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Technology and Personal Relationships
The Internet, as we know, it is barely more than a decade old, and the personal computer, the means by which the Internet can be accessed is only a few decades older still. What this means is that for the younger members of society advanced technology is all they have ever known, while for those older ones, they remember a time when public payphones were the only way to make a call when away from home and a computer was something a person saw in science fiction movies. With this in mind I recently conducted a pair of interviews with two persons who were varied in age. The first was a friend and coworker of mine who is also a student in their early twenties and has lived a life entirely saturated with advanced technology, while the second was my uncle who is fifty years of age and works as a manager of a grocery store.
I met my friend "Bill" after work at the restaurant where we are both employed and conducted the interview at the bar while we both ate dinner. I began the interview by explaining the purpose for it and asking the first question that needed to be asked "How does technology affect your relationships with your family and friends?" He began with a story of how his mother constantly calls him, often several times a day, and how technology...
"She can hound me wherever I am," he said laughingly. "But it is still nice to know that someone cares."
For him, what seemed the most important aspect of technology was the ease of communication. While it can be annoying, it is an almost unconscious aspect of everyday life. Bill admitted that uses his Smartphone "at least two dozen times a day, and probably more," to send texts to people, to confirm plans, to play games, and even to just call friends to "talk about nothing." Bill may be surrounded by technology, a pad, laptop, mp3 player, videogame, etc., and he uses all of them at one time or another each day, but it is the aspect of communication that impacts his relationship with family and friends the most. "Being able to contact just about anyone at anytime for any reason is the most important thing about technology for me" he answered. "That and ordering pizza, where would I be if I couldn't pick up my phone and order a pizza?"
The next interview was with my mother's brother, named Bob, who is fifty years old and a manager of a grocery store in another city. Because of the distance involved, the interview was conducted over the phone. The thing that surprised me was his…
Another problem with e-mail is it can actually impact how we feel about ourselves and our importance in the world. I'm truly disappointed on days when I connect to my e-mail and don't have any messages from friends. I may know that Eddie Bauer is having a sale, but that isn't meaningful communication. Psychologically, when friends don't communicate, we feel a little down (Leonard 242). I suppose this isn't any
In many ways, students live both in the land-based or physical world as well as in the virtual world; leading what some considers parallel lives. Helliwell & Putman (2004) posit that social networking sites may offer an avenue for the development of greater social capital which may serve to further reinforce students' likelihood of integrating Facebook and other social media sites into their regular routines. A suggestion made as to the
dating in the United States, and how technology has affected dating in the last 50 years. Specifically, it will express the impact of technology over the past 50 years on dating patterns of "young adults" (ages 13-30 depending on the social norm of the decade). Dating has always been a ritual for young adults to find themselves and discover their sexuality while trying out potential long-term mates. Today, dating,
Instead, organizations must strike a balance between the autonomy and independence offered by technology in the workplace and the need for employees to have some level of formal and informal commitment to the organization as a whole. Just as seemingly counterproductive activities such as doodling, daydreaming, or, in the information age, surfing the internet, can actually contribute to efficiency by offering employees productive mental stimulation, so too can the
Technology in the Classroom In today's society, technology has become an accepted medium for communication. From email correspondence that has taken the place of mail, to texting instead of talking, advances in technology have become integrated into our daily lives. However, the line should be drawn when it comes to technology impeding academics and being incorporated into the classroom. Although many support the notion of technology in the class, others see
Technology and Project Management The Politics of Technology Technology today is such an integrated part of life that it has become inseparable from everyday activity. Indeed, it affects all areas of life, including general public life, professional life, schooling, and politics. In this regard, Cohen (2003) mentions that technology, when combined with politics, could become something of a double-edged sword. Terrorism, for example, could become particularly sophisticated. Enemies of the country, for example,