3. Technology and Social Interaction

3. Technology and Social Interaction

Your task for this assignment is to describe your thoughts on how technology influences social interaction. Do you think the spread of technology has had a positive or negative impact on your everyday face to face interaction? What about for people more generally? What do you think about using the Internet to meet other people (via online dating sites, Craigslist, message boards, fan sites, online gaming, or virtual worlds)? Is connecting to others via online communities a viable way of creating meaningful relationships, or are we neglecting our everyday relationships in favor of these "virtual" relationships? Do we, as a society, need to focus on creating more "real" spaces/public spheres for people to connect, interact, and discuss meaningful political and social issues? 


I think technology is making us lazy when it comes to social interaction. I have recently heard about my parent's experiences (not all of them) in college and I have come to realize how much effort they put into keeping the friends they made in college and how they managed to find a way to hang out with them. For example, my mother would make sure to take out some time in her busy week to go out to dinner with her friends or to attend her sorority events. I just think that it is important to do activities, socialize and interact with others in person. Personally, I find myself like many others being sucked into the internet and because of the accessibility, I get lazy and don't want to get up and walk less than a mile to see someone. I think the spread of technology is both harmful and helpful to reaching out to people. But there most certainly needs to be a balance. The face to face interaction is a must because it's how people get to know one another on a greater level then if you were to talk to each other via fb chat, twitter and skype. There's this whole other part of being able to actually hug someone or laughing with them and having to support your weight on your friend's shoulder because you are laughing so incredibly hard. Or even a simple high five or a handshake really does tell you something about someone. I've been applying to jobs recently and I have learned the how to's of having a good handshake vs. a bad handshake, because it really reveals someone's character in those few seconds. So when it comes to that time when you are interviewing for a job via skype or some sort of video connection, that personal contact and deeper connection is lost. 


When it comes to meeting other people online, I think that it is a good tool to find people like yourself who share your interests and want to collaborate with you to defeat the evil wizard. But, I personally just don't see there being the incredible connection I feel with my friends and the relationships I have made in person. I think that if one were to find a significant other online, it is a great start, but there needs to be the effort to see each other one on one in person to understand one another better. The virtual worlds, yes, let people get to know one another regardless of their physical appearance. But I truly believe that there needs to be the face to face interaction with people to make relationships last. I find it really upsetting to think that places and activities that were once praised as a place to gather and connect as a community, with friends and to create an interactive society, are dwindling down. Now people, I think are too afraid to go to these places because of the fears that have been placed on people that others are bad and will hurt you in these public spaces. So, instead we retreat to the internet which, if we are more detached from our society, the less we have to fear about being judged, threatened, and feel more comfortable. I just feel this is wrong. And I feel that our trust in others in our society is what has caused us to use the internet as a safe-haven outlet and alternative to face to face interaction. I cannot stress how much I believe that face to face interaction is key to the world's understanding of one another. If we rely too much on the internet, that greater bond and understanding of someone will be lost. I hope my kids don't lose the personal connections I have made by hanging out, watching a movie, eating with, and just having fun with through face to face time. There should be a time with the internet and there should be a time without it.