Technology and Social Interaction
People may have different opinions, but the fact is that humans have become increasingly distant from one another in terms of social interaction. The advent of internet technologies, mainly by social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, instant messaging, and so on, has made the most important contribution to this detachment (Berry).
The Unintended Consequences
What the internet and communication technologies have done is the polar opposite of what they were intended to do; the inventions were supposed to put us together, instead, they have done the exact opposite. Technology has significantly hampered interpersonal and face-to-face contact (Berry).
The Widening Emotional Distance
Irrespective of these technological limitations, folks can appreciate that technology has completely broken the distance barrier. However, the emotional distance has widened. One can make a confession that people have grown cold, more distant; compassion is disappearing between people and their neighborhoods. Above all, technology is ultimately killing affection (Gladwell 43).
The Loss of Affection
Drawing from Wendell Berry, loss of affection should be something of great concern to any person who cares. People are in a position where they should start looking for the solution to this issue, and as it appears, care and concern to people around us is the only solution to this problem (Gladwell 43). It is imperative to note that social mobility is dead or nearly dead. Berry views that the replacement of structures which favored social interaction with technology is the primary reason for this decline. But, it for him and something acceptable in this argument, it is wrong to substitute family and social-oriented factors with separatist technologies (Berry). In this information age, people are struggling to keep up with ancient personal interaction cultures in light of new information communication technologies which enhance distant interactions over useful intimate links. Therefore, I agree with Berry's proposition.
Works Cited
Berry, Wendell. What are people for?: Essays. Counterpoint Press, 2010.
Gladwell, Malcolm. “Small change.” The New Yorker 4.2010 (2010): 42-49.
