How Communication Technology Became an Addiction
We are no longer capable of picturing our lives without phones and computers. Yet so many of us can remember a time when we happily got by without them. The digital age that began at the turn of the millennium brought with it incredible change to our lives and the way we interact with the world around us. Some changes have been for the better, like the ability to keep in better touch with people who are a long ways away, but some changes have had a negative impact, arguably none more so than the pervasiveness of communication technologies.
Digital and satellite communications were created with the intention of making communication and information more readily available. Social media sites and social phone applications are written to connect people. However, disconnect has been observed more strongly in people since the immersion of the digital age. People are known to spend more time on Facebook than they do actually socializing in person. Car accidents are caused by people looking at their cell phones instead of paying attention to other members of society who are driving. It can be argued that communication technology is actually driving us further apart than it is bringing us together.
Some communication technology intrusions are becoming very personal. When someone has their face in a phone while someone else is trying to have a serious conversation with them, or while people are dining out together, it can come off as very rude and disrespectful. A large number of people have developed this problem, which is identified as a bad habit in some situations and an addiction in others. Phones and computers have done a lot to benefit the world, but they are misused as well and humanity is paying the price. It is very important that we come together to eradicate this problem.
People are more than capable of breaking bad habits, and communication technology addiction is worthy of addiction rehabilitation, treatment, counseling or whatever effort it takes to end this destructive behavior. Addiction to communication technology damages relationships, reduces quality of life and can even jeopardize people’s safety.