Has the ability to communicate globally with virtually anyone, anywhere, anytime, made us antisocial? In an article by Wendy Leung for the Globe and Mail, a scenario is given which at one time would seem outrageous but today is simple ordinary.
You’re at a party, chatting with your pals and enjoying the repartee. Then it happens. “Whats the name of the new Coen Brothers’ movie again? Suddenly, the iPhones fly out.
This scenario is a growing trend in todays social world. Our generation is becoming more adapt to texting and tweeting than they are to actually holding a lengthy [or even short] conversation. It is ironic that this growing lack of social skills in today’s youth though is actually due to the overwhelming amount of social networking tools we have to use today. Why call someone when you can quickly text them? Why walk into the next room to ask when your roommate wants to leave when you can instant message them from your laptop? Todays’ youth is only furthing their lack of speaking skills by attempting to communicate 24 hours a day.
The social world has become one mass party of trying to one up each other on the latest YouTube video or the funniest link through The Oatmeal . This relationship with technology does not have to stop, but limits must be created. Looking again at Leung’s article, society must begin to acknowledge that smart phones and laptops are not the end all of technology. There will be many new devices to come in the future. If we continue to feed this growing obsession, physical interaction will not only become more and more painful, but it will begin to grow extinct. Society must acknowledge the honeymoon period of a new device as simply that and move on; not the end of life as we know it.
Peter
Matt Staroste
Gabrielle-Jeannine
elizabethdoneathy
