Final Post: Our Relationship With Technology

As new generations transition into society as the older exit, the children of each respective generation normalize the use of technology during their upbringings. Technology is an aspect of their lives they have never gone without, unbeknownst to the user or not, this creates what can only be described as a dependency. With all things, and as we have heavily touched on over the course of Media Law and Ethics, unforeseen consequences follow with every advancement we make, cyberbullying being a prime example of this. Although technology’s consequences can be unavoidable, the devices themselves are not inherently bad, and it’s a matter of proper use adding detriment to the outcome.

On the topic of communication, technology has exponentially expanded avenues in which to communicate and broadened it so greatly that communication has become an entire field of study, as I am a participant. While technology like telecommunication devices, social media, and the internet have dramatically improved global connectivity [1], the added time communicating through these channels could play a large part in the younger generation’s waning, in-person communication skills.

Work environments are especially susceptible to the damage ensued by the consequences of communication technology. The process of relaying information has been heavily optimized, but that can often gloss over the negative impact of different online amenities, such as social networking sites degrading workplace productivity. Research shows that overuse of social networking, such as Instagram, Facebook, and so on, can cause an overall lowering in employee’s attention span, although this is not limited to employees but any users of these sites [2]. In addition to the sense of validation, or lack thereof, derived from social media, any negative emotions can be far-reaching into the lives of users, and subsequently the work environment.



Technology can more often than not take the form of a double-edged sword to our society, but I suppose the alternative of being unarmed would be too great a change for people, chiefly among them, myself. Risk management and the continuous assessment of technology’s impact should be imperative for each generation, serving as a way to keep our net damage in check. Overall, if I had to define our society’s relationship with technology and everything encompassed with it, I don’t think I would receive much debate when referring to it as a love/hate relationship.

Sources:

[1]

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563203001109?casa_token=7gsGIrXnHaAAAAAA:NfGWzX9CAE23bFReQUB2Iu2fjBN-Y3GFZQBEXELhXvOSrs67bTUqGGtwql7WuhhvRZaCjkItCA

[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378720617303919?casa_token=KNHFb_KxctUAAAAA:1NNkITcwMzUGcFsEc2i_DyIr4v-Xe7C1ErkCzlFXhFfqTV2Qjjx413mt4rEqnNsItRXMwl2x_A