Effects Of Technology On Loneliness

“Modern technology has become a total phenomenon for civilization, the defining force of a new social order in which efficiency is no longer an option but a necessity imposed on all human activity(Ellul).” The activity that humans partake in can impose on the mental health making them feel alone.. Technology in certain circumstances can affect loneliness, have the potential to substitute real social contacts, isolating people from the real world, that we must learn to use well. Professor John Cacioppo, a psychologist and loneliness researcher at the University of Chicago says, “Technology is a tool. It depends on how you’re using it as to whether it makes you more or less lonely.” So depending on the use of the technology Professor …show more content…
The physical separation is what can lead to loneliness. Woodward states the motivation for using Facebook determines if it makes a person more or less lonely. For those who used Facebook to create new friendships loneliness would decrease over a five-month period. Although when Facebook was used to compensate for the lack of social skills in face to face communication, these users were left lonelier. While this article argues that how technology is used that will affect the user, the other articles focus on the reduction in the uses of technology and social medias. Both the interview with Sherry Turkle and the Forbes magazine article both provide lists of steps you can take to reduce the use of social medias or cut them out entirely recognizing that these technologies are an issue. Whereas the ABC’s article argues what the causes of loneliness and social isolation are. Axel Franzen use to arguments to identify the consequences of using social medias.
He says, “Goods will not be offered and brought personally at a store around the corner or …show more content…
People use their devices to stay connected to people that are not in front of them and the people that are in front of them are feeling it’s effects. As discussed in the Forbes magazine article real human element cannot be replaced by these technologies. Margie Warrell is a bestselling author, executive life coach, media personality, and frequent keynote speaker. She argues that online technology is a great tool for keeping in touch with people across the country or time zones, but like all tools we have to learn how to use it well, and cannot become dependent on it to fulfill our need for intimacy, a genuine connection, or a real friendship. The aspect of a real human element cannot be replaced by this technology. A recent study says that the ones who report feeling lonely are young people who are under 35 that use social media the most. Warrell 's argument is that although there are pros to the social media world, it cannot replace the intimacy that is created with real world interactions and she also provides steps to cut down on the use of online technology and how to build real world social networks. Similarly, this article and the ABC’s both consider the pros of the uses of social