Use It, Don't Abuse It

There is no arguing it – technology has taken us all by storm over the last decade or so. Many of my past blogs have shed a more positive light on how it has been for our social skill set. The bad, too, must be explored. As we have continued reading Michael Bugeja’s Interpersonal Divide, the downside of technology and how it affects society has become clearer. For me it is important to keep in mind Bugeja’s underlying purpose of the book. We must use technology properly in our lives. If we do so, it will be more beneficial to us, and we will also be better human beings. We cannot allow technology and the negative aspects it does have to be the demise of how we socialize and interact with the world. Instead, it must be used in moderation and more importantly, correctly.

As I was searching online for what others thought on how technology is affecting socialization, I came across a blurb about the Megan Meier case. The blogger made an excellent point – 10 years ago that teenager may have been online, but the adult who posed as the boyfriend would not have been online. Of course, MySpace wasn’t either... I am not saying parents shouldn’t be online, and I actually have stated how I think it is a good idea for a parent to be a friend with his/her child online if the child is ok with that. Parents though, should know better! Instead of using the Internet in a positive way, Lori Drew abused it in every sense. Drew brought down Meier’s world easily since Drew didn’t have to face her face to face with lie after lie and a conscience muddled by the cyber world.

According to Bugela, one of the habits of technology overload is lying. Drew certainly allowed herself to get out of hand in the lies she told, and also didn’t cut her losses, habit number three. Instead of letting her child deal with her problems, Drew instead prompted further conflict, which leads to the loss of a life. Of course, this is one extreme case, and I’d hope most parents of today do know better; however, if more and more individuals have the lines blurred of what is ok and what it not online, or have lost their sense of what it proper, certainly more of these moms (or dads) will be out there posing on MySpace “protecting” their child.

Not only parents are at fault in allowing the cyber world to take over. Teens and others will be victims as well as villains. And I must state, I do not want to take away from the very serious case of Meier. I did, however, come across the following humorous video that depicts another issue that could arise from the issues Bugela saw with technology – the demise of relationships.



While the girl was the victim (and of course this is meant to be fake and funny), I can’t help but ask myself why she didn’t simply go and speak with her boyfriend about the matter. I know that answer, though, as I have seen many starting to rely on networking sites in the way she did, as well as communicating via other technologies, like breaking up by a text message.

If society continues in this matter, abusing the power technology holds, we will see more of this. I am sure we can all relate to how much easier we think it is to deal with someone or something if we aren’t face to face with it. Technology has allowed us this outlet, but it isn’t an outlet. It is more like a way to cheat or trick ourselves into thinking we are effectively dealing with something when we really aren’t. We need to find a balance and remember that the technology is only as good as we are in using it.

Technology also does not need to consume our lives. Yes, we can have 100s of friends on Facebook, and Facebook will create new friendships, but we do need to continue to meet up with friends for coffee or a game of bowling every now and then. It will keep each of us well-rounded and unconsciously use technology in the way it was meant, as a positive addition to our lives.