Is technology taking away from humanity?

[martha]

I believe that technology is sucking the life out of human interraction. Although we might think that we are more connected because of cell phones, text messaging and computers, I think the opposite is happening.

We are losing that face to face connection. We are losing the human contact. We have all felt the frustration of being connected to an automated system, when we would much prefer to speak to a real human being to explain our particular circumstances.

What do you think? Is human connection being usurped by technology? Is someone in your family text messaging you from their bedroom upstairs, when you are downstairs in the kitchen?

[robtex]

Life exists in frames. For each of us those frames are different in the lengths we need and the attention span we have. In any particular day where we seek to achieve happiness for that day we need a certain number of frames where certain types of interactions are satisified. Introverts need frames where they are alone more than extroverts do. Retrospective people need frames where they can ponder society and existance where more gregarious people do not.

Part of understanding our emotional needs is to know how much we need of person-to-person interaction and for how long. And than to realize the needs of those around us and how it influences their interaction with us.

While technology creates an automated less personalized way of communicating it doesn't negate personal interaction. We, as a species, a society and a humanity must indivdually and collectivly understand our person-to-person needs and set aside the appropiate time slots for that.

Communication technology and personal interction are only mutually exclusive for the time frame that we use each but within the course of each and everyday both can be used in their own time and in their own way to shape our society and its communication needs.

[martha]

Robtex,
Well said my dear, but....
You say , " Part of understanding our emotional needs is to know whow much we need of person to person interraction and for how long." I would ask you this, how does a child learn that when they are introduced to these impersonal methods at such an early age?

[martha]

If our children are introduced to this impersonal way of communication at such early ages, then don't they begin to lose the skills of interraction that they learned in kindergarten and first grade? Are their lives enhanced by technology or is something lost?

[martha]

I must say, my dears that I am perplexed by the lack of response to this question.
Maybe the fact that I am 51 years old has some bearing upon my thinking about this subject. I am truly interested though, in your opinion.

This is our world, our future, our lives,our children's lives. What do you think about this question?

[Jayhawker Soule]

What a joke. You whine about "technology ... sucking the life out of human interraction" and then whine because you're not getting enough "human interaction" out of this technology-based forum.

[finalfrogo]

Originally Posted by martha

I believe that technology is sucking the life out of human interraction. Although we might think that we are more connected because of cell phones, text messaging and computers, I think the opposite is happening.

We are losing that face to face connection. We are losing the human contact. We have all felt the frustration of being connected to an automated system, when we would much prefer to speak to a real human being to explain our particular circumstances.

What do you think? Is human connection being usurped by technology? Is someone in your family text messaging you from their bedroom upstairs, when you are downstairs in the kitchen?

I agree with you. Face-to-face contact is being replaced by indirect forms of communication. However, such forms of communications also allow news to travel faster, and generally make life easier. I think this is a fair trade, but perhaps I say this because I have never been fond of face-to-face contact.

[finalfrogo]

Originally Posted by martha

If our children are introduced to this impersonal way of communication at such early ages, then don't they begin to lose the skills of interraction that they learned in kindergarten and first grade? Are their lives enhanced by technology or is something lost?

Direct interaction is inevitable, although the exposure of such has lessened. This implies that interaction skill must eventually be developed, though perhaps not to the same degree as before. One may associate indirect interaction with loneliness, but the truth is that the feelings of loneliness and isolation are just as widespread now as they have been in the past, before such technology existed. Thus, I don't see how indirect communication is worse than direct; although it prevents social skills from being as developed, it also eliminates the need for social skills, and both forms of interaction do nothing to fight feelings of isolation.

[martha]

My dear Jayhawker Soule,
Touche mon ami! Very good response to the circumstance of the question, but what is your view of the situation? Please be good enough to dismount your horse before responding.
I am truly interested to know how you feel about the current disconnection from face to face communication. Do you connect with people more in a techno way on a day to day basis ie: text mssg, cell phones being an extension of yourself, computers retrieving info moreso than the printed page and texture of books one might find in a library, renting CD's rather than going out to a movie? I am talking about basic human contact, interracting with others in a tangible way. Do you think it makes a difference in our children's lives with a view to the future?


Diatribes should be forsaken and truthful observations only, should be spoken, if you please.

[Scuba Pete]

Martha,

were it not for this forum, we would never have met. My life is richer having read many of your posts.