Technology at the Expense of Personal Contact

Technology is making communication easier in today's world, but at the expense of personal contact

There is no doubt that technology has increased our power to communicate and has made it possible for us to get in touch with friends and family instantly. The internet in particular has become a necessary part of our daily lives as it acts as a link between us and millions of people around the world. We all find it convenient to send emails or instant messages over the internet when we need to relay information, make inquiries or simply interact with other people. Nonetheless, I strongly agree with the fact that technology hinders personal communication.

Technology is an impediment to real communication and encourages isolation and anti-socialism. Maureen Awour observes that technology “has killed the one-on-one conversation,” (Awour). Since technology makes it possible for people to communicate without necessarily meeting each other, it encourages them to stay away from each other. In the olden days, people could only communicate if and when that met in person. As a result of constant personal communication, people had better relationships and cherished each other more in those days. With advancements in technology, people in the present day spend a lot of time in front of their computer screens sending emails and chatting at the expense of personal contact and real communication with their friends and loved ones.

The hindrance of personal communication has negatively affected the social skills of people of all age groups including children and teenagers. In his article “Is the Internet Affecting the Social Skills of Our Children?” Bob Affonso acknowledges that “…Internet use has a negative influence on individuals and their social skills,” (Affonso). Research indicates that constant use of the internet results in small but significant increase in loneliness, stress and desolation and a decline in psychological well-being (Affonso). As people spend more time in...