Introduction
The 21st century has seen many ways of communication and interactions evolved. Modern technology has made our lives much easier than it was in the past. Nowadays, it is possible to just sit in the house and do your shopping, chat with friends, watch a movie online, do class work and so on at the click of the button. Evidently, technology has made life much more convenient and cheaper than before. Certainly, technology is a positive aspect of the modern world but it comes along as a huge blow to face-to-face communication. This is caused by the fact that many people prefer sitting in the comfort of their living rooms and chat with friends and strangers alike (Kotter 57). This paper seeks to look extensively into the drawbacks of technology as a medium of communication.
Living an Illusion
One of the greatest hazards of using technology, as a way of communication, is the creation of an illusion in the mind that one has many friends. The problem is that one tends to slow down on physical friends and builds relations with the virtual ones. However, this artificial friendship breaks when one encounters real life problems like sickness or job loss. Virtual friends can hardly help and especially with finances.
Inefficiencies
When it comes to meeting deadlines for clients or customers, nothing is easier than sending a short message or an e-mail to excuse oneself. It is convenient to hide behind a screen and purport not to understand a client’s request just to push the deadline ahead. Since technology warrants a one-way form of communication, it can lead to inefficiencies in work places. It is, therefore, important to foster physical interactions to save money and time (Ewing & Raines 112).
Increased Crime
It is sad that kids today do not have an idea of how to interact face-to-face with each other. Technology has made it easy for kids to communicate among themselves even when they are in the same class or neighborhood. Apparently, people tend to offend others more often, as there is no fear of immediate consequences. Nowadays, most people consider it normal to rip-off or insult people just because they cannot see them. Some of the things people do or say using technology would lead to immediate negative physical interactions were it for face-to-face communication. In other words, kids today have no idea of how to read faces (Posner & Kouzes 61).
Isolation
Just like any other form of addiction, the actual cost for the addicted is isolation from real and quality relationships with others. It is easy to enjoy relationships via social sites like Facebook and Twitter but nothing compares to the thrill of physical human integration. As much as social sites help us get to people we cannot touch, caution should be taken to make sure that we maintain physical interactions with the people around us (Emmanuel 29).
Conclusion
Technology is a positive tool of communication, nonetheless. Even as it makes the world a smaller place for man to interact, it has threatened to kill physical interactions of people who are close to one another. Indeed, just like any other good tool, technology has to be used with caution for humanity to reap maximum benefits. At times, it is better to switch off technological devices and have time for personal interactions. It is time to take a step back and reassess the dangers of overindulgence in electronic communication.
Works Cited
Barry, Posner, and J. Kouzes. The Leadership Challenge, San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2002. Print.
Emanuel, Randy. “Communication: Humanities’ Core Discipline.” American Communication Journal. 9.2. (2007): 67-70. Acjournal. Web.
Ewing, Lara, and C. Raines. The Art of Connecting: How to Overcome Differences, Build Rapport, and Communicate Effectively with Anyone. New York, NY: AMACOM/American Management Association, 2006. Print.
Kotter, John. Leading change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996. Print.