Impact of Technology on Communication: The Social Revolution
Communication technology has revolutionized the functionalities of many industries in the age of globalization. These effects have as well transfused to the social sphere. Social media has emerged from the developments in communication technology and now governs social communication. Communication may have improved, but the quality of interaction between people on different ends of the screen is far worse than in face-to-face communication. Johnson (2014) notes that people are communicating more often due to technology, but the quality of this communication is weaker as individuals can no longer relate to emotions and are struggling to create strong relationships. Emotional expressions through emoji on the social platform cannot replace the emotional energy flowing during a face-to-face interaction.
Skills in communication are being lost with too much overreliance on computer technology. The 21st Century children are so engaged in technological aided communication that they no longer develop appropriate, and basic communication skills associated with the human race. Verbal skills and emotional intelligence are being lost over the technological frontier such that the future societies will be functioning on new and different skills.
In a society depending on communication technology for its interaction, children’s brains are bearing the brunt of this technological progression. Neurotransmitters in a child’s brain are developing differently as stimulations such as the parent’s voice and touch are being replaced by on-screen stimulation. Such stimulation ends up creating new neural pathways that affect concentration and influence self-esteem, where children will end up developing non-personal relationships. The lack of empathy and loss of modesty has also been associated to non-personal stimulation emanating from technological interaction (Ze’ev, 2011).
Communication technology may have eased the speed, modes, and ways of communication, but the lack of face-to-face interaction is turning the human society into bots. Overreliance on computer-aided communication means that future societies will be lacking in empathy, emotional intelligence, social and communication skills, as well as an increase in health issues due to limited movement.