Society is full of quick communication. Texting, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter are all ways to quickly say what is on your mind. People have flocked to these social media websites for faster and informal forms of communication. The “good old fashioned” phone call and public meeting have been lost to the convenience of the text message and Facebook group. It seems today that people cannot function in society unless they are constantly glued to their computer screens and phones.
Proponents of technology, or technological optimists as they are sometimes called, believe that the Information Technology (IT) revolution will spread information faster, and on a global scale, than ever before. Optimists believe it will also allow people to have connections and friendships that extend throughout the globe.
People have groups that have members from across the world and still function as if they were right next to you.
There is no question that the IT revolution has spread information and communication globally and made it easier than ever before. There is, however, a downside to this rapidly increasing speed and dependence on technology for communication and information. The first disadvantage to this increased dependence on technology is a loss of personal interactions that once characterized society. The second disadvantage to the virtual speech that technology allows is now there is a greater potential for accidents otherwise known as miscommunication or false information.
When was the last time you had a conversation and during it the person you were talking to took out a phone and started texting or checking their Facebook during your conversation? When was the last time you sent a text message or checked your phone during a conversation? If you are anything like most people, the answer to those questions is “pretty recently.” And that is a problem. People are not only using technology to enhance their lives by connecting with people around the globe; they are using it as a substitute for real conversations. You have probably heard of someone being broken up with through a text message and you probably simultaneously scoffed at the idea and were saddened by it, but also found it abnormal. Sadly, according to Slate Magazine, over 22 percent of people under the age of 30 have used the Internet to break up with someone. That 22 percent might not be close to a majority, but a few years ago that number was probably closer to zero. Although breaking up through a text message is an extreme example, every day conversations that should take place in person are increasingly taking place through the mediation of technology. Face to face interactions are disappearing in favor of face to technology interactions.
The increased speed and reliance on technology for communication has also increased our risk of hearing misinformation. The mediation of conversations through technology has made it impossible to tell when someone is being sarcastic or joking and when they are just being mean. People are increasingly becoming boring. Conversations no longer have animation because they can only show as much emotion as 140 characters can show. For those who are thinking that the emoticon “;)” is a sufficient sign of emotion or sarcasm, I urge you to have a few conversations with people who are less reliant on technology and you will find that there is so much more to a conversation.
Worse than simply losing part of a conversation, reliance on technological mediation for conversations has made people less intelligent. It may be true that people know more about what has occurred in the world because of technology, but they also know less about what they know. News stories now have devolved into quick headlines or 140 character snippets. These quick bits of information provide no real knowledge of what happened but give individuals a sense of knowledge. Unfortunately people believe they are informed about the story and then post their own opinions of the events. These opinions are often ill-informed while complex issues get compressed to 20 words or less.
I am not telling you to be a Luddite or to stop using Twitter, Facebook or your cellphone. I think all of these tools can be fun and useful when used appropriately. What I am telling you to do is have a real conversation and to think more about your interactions with technology. Through increased analysis about technology and its implications, one can prevent the devastating mistakes of dependence and miscommunication.
Kentucky Morrow is a College freshman from Edina, Minn.
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Darn! We have to show up at a gathering at my son’s school appropriate when that may be taking place.