The impact of technology on human relationships has claimed the attention of many theorists. It is a known fact that social connections are the basis of the human condition. We live and thrive on the basis of our secure bonding with others around us. Technology has thrown open many new electronic platforms for collaborating with others. The promise of a smaller world, and the closer relationships with these new tools are very enticing. Technology has revolutionized our world, and has made all the information in the world come literally to our finger tips, and deliver many conveniences like online shopping. The world has become one big platform. Trade and commerce have grown exponentially around the world. Businesses are now able to advertise and deliver products and services with ease. Collaboration among people has grown tremendously to deliver new inventions and products. We’re all aware about the positive impact of technology, and it will take reams of pages to described how it has enhanced our lives. However, the overuse of technology, especially social media, which has now become our primary means of communication these days is the demon lurking within the shadows. I fear there will come a day when the news of a relative’s demise will be shared on social media, and we will offer our condolences through thumbs-down and sad emojis. The question is not why these platforms exist, but why we’re unable to find the right balance while using them. So, the intent of this article is to highlight how the overuse of technology is harming us
When I was in college, I used to pay by the minute to use internet. In those days, we used the internet to collect information while doing a project. Because I was paying by the minute, I would limit my internet usage to essential work only. I would spend the rest of my time interacting with friends, reading books, going for walks, or going for art classes. Those days we only had one landline phone at home for the whole family to use. Telephone calls were expensive, and so our conversations were also limited and to the point. We had the ten-digit phone numbers of at least ten-fifteen people on the tip of our tongues. It was a nice feeling to make and receive phone calls so that we could wish each other on important occasions. Interactions were more personal and heartfelt. The world was still functioning well; information was still getting disseminated, and people were still employed. That time felt holistic, joyful, and yet connected. Cut to the present. Nowadays we jump out of our beds to check our phones, take our phones to the bathroom, talk on the phone while driving, keep checking our social media pages for updates, check our phones while eating lunch, fiddle with our phones at the traffic signal, watch TV while eating food, listen to music while working out, watch videos on the phone before going to bed, etc. For more entertainment, we go out for movies. When we go out with our families for dinner, all of us are busy looking at our phones. We sleep and get up with our phones instead of our partners. These days we know more about our favorite vlogger than about our spouse and kids. We may be in a room full of people, but we’ll still be more interested in our phones.
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