Technology's effect on social relationship: Something you need to rethink
Technology's effect on social relationship: Something you need to rethink
21st Century is an era to be recorded ever in history to have the most consistent and fast surging development in technology. The prevalence of technology brought about changes that deeply affect the quality and way of life of the people in general. One of the changes in technology brought is the convenience it gives to people. Look at the sea, you will see ships. Left your head up, you will see airplanes. At land, you will see numerous fast and furious vehicles. At home, you will find a rice cooker. In your hand, I bet you have your cellphone. Where ever you look at, the wonder of technology exist. In deniably, we are now living in the technology era. Nowadays communication is easier, transportation is faster, learning is accessible as ever and life has never been better since the workload and chores are now performed by machines with just a click away. Though life has been believed and considered to be improved by technology, many unwanted changes particularly on social relationships was also blamed on it. The bottom line - is technology really to be blamed?
When asked about what do social relationship 30 years ago was like, my parents told the unexpected. For them, it was hard to maintain and improved relationships than now. Before, their means of communication to people who were far from them was through telegram. Telegram, unfortunately, do not bring greetings, I miss you or I love you letters. You send telegram not for sending love but for emergencies only. It is sad to receive letters not because you are remembered or missed but because it is needed. Why is that? It is because telegram is too expensive, that every alphabet letter is priced. Not that people did not care with each other but knowing what was going in their lives was costly. That was the reason why they chose to endure the pain of missing someone. My father gave a scenario. Before, they have a neighbor who's wife was working abroad. Sadly, he died and his wife did not know any of it yet. Since telegram was so expensive, the son of dead man wrote- "Ma uli. Pa gahi." ( Ma go home. Pa is dead.) Just imagine how happy the wife was for receiving a letter from her family she did not hear for a long time, only to find out a heartbreaking news. Imagine what big difference could there be if technology was already prevalent in their time.
I would like to add my own experience too. When I was 17 years old, I saw a baby picture of my self. Frozen on that picture was the 2 years old me and still practicing to walk. At the back of the picture was a short message -
Dear Lola,
Hi Lola. I miss you so much I hope to see you soon.
Your cute granddaughter.
Rica
The picture made me wonder - if it was intended for my grandma, how come it was still in our possession? I did not ask my mama about it because it was not delivered to my grandma. I grew up without knowing my grandparents both side. By knowing means experiencing how it feels to be loved and cared by them, to feel like they are family. I was never closed to them. I do not have any grudge on them because it was never their fault. Though, I blamed the distance and the lack of constant communication. There was no messenger before, no high-end phones and no fast internet but now that there are already in our time I was happy that finally, we could communicate. However, I was overwhelmed by how fast the gap between me and my grandparents was connected. They would send me I love yous and I will tell them I love them too. But deep inside me, It feels like I am exchanging I love you to strangers. They are my grandparents and I am their granddaughter so it is expected that we love each other but it is so hard to love people you barely know. Maybe if technology is already common before, we could have established a better relationship with each other. Maybe I could have known them more.
My experiences and the experiences I have heard made me realize that technology helps relationships to last in spite of time and distance. It improves the social relationship of people who are afar but impaired the relationship of people who are near to each other. It was also been observed that issues with face to face communication are associated with technology. Family members inside a living room barely communicate because of the phones glued to their hands. Friends tend to forget how each other's weekend went because they are busy scrolling on their social media accounts. The present moment that supposedly be cherished has now been taken for granted. Many blame it on technology but we should bear in mind that every aspect of technology, tangible or not is passive. It needs to be given life, purpose and maneuvered by people. We should not blame technology the irresponsibility and the lack of sense of people. The fault is not on technology but on people.
Therefore, We should practice how to be responsible users of technology. We control it, not the other way around. Maria Cohen on her article Technology and Relationship: The pros and cons, suggested that people need to get accustomed to the new technology and what proper etiquette should be. The youth in schools must be thought on what the difference between virtual and real-life communication. We should remember that with or without technology our social relationship is our responsibility. So the next time you are sitting with your family drop the phone and ask them how their day went. Cherish every moment with the people you love because those moments do not last forever.
21st Century is an era to be recorded ever in history to have the most consistent and fast surging development in technology. The prevalence of technology brought about changes that deeply affect the quality and way of life of the people in general. One of the changes in technology brought is the convenience it gives to people. Look at the sea, you will see ships. Left your head up, you will see airplanes. At land, you will see numerous fast and furious vehicles. At home, you will find a rice cooker. In your hand, I bet you have your cellphone. Where ever you look at, the wonder of technology exist. In deniably, we are now living in the technology era. Nowadays communication is easier, transportation is faster, learning is accessible as ever and life has never been better since the workload and chores are now performed by machines with just a click away. Though life has been believed and considered to be improved by technology, many unwanted changes particularly on social relationships was also blamed on it. The bottom line - is technology really to be blamed?
When asked about what do social relationship 30 years ago was like, my parents told the unexpected. For them, it was hard to maintain and improved relationships than now. Before, their means of communication to people who were far from them was through telegram. Telegram, unfortunately, do not bring greetings, I miss you or I love you letters. You send telegram not for sending love but for emergencies only. It is sad to receive letters not because you are remembered or missed but because it is needed. Why is that? It is because telegram is too expensive, that every alphabet letter is priced. Not that people did not care with each other but knowing what was going in their lives was costly. That was the reason why they chose to endure the pain of missing someone. My father gave a scenario. Before, they have a neighbor who's wife was working abroad. Sadly, he died and his wife did not know any of it yet. Since telegram was so expensive, the son of dead man wrote- "Ma uli. Pa gahi." ( Ma go home. Pa is dead.) Just imagine how happy the wife was for receiving a letter from her family she did not hear for a long time, only to find out a heartbreaking news. Imagine what big difference could there be if technology was already prevalent in their time.
countrylife.co.uk
I would like to add my own experience too. When I was 17 years old, I saw a baby picture of my self. Frozen on that picture was the 2 years old me and still practicing to walk. At the back of the picture was a short message -
Dear Lola,
Hi Lola. I miss you so much I hope to see you soon.
Your cute granddaughter.
Rica
The picture made me wonder - if it was intended for my grandma, how come it was still in our possession? I did not ask my mama about it because it was not delivered to my grandma. I grew up without knowing my grandparents both side. By knowing means experiencing how it feels to be loved and cared by them, to feel like they are family. I was never closed to them. I do not have any grudge on them because it was never their fault. Though, I blamed the distance and the lack of constant communication. There was no messenger before, no high-end phones and no fast internet but now that there are already in our time I was happy that finally, we could communicate. However, I was overwhelmed by how fast the gap between me and my grandparents was connected. They would send me I love yous and I will tell them I love them too. But deep inside me, It feels like I am exchanging I love you to strangers. They are my grandparents and I am their granddaughter so it is expected that we love each other but it is so hard to love people you barely know. Maybe if technology is already common before, we could have established a better relationship with each other. Maybe I could have known them more.
My experiences and the experiences I have heard made me realize that technology helps relationships to last in spite of time and distance. It improves the social relationship of people who are afar but impaired the relationship of people who are near to each other. It was also been observed that issues with face to face communication are associated with technology. Family members inside a living room barely communicate because of the phones glued to their hands. Friends tend to forget how each other's weekend went because they are busy scrolling on their social media accounts. The present moment that supposedly be cherished has now been taken for granted. Many blame it on technology but we should bear in mind that every aspect of technology, tangible or not is passive. It needs to be given life, purpose and maneuvered by people. We should not blame technology the irresponsibility and the lack of sense of people. The fault is not on technology but on people.
Therefore, We should practice how to be responsible users of technology. We control it, not the other way around. Maria Cohen on her article Technology and Relationship: The pros and cons, suggested that people need to get accustomed to the new technology and what proper etiquette should be. The youth in schools must be thought on what the difference between virtual and real-life communication. We should remember that with or without technology our social relationship is our responsibility. So the next time you are sitting with your family drop the phone and ask them how their day went. Cherish every moment with the people you love because those moments do not last forever.
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