How Tech Hinders our Communication Abilities
Once I realized my 6-year-old cousins had TikTok, I knew we were doomed. "The use of digital applications has also dramatically changed the way adolescents relate to their peers, access information, and engage in social relationships, and has also had a profound influence on their health, including their well-being" (Springer). Since the time the first social media platforms came out, society shifted. All of a sudden, we went from normal human interaction to a world where technology is incorporated into our daily routines.
Nowadays, we are "learning and adopting technology from infancy, and as a result, they think and process information in fundamentally different ways when compared to their predecessors" (Springer). We are losing touch with the way we communicate, process our emotions, and understand others. This is because we are in a world where communication via technology is widely accessible. Rather than face-to-face interactions, we text because it is just "easier". Social media platforms have grown exponentially since I was younger… not that I am old by any means, but we have children by the age of 5 consuming technology at alarming rates.
With the inability to communicate, we are hindering the growth of our cognitive mind. The digital world not only affects our communication through Social Media, it affects our communication through Work, Dating, and so forth. In today's digital age, the landscape of human interaction is undergoing a profound transformation.
Since the inception of social media platforms, society has undergone a seismic shift in how we connect and relate to one another. What was once considered normal human interaction has been supplanted by a digital realm where technology permeates every facet of our existence.
As highlighted in research, adolescents today are learning and adopting technology from infancy, shaping the very fabric of their cognitive processes. The consequence? A generation that thinks and communicates in ways starkly different from their predecessors. While technology undoubtedly facilitates communication, it also presents a paradoxical challenge: the erosion of traditional modes of interaction.
Emotional understanding, a cornerstone of effective communication, is particularly vulnerable in the digital age. Emojis and exclamation marks can only convey a fraction of the emotional depth inherent in face-to-face interactions. The subtleties of tone, facial expressions, and body language—the essence of human connection—are lost in the digital translation. Consequently, our ability to empathize and understand others is stunted, leaving us adrift in a sea of disconnected emoticons and abbreviated messages.
Moreover, our reliance on digital communication has tangible repercussions on our interpersonal skills. The art of making eye contact, once an indicator of meaningful conversation, is on the decline. Instead of locking eyes with the person in front of us, we find ourselves fixated on glowing screens, detached from the intimacy of human connection. Face-to-face conversations, once the cornerstone of social interaction, are increasingly eschewed in favor of the comfort of our phones.
Discipline is what we lack and why I believe the digital world hinders our communication abilities. It’s why we fall into doom-scrolling, why we are attached to our screens even while in the company of others, why we can’t even make eye contact nowadays, and so on and so on. As we retreat further into the digital realm, we inadvertently shield ourselves from both conflict and conflict resolution. By sidestepping face-to-face interactions, we deprive ourselves of the opportunity for growth, resilience, and genuine human connection.
Despite these challenges, there are positive aspects to how the digital world has improved our communication abilities. For instance, it allows continuous connection with distant family members across time zones, fostering relationships that might otherwise be difficult to maintain. Similarly, it facilitates professional networking and community building, offering opportunities for growth and learning.
In conclusion, while social media and digital platforms offer unprecedented connectivity, they also threaten to erode the very fabric of our interpersonal relationships. By fostering a balance between digital and face-to-face interactions, we can navigate this brave new world with empathy, authenticity, and a renewed appreciation for the power of human connection. There will always be benefits and repercussions to anything in life; it's all about how we address and move forward with them. After all, in a world dominated by screens, it's the warmth of human interaction that truly sustains us.