Jason Adams
CRS 334
December 1, 2009
Technology and the Social Disconnect
When you’re desperately in need to get in touch with someone concerning an urgent matter that can’t wait for a response, what’s the first thing you do? You text them. How many times have you gotten into an argument with someone about a text, or even better a tagged Facebook picture? Remember back when you had to talk to someone face to face and ask them about their lives in order to get to know them, before everyone could be researched? Technology is meant to make our lives easier, which it has, but this easier way of living has come with it’s own set of difficulties, obstacles and misunderstandings.
Technology has been forever evolving since the beginning of mankind. It has been the means to making life easier. But the 21st century has given birth to a new technology, social networking. Social networking has taken many forms; the most popular forms being Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and other popular names. While it would seem that these services would expand ones social circle connecting people with similar interests and friends, it has eliminated the human aspect of connecting with people. People normally don’t use these social networking sites for those reasons though. More so than often, connections are made on these sites between people that have already connected. In fact, social networking sites have more turned into social interaction sites, where people can keep in touch with those that they know, carry conversations, and even give gifts all without ever even leaving the computer desk. Even when meeting people through these sites and establishing a connection, the “getting to know someone” part of meeting people is all gone. Birthdays, favorite colors, political views, and marital statuses, among other things, are all available at first glance. What’s the fun in conversing with someone to get to know them if you already know the answers to the questions that...