Download Nowadays, with the help of social media, we have lost many of our

Nowadays, with the help of social media, we have lost many of our communication
skills. How often do we opt to send someone a text rather than speak to them directly, either in
person or on the phone? If we only know how to communicate behind a screen, how will we
communicate when there is nothing to hide behind? Technology can be used in many beneficial
ways, such as looking up an old friend or contacting a relative living far away. However, there
are numerous instances in which the latest communication techniques are inferior to more
traditional, personal modes of connection. Maybe smoke signals are a thing of the past, but good
old-fashioned communication should never die.
There are, in fact, many benefits of the advancement in communication and media. These
include connecting with people around the world instantly via email, sharing ideas and thoughts
with anyone and everyone through Twitter, and creating a personal environment for expression
on Facebook. While these technologies may seem very alluring, they often fall short of allowing
full understanding or emotional connection by the recipient. We may get hundreds of emails and
thousands of followers but how many of these people would recognize our spoken voices, catch
our social cues, or have any deeper understanding of who we really are?
Relying on social media can lead us into patterns that negatively impact our day to day
social skills. Much of today’s lingo, though often used in text messaging, is rarely used in actual
life. Abbreviations, for example, so prevalent in texting, have no use in actual conversation.
Some find it frustrating that there isn’t an emoticon for the exact emotion they are feeling, when
simply making a phone call would project that feelings much more effectively than any smiley
face. Also, there is no doubt that our writing skills have suffered due to our dependence on
abbreviations, text typing, and the red squiggly line. Wear wood wee bee with out the AIDS off
spill cheque?
Though I myself am not incredibly involved with technology, I still enjoy sharing
pictures of my expeditions on Instagram. I find that taking pictures of my day-to-day adventures
helps me to be thankful for what I have and to appreciate my surroundings. It is important to
remember what it is you enjoy, and then decide whether or not social media can give that to you.
One of the reasons I am not as involved in social media is the fact that it takes too much time and
effort; a great deal more than a real conversation would. Also, how can we live in the moment
when we are focusing on things completely irrelevant to our current experience? The truth is I
just like talking to people…really talking to people, and no amount of technological equipment
could ever replace that.
Social media is simply a way of making ourselves known, and doing that is just human
nature. Technology should be used as a way to connect with people but should not compromise
or replace actual interaction. Perhaps limiting our dependence on social media might actually
lead to the interaction we desire and enhance our relationships more than we could imagine.