Does technology really threaten human interaction?

Does technology really threaten human interaction?

Before web 2.0 technology such as the internet role was for military purposes and a static page meant that we couldn't communicate with each other online. But that was then. It’s the year 2014 and technology is becoming more integrated in our lives than ever before. The question is has technology made us more progressive or progressive as a species in our day to day interaction?

Journalist Rory Jones (2011) highlights impacts that technology has made from a different perspectives including the business  point of view. Quoting former chairman of Lloyds TSB Sir Victor Blank “seemed particularly concerned about the impact that the modern methods were having in the business world, with executives firing off emails in anger, and making deals they later regret, rather than seeing the whites of the eyes of their counterparts in face-to-face negotiations.” This argument of morality has been expressed by (Nanoethics, 2009:236) “when technology begins to influence our moral choices, the moral character of our actions seems to disappear.”

What’s my take on this? Well I agree that technology has made us less sensitive towards others. For example cyber-bullying is on the rise. I for one have experienced it for a short while. Sometimes you know exactly who it is like a class mate but other times you have no idea, that’s the scary part. Obviously anonymity of the internet is the problem. Journalist Sean Coughlan (2007) stated that “With so many social networking and video sharing websites becoming so popular among school age youngsters, there are numerous outlets for putting personal grudges into the public domain.” And that’s exactly what happens what happened to good old face-to-face conversations and no I'm not talking about Facetime or Skype.

It’s not just the effect of online activity that worrying. The mobile phone has made human interaction even less relevant than it already is. Phones aren’t what they used to be and in this digital age what’s to be expected? I mean with wifi,4g and hundreds of applications to make life easier can you really blame people for using them? Good old text messaging its quick and efficient what could possibly go wrong? Nothing major I suppose but it can get too far for example I’ve had arguments that started by text messaging and all because of a misunderstanding. Sometimes using technology is like learning a new language ad failing miserably at it ever heard the term ‘lost in translation’. I doubt that those unfortunate incidents would have happened if my friend was sitting right next to me. Then she’ll definitely know I didn't mean it like that.

Journalist Natalie Bencivenga (2010) states that because of these "easy ways out we have forgotten what it's like to confront our issues… lack of intimacy and connection make us colder.” Basically technology has pretty much made us lazy take the Russell Brand and Katy Perry example you probably know they were married for a short while then divorced. Not quite as nicely put as Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin’s “conscious uncoupling” I know but do you know how it happened? Long story short he dumped her by text. How on earth could anyone possibly end a marriage by text?

And if you think things couldn't get any worse well your wrong. Our generation aren't having enough sex. If you’re thinking I just went completely off topic what does sex have to do with technology? I’ll inform you. According to Comment is free section journalist Hannah Slapper (2014) states that “Various studies have shown that we're having less sex than previous generations. The results of University College London's recent National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles suggested that the frequency with which 16- to 44-year-olds are "mingling limbs" has been steadily decreasing over the past two decades. It found that women were having sex an average of 4.8 times a month and men, 4.9. Ten years ago this was 6.3 and 6.2, and 10 years before that, 6.1 and 6.4.” I see her point we can get distracted but I don’t necessarily agree that technology is to blame. I took the initiative to read the study and there are logical reasons such as the increase of sexually transmitted diseases and high pregnancy rates. So it’s a bit presumptuous to hold technology accountable. Although easily accessible online pornography may factor.

But it’s not all bad, apparently. Rory Jones (2011) interviewed Dr Monica Bulger of the Oxford Internet Institute expressed that technology is “Far from dumbing down the way we communicate, technology had made us smarter…. I've sat in meetings where people have said things they shouldn't have." Whereas email gave more time for considered reflection: "You can do the count to ten rule and think a bit before you respond."

“It's easier, more comfortable, and – socially, emotionally and literally – less messy. Technology is simultaneously bringing people together, and forcing them apart: the ultimate cleaver.” Hannah Slapper (2014) . This I agree with because we no-longer have the family meal time at the table we sit at the lounge and watch television. My mother and I mainly bond over sports so when she wants to watch her soap operas I watch something on the computer and my little brother watches his cartoons on my phone. Sometimes there is no conversation but is choice really hurting our social lives or making us more independent? Rory Jones (2011) “new communication technologies provided an addition, not a replacement, for traditional means.” This I disagree with there is no extension technology has taken over for better or for worse.

To conclude our use of technology is different from one another for the most part. It’s true technology can help human interaction for instance life at university used to be quite lonely before I made friends I grew incredibly home sick. With piles of work one after the other I hardly ever go home. Technology to the rescue my mother phones every day and I’m in frequent contact with my friends back home. I know one thing for sure without technology this would not have possible. However there is a downer to this at one point or another we all have been slaves to technology, which calls into question human freedom and morality. Do we really need to check our Facebook status and Twitter feeds every five minutes?

Bibliography

Books

Verbeek, P. (2009). ‘Ambient Intelligence and Persuasive Technology: The Blurring Boundaries Between Human and Technology.’  Nanoethics, 3(3): pp. 231-242.  Available from: http://www.springerlink.com/content/927837179g372h36/

Online

Bencivenga,N (2010) Has Technology Ruined Our Ability To Communicate? [Online]. Available from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/natalie-bencivenga/has-technology-ruined-our_b_625302.html [accessed 29/03/14].

Coughlan,S (2007) How do you stop the cyberbullies? [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6541073.stm[accessed  [accessed 29/03/14].


Jones,R.C (2011) We don't talk any more - is technology harming communication? [Online]. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16313832 [accessed 29/03/14].

Slapper,H (2014) Why is Generation Y having less sex? [Online]. Available from: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/18/why-generation-y-less-sex [accessed 29/03/14].

UCL (2013) Summary of results from the 3rd National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles [Online]. Available from: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/1113/26112013-Results-from-third-National-Survey-of-Sexual-Attitudes-and-Lifestyles [accessed 29/03/14].