with each other? Unfortunately, it seems our generation's ability to communicate with each other directly without mediums such as Facebook or text messaging is rather lacking. Or at least, so say the "old people" who aren't with the times. Well then, it seems I am an old person.
Such concerns about the deteriorating quality of human interaction have been raised before: so what? What’s the value to talking face-to-face, anyhow? In a world of technology, I see fewer and fewer children playing outside as they did back in my day. They are all inside playing Angry Birds on their iPads and Wii Sports on their Wiis. The implications of this are quite detrimental. In the early years of life, children learn to build friendships, trust, cooperate, and so on so forth.
Is it possible to develop an intimate, emotional relationship with others through texts and phone calls?I say no. All you have is a voice (and not even that for texts); that may induce nostalgia but it lacks the indescribable intimacy that results from direct communication. I feel nothing from talking to my friends over the phone. My belief is that any important interaction should be personal, so I view phone calls as a quick, efficient form of interaction that should not drag on for longer than 10 minutes at maximum. By talking directly to a person, I can actually feel the warmth and intimacy in our relationship.
At the same time, technology has some beneficial effects on social interaction (otherwise this topic wouldn’t be so debated). For instance, although it may not be for everyone, online dating and marriage sites have helped a number of people. And certainly, it makes short, simple messages a lot easier. If I need to ask a friend about homework, I no longer have to go knock on his door; I can simply text or call him instead. And if I'm looking for a friend in a quiet location like a library, texting is much easier than yelling or calling. So technology does indeed have its benefits.
In the end, indirect forms of communication (that is, through technology) are undeniably more efficient. It also allows for broader interaction in the sense that friends and family from all over the globe can text, call, and video chat. Depending on your point of view, technology can be an amazing beneficiary of human interaction. However, it seems to me more like we are simply getting more quantity at the cost of the quality of our relationships.
At the same time, technology has some beneficial effects on social interaction (otherwise this topic wouldn’t be so debated). For instance, although it may not be for everyone, online dating and marriage sites have helped a number of people. And certainly, it makes short, simple messages a lot easier. If I need to ask a friend about homework, I no longer have to go knock on his door; I can simply text or call him instead. And if I'm looking for a friend in a quiet location like a library, texting is much easier than yelling or calling. So technology does indeed have its benefits.
In the end, indirect forms of communication (that is, through technology) are undeniably more efficient. It also allows for broader interaction in the sense that friends and family from all over the globe can text, call, and video chat. Depending on your point of view, technology can be an amazing beneficiary of human interaction. However, it seems to me more like we are simply getting more quantity at the cost of the quality of our relationships.
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| Well isn't this just a beautiful scene? http://quoteinvestigator.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/einsteintech02.jpg |
For a fairly unbiased article from the New York Times on this topic, click here.
Click here to read Part Two.
Click here to read Part Two.
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