In an era when technology is the main key to success for any developed or developing country some people believe that means of technology are creating an antisocial society. Antisocial person is a person who possesses personal manners which lack adherence for other members in society (“ What is Antisocial Behavior.”) Researchers proved that being antisocial is affected by the nature of the person and its society; however, it is most likely to be affected by outside factors like technology.
One of the means of technology is Ipod; it is a portable device which stores music and attached to headphones. Ipods became a widely spread phenomenon nearly 250, 000 iPods were sold by apple company in the year 2002 during the summer period and it increased to 750, 000 in the year 2008 (“ The World at Ear’s length.”) This trend is alarming because the ipod by its nature as a personal listening device isolates users from the rest of society. As a result, Ipods are believed to create anitsocial society because it impedes communication within family and society.
One of the reasons why ipods are creating an antisocial society is that they impede communication within family members. Ipods are unintentionally changing the tendency of people to communicate into isolate. In other words, it may appears to some people that trying to link with others is hard if compared to ignoring them and listening to his or her favorite music.
This is typically what is taking place inside houses. Family members choose to listen to their ipods when they have spare time instead of talking and sharing thoughts with their families. If we compared a normal sitting room in the year 1990 to the year 2013 we will notice a huge decrease in the rate of communication. Typical Egyptian children in the year 1990 used to speak frequently with their parents about problems they face in their studies, schools or workplaces. They ask for their parents’ advices or they talk only to feel better. On the other hand, nowadays every person is holding a device and busy working or playing on it especially ipod because it represents a total isolation as one cannot hear or interact. This also takes place between couples especially newly married ones .
They usually fight and face problems but instead of facing their problem by discussing, apologizing or blaming the other partner they choose to listen to their ipods and ignore the other’s feeling and thoughts. Statistics showed that 50% of newly married couples end up divorcing due to weak communication skills which leads to inability to solve problems (“ Marriage Statistics.”) This statistics shows how ipods can play a huge role in the causing divorce as well. The Egyptian family is the base of the Egyptian society.
No doubt, these changes that affected family affected the society as well. The implications on society started in 1979, when the Walkman was first produced. It had two headphone jacks to make it less unacceptable by the society because at that time the fact that the Walkman user is ignoring everyone was perceived as a rude act in public. On the other hand, walking in streets where everyone is putting a headphone and avoiding to know new people or sitting in a bus where everyone is immersed in their own music world became a normal scene. One of the ipod users explained his usage of ipods during a bus ride by saying, “ Feel free to sit next to me if you wish, but do not expect me to listen to a
ElBatran3 single word you care to say. You may speak all you want, but it would be foolish for you to assume that I’ve heard a word you’ve said, or that I will respond in kind.” This show how ignorant and unappreciable people became by using ipods. These huge changes make it hard for any person to feel comfortable talking to the stranger sitting next to him. For example, a women on a music site was walking with her ipod and headphones on then her battery dies.
At the end of her “ AntiIpod” day as she called it she stated that she had the chance to meet new people and enjoy “ social experiment”. She added that without headphones she started talking with strangers and knew two good persons in one day but she faced people with headphones and she felt annoyance because at that particular day she wanted to know them. This obstacle has further implications for society as a whole, it leads individuals to focus on themselves only without considering the other in their behavior therefor they will not be able to function as a society.
Ipods are one of the main reason of creating an antisocial societies. They nearly terminate communication through isolating people from the surrounding. Unlike American who value loneliness and isolation, Egyptians value sociality and communication the most and depend on each member of their society to complete their strong bonded society. These values are the values that distinguish us from any other civilization and we are losing these values by ignoring others. For all these reason I believe Egyptians should take in consideration that they are losing their values by using ipods so, I urge them to decrease their usage gradually to protect their values, families and society.
