The Internet Increases Social Isolation

1232 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Internet affects on social skills

Inside the majority of American households rest the unlimited territory of the internet. The unlimited and always advancing possibilities have unlocked powerful new tools in communication and socialization. Tools such as: long distance visual communication, international circulation of personal thoughts, and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) have all led to a closer but more distant community of people. The positive side can attribute to the fact that the younger generation seems more in tune with their international counterparts. Youth have the ability to anonymously communicate with others through various message boards, mostly governed by one policy, freedom of speech. The anonymity of the internet has created a community where social outcasts mingle freely with others; a society where jocks can converse with geeks without fear of reprisal. This community releases people from the bounds of their own flesh. Yet, technological advances have pushed society into the next dimension of communication and socialization that seemingly override traditional and more personal vessels of communication.

The internet, initially developed by researchers at MIT and UCLA, had first purposes as a communications system between participating Universities. Walt Howe, Director of Libraries at Babson College, explains that the use of the system was limited to engineers, scientists, and those with the complex knowledge of computer operating systems. Because of the complexity involved many attempted to create a more user efficient system, one that home users could adopt. The most modern and user friendly system was pioneered around 1991 at University of Minnesota as a tool to access files and information local...

... middle of paper ...

...ally socializing face-to-face. The technological shield inhibits proxemics and makes it impossible for those communicating to see the involuntary body movements of their counterpart, leaving a dislocated and artificial feeling. But, increases in online networking will lead to social skill atrophy. By increasing online networking, people will become left experiencing life vicariously.

Works Cited

Hall, Edward T. "A System for the Notion of Proxemic Behavior." American Anthropologist: 65. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

Howe, Walt. "A Brief History of the Internet." Walt Howe's Home Page. Web. 24 Mar. 2015. .

Massik, Sonia and Solomon, Jack. “You-Topian Dreams: Myspace, Yourspace, and the Semiotics of Web 2.0.” 2014. 426-7.

Simpson, Joanne Cavanaugh. “Multitasking State of Mind.” 2006. Massik and Solomon. 469-71.

Show More
Related

  • Emily Nussbaum Say Everything Analysis

    741 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the essay “Say Everything” written by Emily Nussbaum, the author presents the argument that young people in this generation do not have a sense of privacy and tend to post whatever they like on the internet. She presents 3 different ideas of what happens when young adults are on the internet.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Gopnik's The Most Connected Yet The Most Lonely

    1476 Words  | 3 Pages

    With all the new beeping, buzzing, and blinging coming from the general population’s cellphones, it would seem like the world is more connected than ever before. And yet, maybe the same bells and whistles coming from apps and texts are the same things that are pulling connections apart. Being social is no longer defined by one 's to interaction with others but is more influenced by the forms of media one is on. With the advancements in the internet so, too, have social networking sites evolved. Now that they all fit in the palm of a hand they demand more and more attention. “Contraptions don’t change consciousness; contraptions are part of consciousness. We may not act better than we used to, but we sure

    Read More

  • Informative Essay: Does Technology Make You More Alone?

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    With the entry of technology, humankind built up the capacity to communicate around the world. However, there were many debates whether technology changed the way of socializing with people. Despite the fact that technology has its positive sides, it ought to be found in a negative light. As technology made people's lives easier, they lost their social skills. The problem is that Nowadays' generation is failing to understand the epidemic of communicating via internet and its side effects.

    Read More

  • Conformity

    1489 Words  | 3 Pages

    Tyler, R. T. (2002). Is the Internet Changing Social Life? Journal of Social Issues, 58 (1), 195-205.

    Read More

  • Internet Censorship

    2830 Words  | 6 Pages

    The World Wide Web started as an idea that focused around the government’s need to communicate if there was a real war. In 1964 the Cold War was at its peak, the Advanced Researched Projects Agency, or ARPA began researching and developing a way to get computers to “communicate with each other,” this is how it all started (The Internet's History and Development). The government scientists who were, “developing networking technology in the 1960's knew that what they were building would be far bigger than themselves; nobody, however, could have predicted the explosion in Internet access and interest in the past several years” (The Internet’s History and Development).

    Read More

  • Communication and Internet Addiction

    929 Words  | 2 Pages

    In her article “Friends Indeed?” Joel Garreau explains that for two decades, online social networks have been touted as one of the finest flowerings of our new era. But what is the strength of ties so weak as to barely exist? Who will lend you lunch money? Who’s got your back?” Technology has overtaken individuals by social media, allowing many people to communicate online rather than having face-to-face communication. Many “relationships” begin online, and end online. Although, true relationships are rarely created fast, it gradually grows and becomes stronger and stronger over the years. However, in our immediate society this is not the case. But the questions still remains, as Joel Garreau points out “Who would lend you lunch money?” in other words, who will help you physically not online. In our impatient society, technologies influenced the way individual communicate, and that often times leads to depression, loneliness and addictions.

    Read More

  • Negative Essay: How Does Technology Helps Our Society?

    1422 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the first essay, What Adolescents Miss When We Let Them Grow up in Cyberspace by Brent Staples, there were several interesting points made about whether technology helps or harms our everyday lives. Social networking has increased the ability to socialize with people all around the world in a revolutionary way. Being able to access so many social oriented websites, it has helped advance our connections by allowing the elderly who had been isolated before they gained access to the web. However, even though it has increased the potential of communicative opportunity, it has also brought some harmful reality to light. While increasing the connections of the elderly, research shows that it is beginning to isolate the younger generations. The youth of today are losing the

    Read More

  • Growing Up Online

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    I find it disconcerting that teens live much of their lives in a virtual society. “Growing Up Online”, barely scratches the surface of the breadth and depth to which technology permeates modern society. Teens continue to struggle for independence and self-identification, but with less face-to-face interaction than in the past. Many view e-communication as reaching out to the masses.

    Read More

  • Has the Impact of Cyberspace Made Us Interpersonal?

    1727 Words  | 4 Pages

    John Parry Barlow’s essay poses an interesting question. Is communication via the Internet as socially beneficial as face to face interactions? The quick and easy answer to the question is no. The use of the internet and all of its distractions has caused an imbalance of actual social interaction. The informed critique that will be discussed is, “Is There a There in Cyberspace?” by John Perry Barlow. The major theme of this short story is how communities have drastically changed. While social benefits can come from participating in an Internet community, it is not a replacement for a physical community of peers.

    Read More

  • The Psychological Impact of Social Networking

    1862 Words  | 4 Pages

    Technology has had a great impact on the way the world communicates. Access to technology has become an integral part of education, socialization and industry related requirements, and accordingly Internet usage is evolving and growing rapidly. MySpace, Twitter, Skype, and Facebook are some of the online connections people use today to stay in contact with friends, coworkers, and family. Communicating in today’s society has become a lot easier with social networking sites allowing us to communicate with people with a simple click of the mouse. In this paper, I will address the strengths and limitations of social networking. I will look at the ways that social network can impact the social world of people and communities, especially those with whom we work. I will address the psychological impact of social networking. Lastly, I will look at how social workers embrace social networking in clinical, community, group and organizational practice.

    Read More

  • How is technology affecting the younger generations' perceptions of morality and the world?

    1406 Words  | 3 Pages

    The advent of the internet signaled a revolutionary shift for society, in which participation in massive amounts of information was easily and rapidly accessible to any connected country. This digital revolution gave rise to monolithic digital communities that dominate the web and strongly influence the globe; Twitter helped Belarusian youth organize flash-protests against their authoritarian government in 2006, while Wikileaks continues to serve as a public international clearing-house for whistle-blowers. But despite these resounding stories of success, concern is spreading that there is an underlying problem with our digitally enhanced society – especially in the western world. Widespread debate has been sparked by the digital revolution over modern technology's influence on younger generations, with experts combating each other over whether the internet is dulling or expanding young minds. This debate is not restricted to education, but extends to cover issues of morality and perspectives. Education issues are tied to lacking cultural awareness and political activism, but world-views are a separate and altogether more severe problem for the next generation. As the internet becomes more embedded in our lives, youth are retreating into the isolation of private social bubbles and turning reality into a remote abstract concept. Apathetic, amoral and disconnected youth in the western world are spreading to replace the active socially charged older generations.

    Read More

  • Is the Internet a New Medium?

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    The history of the internet shows that the internet is not a new medium. The internet was initially created in the 1960's to as a way for the United States to stay connected in case of a nuclear fallout due to the possible consequences of the Cold War. F...

    Read More

  • Technology Causes Social Isolation

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    How much can technology impact your social life? Who would of thought that technology would affect life in such a major way? Little did people know that technology can impact the way humans interact with each other. While listening to music and playing games on their mobile devices, how many people actually get to know one another while standing right next to each other? A small ride on a metro or bus ride will show you just how little interaction goes on in a humans life do to the amount of use on their mobile devices. The role technology plays in socializing has a great impact on people’s interaction. People can be standing right next to each other with out saying one word to one another. While waiting for the next class to start or even during the class, people tune out the rest of the world and this can lead up to social isolation. Technology has had a bad impact on the way humans socialize because it causes people to be less interactive. Social isolation is a health condition that can become very severe and lead up to depression, anxiety, despair and many other things. Social isolation can be avoided if technology is limited to use at only appropriate times as when bored, alone or incase of an emergency you would use cell phones.

    Read More

  • Informative Essay: The Web Of Friendship

    1360 Words  | 3 Pages

    Friendship is imperative to us; it impacts our lives and shapes our character. However, there is a misconception regarding what friendship really is. When asked if we know our best friend, how can we say no? We instantly envision a neighbor or classmate; someone we’ve known our whole lives. We’ve been to their house, and met their parents. However, not all friendships are so easily fabricated. There are such friendships where you can’t meet their parents, or hang out after school-- Friendships that are founded on the internet. This concept isn’t traditional, and lacks several aspects that an offline relationship may have. Even so, internet friendships are equally valid, and should be treated as such. No matter where they

    Read More

  • Social Networking’s Influence on Socialization

    2021 Words  | 5 Pages

    As the world changes so rapidly, so have the ways we communicate. Technology now plays an enormous part of how we converse and socialize as a culture. As we continue to progress as a civilization, it is significant to preserve the basic principles of socialization. Socialization helps us acquire necessary habits, beliefs and knowledge of society from our environment through home, school, community and the legal system. The development of these social skills begins in infancy to adulthood for the purpose of functioning in society. Values, norms and culture are essential for society’s survival. Roles and standards give groups within a society structure and allow members to know what’s expected of them, socially.

    Read More

More about The Internet Increases Social Isolation

Open Document