In today’s world, mankind has made great discoveries. Technology tops the list. It is one of the greatest inventions of humankind. Since its discovery, it has changed the way people do things; from the simple act of communicating to the complex procedures like surgery. It has transformed lives completely. Some people may argue that it is for the better but just like everything else, it comes with its flaws. From a general perception, technology has made things easier for everyone. Its effects are being felt from every aspect of life; from the workplace to the homes. It has played a significant role in how people relate to one another in different places. Life before the technology age is completely different from the one that came after its discovery.
Long ago, people used to communicate on face to face basis where one could easily tell whether the person they were speaking to was sincere from their body language and facial expressions. There was an aspect of truth and trust. Nowadays, all that has changed; it is hard to separate the truth from the lies. People solve matters over the phone or email. Important discussions are being held over the phone making people drift far apart. Speaking to someone over the phone is not the same as speaking to them directly on a face to face platform. There is something that is lost. According to Junco, Heiberger and Loken (2011), an individual may talk to someone through the cell phone and still feel the need to have them closer to them. There is that gap that calls are not in a position to fill. That is one of the differences that technology has made thereby affecting the way individuals relate.
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Those who happened to be born during the pre-technology era did not get a chance to pass a message through the email. They used letters to pass information to one another over long distances. If it were a letter to a lover, it would have more meaning than an email since it is something that can be touched and felt. Letters were sweeter as compared to emails. Imagine reading through every word while going through the handwriting affirming that it is from the sender. That is a pleasure emails cannot provide because they are not handwritten. It is impossible to keep them in a particular box and treasure them as if they had more value than all other assets combined. Letters could even be scented to make the recipient feel that they were truly loved and treasured. Thanks to technology, all that has been lost ( Junco, Heiberger, & Loken, 2011).
In homes, people no longer have time to sit down and talk about serious issues affecting their families. People hold long conversations and argue over the phone about family matters instead of finding time to converse the issues at home. That does not bring them any closer but widens the gap between them. It is not right for the family, and to some extent, it may be blamed for the many separations that are occurring today. Couples are separating even after sharing half of their lives together. Some might even have had kids during the time that they were together, but because of the avenues of communication, they are no longer in a position to stay together. On some occasions, people lie about where they are simply because the other person cannot tell the location they are at via the phone. It cannot be done easily since they would have to use advanced technology and go through a lot of trouble. That brings about trust issues.
Some people have also adopted the habit of carrying their phones everywhere they go. It is like a disease that has risen as a result of technology. Some people even take their phones with them when going to the loo. Parents might be so occupied on their Smartphones, tabs and laptops that they forget to pay attention to their kids. When the kids are neglected, they find themselves in bad habits like drug abuse and their parents cannot tell because they are ever busy on their devices. The whole aspect of family is lost. Some spouses fight over the frequent use of mobile devices. At some point, one may find out that their partner has the habit of carrying their phone to the bedroom and getting so lost in it that they even forget that you exist. Intimacy is lost all because technology has interfered with people’s lives as asserted by Chae, Yen and Sheu (2005).
On the brighter side, technology has eased communication over long distances. Before the discovery of mobile phones, it was hard to know how someone who was in a different location was doing. Today, one can get a hold of somebody who is a continent away. Some decades ago, that could have been deemed impossible. It is however not the case in today’s world. A person working overseas can send money to their loved one as well as other items that they may require. According to Chae, Yen and Sheu (2005), t echnology has made the planet a small home where you can reach your person of interest simply through a dial. Communication has been made easier in ways that couldn’t have been imagined before.
According to the Institute for Family Studies (IFS), in 2014; 8 out of 10 adults owned a mobile phone. That shows that by now mobile devices are in every home and that any kid who is capable of operating it owns one. They have been treated like a basic need; something that you can’t live without. Families even forego other important needs to purchase technological devices. In some cases, a family may save a lot to buy certain gadgets and forego family trips which provide great family time to bond with each other. In many campuses, students are always on their Smartphones. They even find it difficult to concentrate in class. It is sometimes difficult for them to switch from the phone to focus on studies when the lecturer steps in class due to their addiction. Immediately the lecturer steps out of the room they bury their heads in their phones leaving no space for interaction with their classmates. That shows how much technology has taken a toll on people’s lives. It has occupied people’s lives so much that they completely forget about interaction with each other forcing them into a world of solitude ( Chae, Yen and Sheu, 2005).
When the lives of today are examined, everything revolves around technological devices. There isn’t any doubt that they have become more prevalent in our family setups. The number of people who own Smartphones increases every day as these devices become cheaper and more accessible. Their quality has also improved tremendously making everyone want to have their phone now and then. The apps have become more addictive such that there is the need to treat a phone as if it was a pet. The focus on these devices brought by technology have risen that people get lost in that world from time to time ( Chae, Yen and Sheu, 2005). Some have forgotten that the person next to them matters and as people continue to treat the gadgets as their best friends, friendship is lost. Every day people tend to push those that are close to them further away, and if nothing are done to change this, relationships will continue to be ruined as technology takes over the world.
References
Chae, B., Yen, H. R., & Sheu, C. (2005). Information technology and supply chain collaboration: moderating effects of existing relationships between partners. IEEE transactions on engineering management , 52 (4), 440-448.
Junco, R., Heiberger, G., & Loken, E. (2011). The effect of Twitter on college student engagement and grades. Journal of computer assisted learning , 27 (2), 119-132.
