Technology is making communication easier in today's world, but at the expense of personal contact as many people choose to interact from home in front of a computer screen

Technology – A blessing in disguise? The advent of communications and information technology can roughly be d back to the advent of ‘ telephone’ by Graham Bell in the year 1875 (Peggy). It is the tenure from the analog telephone to the most well equipped cell phones today that modified the lifestyles of their users’ en-route. Thus behavioral changes on the fronts of societies were also exhibited. American computer scientist Alan Kay said,
Technology is all that stuff that wasnt around when (you) were born
because the stuff that was around when you were born
was just part of the landscape. Like the pencil. (1986).
The mere advent of advanced electronics had compelled Canadian educator and Philosopher Marshall McLuhan in terming the recreation of the world into a global village back in the 1960s when there was no sign of either the internet or any similar communications technology (3).
The first decade of the twentieth century has, however, bought significant changes in the society having made the world a very small place to live in. McLuhan’s claim narrated that the technological advancements had created a global “ tribal echo-land” of media resonance where people from all over the world could listen to each other’s conversations whenever desired.
Literally speaking, Information and Communications Technology is a generic term that describes the communication among humans via computers and other technically advanced devices.
This communication has become an inevitable part of every human being’s everyday routines in the present times. In order to keep up with the rapid changes that are taking place in the world it has become essential that the news giving sources should regularly be looked up to. And what else could be better than staying logged in to online news giving sites and social and business networking sites at regular intervals. This is a very important benefit of technology. All the current updates just about anything and everything are just a click of the mouse away. At least one of the communication devices in a household is definitely logged on to the internet round the clock.
However, this habit of staying connected to the internet has its disadvantages as well. It is often said that technology behaves like a ‘ double edged sword’ (Kurzweil, 2008) . Where the pros of the attractive and convenient to use communications advancements have shaped the society towards betterment the cons of the said changes are often problematic and alarming.
C. P. Snow (1971), who is a renowned English physicist and novelist, said,
Technology…is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other.
The most dangerous phenomenon of present times is social networking websites. These sites are very attractive to human nature. Elders and youngsters both like to stay logged in to their profiles identities on these websites round the clock just because they are anxious about status updates from their friends or are looking up the next comment update on any issue that is being commented upon in the discussion board. These and other similar online activities are addictive. One stays glued to these happenings round the clock neglecting the ongoing everyday activities around him/her. Studies reveal a very alarming fact: ADHD or The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder could emerge in children to access social networking website excessively. This is a very serious ailment that hinders the children from having real life in person conversations with another human being because parts of their brain have remained underused for long duration on time. (Waldez 2010) According to recent studies the average rate at which teenagers access social networking websites in a day is ‘ Nine Hours per Day’ (National School Board’s Association 2007). This leaves these youngsters with practically no time to spend with others in person.
The society is now getting shaped in such a manner that neither elders nor youngsters get time for people around them because they are too engrossed in the online ever changing world of “ Social Networking”. (Sigman, 2009).
Conclusively, it can very well be said that technological advancements are here for good but their application into real life should be limited to an extent that does not adversely affect the survival instincts of human beings. Thus, staying updated by staying online is beneficial but only with the check that the emphasis on human personal interaction is maintained.
REFERENCES
Saari, Peggy. Science And Invention – Who Invented The Telephone?. History Fact Finder. Ed. Julie L. Carnagie. UXL-GALE, 2001. enotes. com. (2006). Web. (May 26, 2011). Alan Kay. Wikiquote. org. (1986). Web. (May 26, 2011) Marshall McLuhan. The Gutenberg Galaxy. Cas. edu. (1962) Web. (May 25, 2011) Natasha Lomas. Kurzweil: Technology is a double-edged sword. Silicon. com. (2008). Web. (May 25, 2011).
C. P. Snow. New York Times. Physics. udel. edu. (15 March 1971). Web. (May 26, 2011).
Alan Waldez. The Disadvantages of Modern Technology among the Youth. eHow. com, eHow, (September 24, 2010). Web. (May 26, 2010). National School Boards’ Association. Creating and connecting-Research guidelines on Online Social-and Educational-Networking. 2007. Print.
Aric Sigman, ” Well Connected? The Biological Implications of Social Networking,” Biologist, Feb. 2009. Print.