How easy is it to email or send a text message, right? You can do it anywhere, it takes a second and doesn’t require much effort. Fantastic!
But according to Vivian Bader, a clinical social work therapist with 22 years of experience, this ease of communication has two sides – a positive and a negative.
She agrees that modern technology made our communications easier and faster. We became more available. “Email and text is great in case of emergency or when there is a change in plans – it is easier for people to find each other and get instant feedback. Everything is happening faster,” says Bader.
But at the same time texting and emailing and Facebooking and twitting have shortened our conversations she said. We don’t talk to each other as much any more. And Bader doesn’t think it is good. “It creates some distance in relationships, people don’t spend enough ‘face’ time with each other,” she adds.
How ironic – technology that is making our communication so much easier, can actually create distance between people.
Vivian gave a very good example, and I, to be honest, had a flashback. I didn’t even realize that I’ve done the same myself.
“There are many situations nowadays when people can be in each other’s presence and still apart,” Explains Bader. For example people can be sitting in the same room, watching a movie or a television show and simultaneously be preoccupied with their hand-held devices. How much are they together at that moment? Are they sharing the experience with each other or with their blackberries, iPhones and such?”
Have you ever been in a situation like that? Are you guilty of being with your fried or your partner and not being with them? Maybe that is something to think about…
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