The exploration of international networks and the worldwide web has led humankind to new places. Astounding discoveries, accomplishments, and feats have allowed a fresh outlook on life and all things involved with it to be reached. Along with these innovative ideas, the prospect of digital friendship has surfaced. Through such social networks, one can communicate with others, contact past companions, and be entertained. Looking in from the outside, these friend-finding databases appear fun and useful. But, when the entirety of the situation is exposed, the possibility exists that social networking may influence a person far beyond the time he or she logs off. It can be observed in society every day. Interpersonal skills are fading, people young and old are constantly connected to one another, and everything is changing at a rapid pace. Although the full effect of social networking is yet to be seen, it most certainly develops into a more vital dilemma as each day passes.
Kids playing on their cell phones rather than playgrounds, men dressed in suits with Bluetooth devices, and laptops sprawled out across a table in a coffee shop all make one vision clear. A constant connection exists between the world and anyone willing to access it. Information spreads quicker across the web than a wildfire through the hills of California. It takes mere seconds for breaking news in Mumbai, India to become headline news on the local broadcast in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Children are gifted cellular phones at very young ages. These young people now become a part of the ever-growing network. Although some may find many reasons to support and counter this, one in particular stands out (on the note of constant connection).Years ago, children who were growing up were required to learn a lot of things on their own. They were obligated to do this predominantly on their own with quite a sense of responsibility. Despite the fact that having this “life-line” of sorts can provide both parent and child with a great sense of comfort, there is a downfall. In an interview with Liz Else, Sherry Turkle comments on this, stating a child given the freedom of being on their own was “was a rite of passage that communicated, ‘You are on your own and responsible.’ Tethering via a cell phone buffers this moment” (qtd. in Else 48) and hinders the development of the child’s reliance on themselves over technology. Of course, the list of advantages of this unlimited communication network is great. It no longer takes months for ideas to be brought to a new land. Violence can be prevented, goods can be shared, and help can be sent to those in need. Despite the list of positives, downsides can surely be seen. When one takes off the rose-colored glasses, they become aware of the danger that lies within. Society relies too heavily on technology. The thought that such tools are not completely infallible sparsely makes its presence known. Being surrounded by computers, cellular phones, and internet often blurs the vision of reality. Batteries, power cords, and generators all share one common trait. They can fail. Connections can be lost, power can go out, and memory can reach capacity. Flaws in the system exist. By going digital and trusting the 1’s and 0’s, one submits to a risky game. And when the screen goes black, the lights do indeed go out.A dancer puts on a mask, the finishing touch of an elaborate costume. The curtains rise. The spotlight hits the timid figure as the audience gazes on. The music begins to play and the being starts to move gracefully across the stage. As the routine ends, the audience claps for the unknown person. The virtual world sets a similar scene. Anyone can be anybody. The line between true and false is nonexistent. A new identity can be created with the click of a button. From the safety of their own homes, behind their desks, people access the massive realm of the cyber world. With no apparent repercussions, there is no limit on what one can do or say. The exchange of communication between any party leads to a chain reaction of effects. Harsh feelings expressed can lead to bitter attitudes which affect the emotions of numerous people. The mental stability and psychological well-being of a human can be pushed to an extreme. In 2006, thirteen year old Megan Meier committed suicide from what is believed to be the result of cyber bullying. Lori Drew, a woman who was friends with Meier’s mother, was convicted of having “helped create a MySpace profile for a fictional teenager, Josh, who flirted online with Megan before turning on and taunting her” (Tresniowski, Truesdell, Morrissey, and Breuer, A Cyberbully Convicted) which resulted in Meier’s suicide. Drew was given a three-year sentence and a $300,000 fine. The personas and relationships that develop online can surely vary. Though, the wall that digital communication forms is constant. Whether it is a conversation amongst friends or strangers, the interpersonal emotion and friendliness that human beings are accustomed to and designed around are missing. It is impossible to convey true meaning via type and text. Feelings can be misread and people cannot successfully relate to one another. When we develop a reliance on the ability to communicate whatever we want to a wide range of people, it can become harmful. We get familiarized with the sense of being able to share anything without receiving any kind of truly sincere response. Face-to-face communication is transitioning into a bland way of expression. The true human emotions we know now are becoming numb as we experience the de-sensitized versions of them through social networking. Turkle brings up a good point in an interview where she declares “it can lead to a new dependence, sometimes to the extent that we need others in order to feel our feelings in the first place” (Else 48).
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