Are Our Phones Making Us More or Less Connected?

Comments

• sinead276 Posts: 2,045 Boards Champion

  July 11

  i feel like this a real debate i can see both sides too - so can't say for sure which side of the fence i am on.
  
  I get the positives in that technology has enabled us to reach wider people, meeting new people and staying in touch with those we know around the world - even down to this. if it wasn't for technology i wouldn't be connected to everyone here at the mix so thats a positive.
  
  on the flipside i see how it can take away from the connectedness - knowing we can always be a message away from someone can take away from the face-to-face interactions we have with others. whether it be through using our phones when we are sat with friends and family, seeing people less often because we can just message instead. i think sometimes phones can definitely take away from enjoying the moments we have with the people we love.
  
  so in short - i see the good and the bad
  it'll be interesting to see everyone elses opinions on the matter

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• Sian321 Community Manager Posts: 2,029 Boards Champion

  July 12 edited July 12

  Hey @sinead276 , thanks so much for sharing your balanced thoughts here! I really see what you're saying - how there's the benefits of us all being able to connect here (yippee!), and staying in touch with loved ones, but then on the other hand, using our phones can physically interrupt face-to-face moments sometimes, or lessen that 'need' almost to meet up with people in person.
  
  I definitely see what you mean, and I feel like the convenience of our phones can also sometimes make face-to-face interactions seem much less convenient or appealing in comparison. E.g. if I have a question, I can ask Google or ChatGPT immediately, whereas in the past, maybe people might have called up their friend with the question or asked a family member, sparking a moment of connection and conversation.
  
  Or I think communication online sometimes can be kind of smooth and feel safer, whereas in person it can feel awkward, exposing, vulnerable, a bit anxiety-inducing (which is all so much apart of being human!) And I guess I wonder if our phones sometimes allow us to pull away from the messiness of face-to-face interaction! But that feels sad - because I think getting comfortable with the awkwardness and vulnerability of face-to-face interaction has been a huge part of what's helped me to grow confidence and find closeness with others.
  
  Lots of thoughts on this topic, haha!

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• AnonymousToe Posts: 2,710 Boards Guru

  July 12

  Phones have made me less connected to my parents and to my sister, because it’s hard to have a conversation with someone when they’re focused on something else all the time.
  
  BUT they’re vital in all my other relationships. I have selective mutism and some people I can only communicate with in writing, which phones make seem normal. There are some things I can’t say out loud too and just popping it into a text makes it manageable. Sure it’s ‘lazy’ or whatever but it’s the only way I can manage. Text communication can then enable me to feel a little more able to communicate in person. It helps me build up to that. It’s just really important for me.

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