There’s little in the world as widely impactful as the Internet. You probably wouldn’t be reading this article without the Internet. In fact, most people here wouldn’t be at Andrews if not for the Internet. But as useful as modern technology may be, there’s much more to it that isn’t as often spoken about. This article serves as a tiny, yet vital glimpse into the effects of technology on our personal relationships. Here’s some input from AU students when asked if technology disconnects people:
“I went to a high school where phones weren’t allowed in class, so everyone was pretty much forced to talk to each other. As bad as that sounds, we actually ended up making really good friendships because we were all focused on each other instead of our phones. But I noticed since coming here that most people are just on their phones all day, and it feels so different. On the other hand, we can use technology to talk to long-distance friends and family, so there’s ups and downs.”
Margaret Rogers (freshman, psychology)
“Yes; we’re all so caught up in a world through screens, whether it’s social media or texting or other things, that we forget to enjoy physical connections with our friends and with nature. Also, we start caring too much about our statistics on social media, like how many likes or comments we get on our new posts. But at the same time, we can use technology to video call people like our relatives and old friends.”
Dhara Marquez (senior, psychology and music)
“Yes and no. Everyone seems to be on their phones a lot, even in social settings; we’d all be together in person, but everyone’s doing something on their phone. But also, technology enables us to communicate with people we wouldn’t otherwise be able to communicate with.”
Krystal Yoo (sophomore, nutrition science)
“Yes, but it also does help us connect with people. We can connect with people worldwide who have similar interests, but it also gets in the way of relationships right in front of us too. Whether technology connects or disconnects us really depends on how we use it.”
Priscila Orellana Campana (sophomore, speech pathology)
“It does; technology and social media provide quick content that can be interesting, but it’s from people who aren’t exactly connected to you. Also, it becomes a passive habit to take out your phone in an awkward situation, or even just a situation where there’s nothing immediate to do. I find that it makes it hard to focus on the present moment.”
Clark Barayuga (freshman, pre-physical therapy)
Professor Delyse Steyn, a communications professor through the Andrews School of Distance Education, recommended a documentary to me concerning this topic entitled “The Social Dilemma” (2020, dir. Jeff Orlowski). Available to watch on Netflix, this documentary confronts the terrifying reality of how technology has changed people’s lives. Although this isn’t the complete story of what has happened since the rise of social media, it does expose much of the unintended consequences of the Internet on society and modern lifestyle. I hope this has given you some food for thought today, and perhaps a different perspective on how we live our lives today.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.