It is undeniable that technology has changed the way we as humans communicate, especially face to face. For example, this morning I was checking my email while walking to class and suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw a bike zoom by me. I flinched even though I really had no idea how close the bike was to me because I was too focused on the emails in my inbox. Not only is it kinda dangerous walking with my eyes focused on a piece of plastic makes me neglect the possibilities of reality. I find when I am walking without my eyes on my phone I have a much more pleasant time, but it is still an impulse to ignore my beautiful surroundings and focus on a screen. I do not think we realize how beneficial it is to not turn to technology during the little breaks we have during the day like a quick walk to class. I feel much better if I give a few smiles, a couple of “heys”, or maybe a hug or two along the way because the truth is webding smiles, a “what’s up” text, and virtual pokes do not give me the same feeling. I feel that social interaction on the Internet threatens our development and the progression of social skills that we need for our physical and mental health and to feel satisfied with our lives. If one is only preoccupied with their online reality they begin to miss out the beautiful things on earth that do not require a battery, a cord, or a charger.

Children are beginning to get involved with social networking at younger and younger ages. My worry is that this will inhibit some children from developing the dynamic social skills they need to succeed in life. We need to teach our generation that social networking needs to be used as a tool to further our tangible social interactions, not replace them. This is similar to my belief that the Internet should be a tool for students, but not completely replace their curriculum like in the case of online classes.

I feel that online relationships are not necessarily bad, just different and cannot compare to face-to-face interaction. Online relationships do open doors and offer opportunities that social interaction cannot solely provide. It is a way for people to meet people who have similar interests who are not limited to their location. Most of those who turn to the internet to find social, romantic, and sexual relations know that eventually they will have to social interact with people to have the relationship progress. I believe looking for online relations with intentions of physical interaction is a way we use the Internet as a tool for social interaction. On the contrary, using the internet to just meet people solely in this virtual realm and to create an online persona of oneself and an alternative world with no intention of incorporating reality is not beneficial and further negating one’s social interactions and skills. 

How one uses the Internet is a personal decision that can offer both positive and negative consequences and effects on one self. I believe if the Internet is used in moderation and with intentions of increasing one’s social interactions with reality then it is not such a horrible thing. The Internet does contain myriad possibilities but we should not neglect the possibilities that exist in our physical surroundings that are instigated by our social interactions. When I look back at my finest memories in life I do not think about the awesome photo comment I got or the funny tweet I read about my favorite celebrity. I think about the times with friends where I shared laughter, smiles, and engaged in meaningful conversation. These times are when I learn the most and gain satisfaction from my life.