Between Virtual and Reality Information

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Information technology has been improving so much in the past decades. Since 18th century a lot of new devices have been invented. From letter-writing to text messages, shifting again to e-mail and instant messaging (IM), medium of communication has experienced transitions. The invention of Internet made interpersonal communication moving back and forth between physical and virtual. Instead of face-to-face, people nowadays prefer to use computer-mediated-communication. Physical interpersonal communication is being diminished because electronic devices dehumanize the experience. Before electronic device was invented, letters and face-to-face are the main forms of communication. Letters are the only thing that can send messages to far places. Interpersonal communication was pretty much done physically, because virtual communication has not been invented yet. Through time, technology has been developing and improves human relationships. The discovery of telegraph, telephone, and e-mail, gradually enriches the way people sending messages. Children nowadays use electronic devices. They are called Generation Net, “kids who have grown up using the Web” (Carr 9). Parents give their children cell phones or tablets to facilitate their communication. Since phone technology has been developed, they have been playing with gadgets, such as cell phones, gaming devices and tablets. An academic journal written by Barry A. Farber, Gavin Shafron, Jaleh Hamadani, Emily Wald, and George Nitzburg, who are professors from Teachers College at Columbia University, says that: Increasingly, young people are using various forms of technology in the service of communicating with others. Cell phones (used for talking and texting), e-mail (including instant mes... ... middle of paper ... ...a positive effect to communication. However, it can make people prefer to chat virtually than physically. People would not bother to come to their friend’s home to send the message, they can just send e-mail or chat through IM. It will be nice if people could sort out the things that can be communicated via devices or things that should be said directly. Not all matters can be discussed over telephone or e-mail. How sophisticated the technology can be right now, it cannot surpass the feeling of face-to-face communication. It is true that communication through electronic devices is sometimes can be cheaper and more efficient, as a result the number of people using electronic devices is booming and maybe it will get bigger in the future. However, people should not forget the importance of talking in-person, because it is the first and the main forms of communication.

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