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TECHNOLOGY AND HUMAN INTERACTION
By Toyosi Josephine
Technology has been said to be a form of salvation to mankind because of how it has brought change to the activities of people all over the world. It has made work more efficient, effective, faster and easier, in all spheres of life/ Technology has also helped tremendously especially the information and communication technology such as the world of the telephone, computers, internet and more. These technologies have made it easier for us to communicate with people in faraway lands and also to a large number of people at the same time. ICT no doubt has a lot of advantages to humans but we cannot still underestimate one of its disadvantage which is the fact that it has presently limited human interaction to some extent.
The internet space and especially, social media has turned to a place where people find solace now. It has been noticed that many people now turn to the internet if they need someone to talk to, rather than families and friends. Instead of talking to members of the family and friends when they need to talk, they now seem to find more peace and comfort in talking to strangers. Most people who are very active online and who have lots of followers on social media now spend very little time with their loved ones. They are too engrossed in their new world to the extent that they forget the families that need them. Indeed, even some of them are sad in reality and they are seeking comfort and happiness but on social media platforms
We equally notice that people on social media today post the best of their lives on social media platforms and only when they are well dressed, with a car key or with their finest shoes and people tend to live their lives according to the standards of the internet seeing a person of their age living a better life than them makes them feel useless and backward in life and depressed.
We need to start putting more premium on the meaning of quality in our lives rather than quantity, after pretending to be perfect on the internet, it becomes hard for you to share your problems too and most youths and even some parents now spend virtually all their leisure’s on the internet which makes it hard for people to have meaningful interactions with people around them.
An interview with a post-graduate student revealed that ‘ social media dissocialize people, it causes distraction he gave an instance of a couple being on a date and a partner being distracted with his phone maybe with a message or phone call even without picking the call, it breaks the conversation and it has to start again , one day, the generator in my house broke down and there was no light and all phones were off, all my family members had no choice than to sit and talk, it was unforgettable because it has been a long time I had such a great moment with my family, everyone was happy that night when we spoke and cracked jokes, assuming there was light everyone will be busy with the television or phones or on social media platforms
A mother of 4 also gave her opinion that ‘technology has brought a great change for humans and internet is also great but she will be unhappy if her children grows up and instead of discussing with her or their friends when they are depressed or when they need to talk to someone are rather speaking to strangers on social media or rather than sharing exciting moments with her are busy on the phones’
An elderly woman with 5 grown up children also said ‘unlike before I do have meaningful conversation with my husband but now he is always busy on the Facebook although we still do talk very well but only when there is something important to discuss but it is unlike before when he hasn’t been exposed to social media same goes to my children they prefer to be on phones always, they just do their house chores in haste and return back to their phones or the television’
Although technology has helped in so many ways, there is no doubt that human interaction, morality, socializing and standards have changed for the worse. Indeed, different doesn’t always mean good and faster and efficient ways of communicating doesn’t always translate to better socializing. Hence the imperative of balance.
Popular Nigerian social media influencer, Segalink
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