It is quite ironic that technology, which has made life easy, is also responsible for the loneliness that people suffer. Yes, technology is rapidly eroding human contact and degrading the quality of communication. Proponents of scientific advancement claim that it is now possible to connect with individuals from across the globe, begin intimate relationships on online dating websites, and share our experiences with others across multiple platforms. While the positive elements are undoubtedly beneficial, for the most part, technology contributes to loneliness as in loneliness by hampering connections, attachment, and heightening withdrawal.

For sure, technology is a vital tool in human connections. Proposers claim that interaction with others, even though they are robots, is better than no interaction at all. Social media is hailed for connecting people, who would have otherwise never met. Social groups foster cooperation among individuals with the same interests and encourage members. Through robots, the sick and elderly find companions around the clock, a fact which has improved their quality of life.

Regardless, technology robs us the physical interaction, which is comforting and reveals non-verbal cues. Intimate contact cannot happen on social media platforms in the name of exchanging messages and posting pictures for likes. A person’s physical presence is essential because it makes us feel that we are not alone, which in itself is comforting. Further, through real conversations, it is possible to tell any non-verbal cues that the speaker conveys. Given that non-verbal communication constitutes 80% of communication, technology makes it hard to gauge how a person truly feels about the matter with the extensive use of texts, emails, and calls that have become the norm of today. Again, seeing a person’s reaction enables an individual to judge their level of honesty, which impacts future interactions.

Technology threatens weak ties, giving rise to social isolation. Weak ties refer to the daily interactions that people have. For instance, the conversations that a cab driver and the client engage in while being driven to a destination. With automation, wireless drivers and self-checkouts, and other commercial technologies limit interaction. Weak ties have an imperative role in human wellbeing as they provide a platform to meet new people, which is exciting. Alluding to the cab driver illustration, it is satisfying to exchange opinions with a stranger during the ride and even make friends. Unfortunately, the same benefits cannot be realized when one is alone in an automatic vehicle.

Thanks to technology, many people feel alone in their struggles and withdraw from others. In a world where everyone wants to demonstrate their upward social standing, more people are experiencing loneliness in their existence, resulting in not only depression but loneliness as well. It is said that no one posts their failures on social media. However, the reality for many a person is grim. Looking at the success stories of people online makes an individual feel that they are not stacking up to the expectations of their peers. Consequently, these people withdraw from their circles because they believe that they are alone in the struggle.

Attachment is problematic when technology is involved. Connection cannot be mistaken for attachment. Even though chatting and calling help people to keep in touch, both modes of communication do not create attachment. If the phrase, ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ is to be interpreted literally, it means that it is easier to forget a person that one cannot see. Correspondingly, forming an attachment with an individual entails displaying vulnerabilities, which cannot be accomplished in online and distant interactions.It is impossible to create a lasting bond with a person whose primary form of interaction is a video-call.

Technology can even make a person lose touch with him/herself.The problem is not just restricted to teenagers, however, as all gadget owners spend their free time ‘socializing’ on different platforms. Usually, these interactions are done at the expense of personal time. Hardly do people take time to reflect on themselves and realize their goals. It is impossible to meditate about oneself and enjoy solitude with the constant buzzing of the phone with notifications.  If an individual cannot face who they are outside social media, it will be difficult to establish intimacy with others as well.Equally dangerous is faking one’s identity to the point of losing and fearing to confront one’s reality. Inadvertently, people have fostered loneliness even at a personal level by embracing technology, which deprives us of precious alone time.

Technology, although it has increased connectivity, it still results in loneliness by hampering connections, attachment, and heightening withdrawal.Despite advances that allow people to see each other through the web, physical contact is invaluable. People still crave being in the company of others, sharing their experiences, and forming bonds on a face-to-face basis. Intimate communication and relationships can only be forged when individuals interact physically, a need that technology cannot meet.

Works Cited

Dyani, Lewis. Can Technology Curb Loneliness?. ABC, Health, 2019. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/health/features/stories/2014/02/17/3946212.htm

Maginadre. Does Technology Make Us More Alone?. HS Insider: Los Angeles Times, 2017. Retrieved from, https://highschool.latimes.com/east-los-angeles-renaissance-academy/does-technology-make-us-more-alone/

Warrell, Mergie. Text or Talk: Is Technology Making You Lonely?. Forbes Magazine, 2012. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2012/05/24/text-or-talk-is-technology-making-you-lonely/#4ff26a552a7b

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