It is true that new technologies have had an influence on communication
between people. Technology has affected relationships in various ways,
and in my opinion there are both positive and negative effects.
Technology has had an impact on relationships in business, education
and social life. Firstly, telephones and the Internet allow business people
in different countries to interact without ever meeting each
other. Secondly, services like Skype create new possibilities for
relationships between students and teachers. For example, a student can
now take video lessons with a teacher in a different city or
country. Finally, many people use social networks, like Facebook, to
make new friends and find people who share common interests, and they
interact through their computers rather than face to face.
On the one hand, these developments can be extremely positive.
Cooperation between people in different countries was much more
difficult when communication was limited to written letters or telegrams.
Nowadays, interactions by email, phone or video are almost as good as
face-to-face meetings, and many of us benefit from these interactions,
either in work or social contexts. On the other hand, the availability of new
communication technologies can also have the result of isolating people
and discouraging real interaction. For example, many young people
choose to make friends online rather than mixing with their peers in the
real world, and these ‘virtual’ relationships are a poor substitute for real
friendships.
In conclusion, technology has certainly revolutionized communication
between people, but not all of the outcomes of this revolution have been
positive.