Introduction
The changes in technology have had a lot of impacts on societal operations in the current world. The advancement in technology has both positive and negative repercussions that need to be clearly understood before implementing any technology. Internet technology has been employed in all aspects of life in many societies as it is contributes largely to part of daily life in the society. Internet has largely contributed to effective communication and this has been brought about by the presents of peculiar gadgets that can serve as a phone, a camera and a calendar. Youth have been affected so much by the internet as they use internet extensively as compared to other population. The proliferation of advanced technology such as wireless access to the internet and other advanced cell phones has changed the way people relate in the society, way of learning and how people retrieve information (Bugeja, 2007).
It is with deep concern that it is important to understand that internet has huge negative repercussions for our societies which is inversely proportional to the advantages that face-face communication carries. Some scholars have criticized the use of internet as means of communication as they postulate that communication by use of internet and other technologies have adverse effects on the society. McChesney (2004), argued that communication and community in virtual spaces has a lot of disadvantages in that people will be existing in virtual communities which contrast with real ones which is expected by the society. This poses a very critical shortcoming in the sense that people will be loosing very essential communication skills. Even tough internet enhance democracy and civic participation, it also has the consequences of diverting the attention of the people from real-life situations. Internet causes people to disengage in real life matters. According to research done by CNN, use of computer screens as opposed to face-face communication causes the users to be very addictive hence eliminating authentic interpersonal relationships amongst the members in the society. It was found that around ten per cent of the internet users have been adversely affected in that manner (Bugeja, 2007).
Decline of Culture and Meaning
Internet has also been used extensively in the education sector especially in higher learning institution. Jones (2002) pointed out that college students do most of their research using internet as it is thought to enhance experience in academic matters. A number of scholars have criticized this idea saying that internet has never promoted effective and efficient education. This is due to the fact that they spent most of their time on the computer screens searching for provocative things which are not related to academics. This in turn has the effect of poor performance in academics by these internet users. The society spend a lot of resources on these students but end up being fruitless which is a great loss to the society. These leads to poor economical growth in the society as the youth become unproductive (Hirst, 1996). The advancement in technology and the current use of internet in education sector should be beneficial to students but there has been sharp contrast in the sense there are adverse social implications which does not concur with the expectation of the society. Students get access to pornographic movies which distort their capacity to progress well in academics. Michael Bugeja (2005) was a prominent critic of use of internet in the society as means of communication. He pointed out that there is a social gap arising due to misperception of reality by the internet users. Misconception of others has been order of the day to internet users. People are living a very different kind of life which is attributed directly to the influence of internet. He said that communities are living virtual lives where people no longer recognize the norms and values of the society. This is because internet distorts perception of the moral and social values in the society. Face-to-face communication assist in guiding the young generation and proper dissemination of social values can be achieved. He also asserted that use of computer screens as means of communication have pronounced effect on the young persons who are still anxious of exploring things. It affects the intellectual and social development of the young population. Level of socialization has been affected negatively by the technology. Mode of learning and teaching has not been spared by the proliferation of technology. America is an example of the countries that has faced a lot of problems in social life due people living so much of their lives in virtual interactions which is considered to be detriment of real people (Rosenstiel, 2000).
Email and workplace politics
Email has been adopted in most organizations in the current economy as means of communication over the internet. It was first considered to promote democracy in organizations in our society. It is being used to limit the status imbalance and to air the views of the voiceless. According to studies and research carried out, it comes out clearly that the differences in status ahs never been eliminated even with the advancement in technology. Some scholars argued that use of email as way of communicating has rendered disruptive organizational politics what is termed as virtual politicking (Romm & Nava, 1999). Email has been used by dishonest employees to bring a lot of commotions in the organization. Their acts have conflict with the intentions of the management committee when executing the technology. This is deliberate behaviors by the employees. Communications and other technology-extended interactive modes have lead to differentiation as opposed to homogenization which is the driving aspect of society (Rosenstiel, 2000)
For a community to progress very well, physical community is mandatory to a moral society. There should be peaceful coexistence between different parties that make a society (Bugeja, 2007). These include schools, homes, towns and neighborhoods. Face-face communication is very essential to enhance formation of good relationships and this is possible if people work together, discuss issues together and try to iron out problems as one. The use of computer screens at home has paralyzed formation of good relationships in the society due to the fact there is no social structure in the community if technology is adopted in various activities i.e. extensive use of internet leads to constant changes that are difficult to adopt. Bugeja (2005). He further argued that face to face enable people in the society to interact which in turn dictates level of good relationship in the society. Use of electronic devices such as cell phones and computers hinder good interaction between members in the society which has far reaching influence on the morality and social wellbeing of people. It leads to emotional disconnection between different members in the society. People are placed in a position which they have no ability to handle real life issues in the real space as they are conversing in a virtual world (Thompson, 2000).
Present of internet has been very disadvantageous to the society and public at large. Technology has give rise to disoriented mass communication and journalism due to more emphasis on profits rather delivering relevant information to the society. Internet has motivated most journalists to writer sensational stories which are full of opinion avoiding times less glamorous facts which are of substantial importance (Rosenstiel, 2000).
References List
- Bugeja, J. (2007). Adverse technology. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 40(2), 350-390.
- McChesney, J. (2004). The internet in everyday life. American Behavioral Scientist, 45(2), 363-382.
- Romm & Nava (1997). Virtual politicking.Communications of the ACM 45, 15: 90-100.
- Rosenstiel, T. (2000). Internet and Social Interaction. American Behavioral Scientists, 40(3), 400-460.
- Healy & Thompson, (2000). Internet culture. 300-340
- Hirst, P. (1996). The virtual community. . London: Secker & Warburg. 20-50