With the advent of technological devices, the question of communication skills among people is an increasingly heated issue. Particularly, it is argued that the pervasiveness of digital devices gives rise to erosion of individuals’ ability to directly interact. While I believe that excessive use of such devices exerts a detrimental impact on interpersonal skills, the ability of face-to-face communication has hardly been replaced.
On the one hand, the increasing exposure to virtual elements negatively affects people’s social skills. This is due to the fact that individuals shorten time for real engagement, as they prefer online chatting over physical meetings. Consequently, this inflicts a loss of performing social functions such as non-verbal cues, including body language, gestures, or facial expressions, which, in turn, adversely influences the capacity to connect. Moreover, people are highly likely to resonate with those with the shared forums online, making them become interested in engaging in online activities rather than in-person connection. This, in the long run, can distance them from their families and friends, eroding the quality of genuine connection.
On the other hand, I am of the opinion that interpersonal skills are less likely to be replaced just for the increasing amount of screen time. Admittedly, overreliance on technological devices inevitably gives rise to a decline in the frequency of face-to-face interaction; however, the instinctual ability to directly communicate is unable to be lost. This is because individuals’ fundamental social skills are forged from their early childhood and consolidated through daily interaction at schools or workplaces. Additionally, some can utilize the benefits of technology to facilitate real engagement, through which they can arrange meetings, or make video calls with their loved ones regardless of geographical distances to promote their relationships.
In conclusion, although excessive reliance on mobile phones and computers may reduce opportunities for face-to-face interaction and weaken certain social skills, I do not believe that people are losing the ability to communicate in person altogether, since such interpersonal abilities are deeply rooted in human development and continue to be reinforced throughout life.