Embarking on a journey through the information age, technological devices such as the television, mobile phones, and personal computers have come and established themselves in a place in everyday life. Technology has definitely influenced interpersonal communication in many ways, not only in homes but at the work place and in romantic relationships as well.
First, the impact of television on interpersonal communication. Relaxing in front of the television has traditionally been a favorite pastime of many families. However, instead of controlling, many people have instead allowed the television to gain control of their lives.
Television has become a convenient substitute for family time. This is the time where families would have spent quality time together, socializing and talking, establishing stronger bonds with one another. However, this has been replaced by television programs which engage one or more of the family members thus reducing the social interaction between them.
Today, it is common for people to plan activities around television programs. This has reduced the communication between parents and their children due to the lack of quality time spend together. The bond is weakened as compared with previous generations and this has a profound impact on society as a whole.
As popular as television has been in our lives, it is rapidly becoming obsolete and is being replaced by the activity of surfing on the Internet. A resent study shows "Internet users watched about 4.6 hours of television less per week than non-users -- this compared to 4.8 hours the previous year" (McRae 3)
With the invention of Internet, the world has effectively become a global village. People from two corners of the world are now able to easily converse with each other quickly and easily through the means of cyberspace. Email has established itself as a fast, free and convenient method to send messages, replacing traditional mail in the process. The Internet has...