Lifestyle

How our personal relationships have become more complicated due to technology

by Ramsha-Rizwan
May 08, 2019 15:52

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A call or a text what would you prefer? Often we come across this question in our daily lives. To be seen as a simple and straight question ,the answer to this question forms the very basis of how our life has been affected or changed through the past years due to modern media means of communication. If we ask someone who was not born into this “ so called “ era of digitalization of almost everything from virtual hugs and kisses to virtual meetings, this idea seemed to be very unappetizing to them. What they called the simplicity and authenticity of interpersonal relationships of their time , couldn’t be felt by them today.  Technology has changed not only the way of how people communicate in their daily lives, but it has also affected the way that people interact . Communication has become a more complicated activity with the development in technologies.Today,every person on the street can be found talking on a cell phone or using it while walking or having it in their pockets. Modern technology allows people to communicate directly from their cell phone or smart phone device. Emails, text messages, phone calls, or video calls are available to talk to someone in any part of the world.This new era of communication has made the people of the whole world closer setting apart a world of ‘netizens’comprising of different citizens of different countries. That is why Google has been added to the dictionary as an action verb.

With all of the new technology available to everyone , it is up to users to decide to what extent and how to use it.Today’s technology overcomes many obstacles of time,distance or space limitations. Social media has become so deeply embedded part of our social life so as when the instagram crashed for nearly 30 minutes that hit the headlines quicker than any national news would have been.The sites provide a quick and simple way to send messages to one, if not many, people at the same time and becomes a primary medium for people to be within an arm’s reach though virtually , by constantly seeing their stories, updates,pictures on Snapchat,Whatsapp etc.

But can this virtual reality change the notion of what counts as absence or presence of someone?A person’s presence could be felt within by video calling etc even if he is any corner of the world.But this has complicating the simpler relationships’ reality in a way. What would you do if someone doesn’t want to have a face to face communication or doesn’t want to meet you in person? This advanced technology helps us to avoid face-to- face communication.The emojis we use has replaced the calling practices to only chat . Pain, grief ,happiness or any emotion can be expressed by them but does they portray our authentic or real emotions? Also why it has become necessary for a person to have a social media handle to show his social life ? “I decided to resist this complex technology for the reason that I found myself happier away from screens and the relentless communication, and instead living intimately with my locals” Said Mark Boyle who has completely given up the modern technologies.So the myth that new communication technologies has made interaction easier and simpler needs to be broken down because it has complicated our lives from false and fake emotions to low efforts being put in any communication.