Technology has grown so much the last few years, in both amazing and terrifying ways. From apps, phones, laptops, social media, technology has become a major part of our daily lives and is slowly taking over them as well. It’s easy to forget that we don’t actually need it when we’ve become so comfortable using it to make life easier. But with the rise of technology, comes the death of social interaction. Here is a list of reasons why technology is making a lot of us actually feel lonelier.
One obvious but easily forgettable factor of technology, is the lack of human contact needed when using it. You may think you’re interacting with others when you talk to people online, but it’s not the same as physical interaction. Self-checkouts have become incredibly popular meaning that we can even avoid other people when shopping. It can increase your social anxiety the more you avoid others as you become less used to talking to actual, physical people. It’s healthy to talk to people in reality, not online.
Our voices are physically being lost. I’ll admit that I hate talking over the phone. I’d choose to text or e-mail someone over a phone call any day. But isn’t that just ridiculous? With technology on the rise, we become too scared to even hear another human being. It’s quicker and more efficient, yet we’d still send a message than phone someone and hear their immediate answer.
Applying for university? Go online. Applying for a job? Go online. There’s no need to talk to people anymore, everything you need to do is prepared for you online. Most companies are even turning people away in their physical stores because you have to apply online. But doesn’t arriving in person show initiative and dedication? Don’t you get a better sense of the person if they’re there in front of you? Apparently not when you have Skype or Face-time.
You switch off from the outside world when you’re on your phone or computer. You ignore those around you or tuck yourself away in your room and fly off into some virtual reality. We create online personas that don’t accurately reflect our lives or personalities. It’s so unhealthy and isolating. Technology also encourages working from home which is amazing in so many ways but also cuts down any human interaction you may have once needed to succeed. Nowadays, we’ll make any excuse not speak to someone, and technology is usually the first excuse given.
As much as online communities can be incredibly vital to some people, their only source of comfort and advice, it can also mean a decrease in physical friendships. Do not neglect the physical people in your life.
More technology sadly means more trolls, at least online. And with trolls comes sadness and paranoia. Things like social media and GPS can make people more paranoid, encouraging a lack of privacy. A lot of people have lost trust in others due to things they’ve seen online, things that aren’t always true. It can be difficult to distinguish online life from reality, to recognise the difference between our real selves and our online personas.
Have you ever gone out for a meal and looked around? Most people in the restaurant will be on their phones, ignoring the people they’re with. It’s easy to let ourselves get distracted by our technology, to become completely fixed on our work or social media. But we shouldn’t let it. It doesn’t take a lot to put our phones down.
Technology does a good job of connecting people, but at the same time, it can also make us feel lost. When we’re connecting to a mass of people, it’s easy to feel lost amongst the sea of voices. It can make you feel insignificant.
I won’t say much about this point because so many articles cover this. But your self-worth should never be based on the number of likes you do or do not get. You are worth so much more than just your selfies or statuses.
I’m not going to lie, small talk sucks. But it’s an ice-breaker we should appreciate more. The use of technology has completely eradicated small talk and given us excuses to avoid talking to new people. Small talk can be awkward but it’s how we learn to interact and get to know people. We shouldn’t let it die, no matter how painful it can be.
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