Modern Communication and the Impact that Technology has

Technology has gone from a game changing element of communication to a vital part of our interactions everyday. It has made a lasting impact on how we communicate with each other. What makes modern technology so special is that it is constantly evolving. When our parents were in college they didn't have near the access to the information that we do. Think about what they would have to do to if they were on a road trip and got lost. They’d either have to drive around until they found the place or rely solely on a map. Today all we have to do is ask our smartphone how to get to Denver and it’ll give us directions, weather conditions and traffic in a matter of seconds. Another example of technology benefiting us as a society is networking. With a click you can re-kindle friendships over Facebook, interact with your favorite athletes over Twitter and check what your friends are up to on Instagram. Music is one of the most necessary aspects of my life and Spotify has been super clutch. I have the ability to consume and discover as much music as I desire. Snapchat gives us a way to talk to your girlfriend in another state and be able to see her face everyday even though you live miles away. While this type of networking helps us build friendships and keep in touch there’s another side to it. The other type of networking I'm speaking of is making business connections. Meeting people online is a big way to expand your connections. Many businesses use the power of media to expand. Let's say someone Tweets about getting connected with a job opportunity and someone you follow Retweets it. You’ll see this and because of networking you'll be acquainted with someone that could help your reach your business goals. In addition, technology makes difficult projects and time consuming tasks much easier. Take a second to think about how long it would take to send a letter to a company about a job opportunity in Miami or a basketball coach trying to recruit a 5 star center from France. Efficiency is one of the main keys to success and technology has given that to our society. We cut down so much paper waste as online textbooks are popular with the college scene. That being said there are a handful of negatives to the way our society runs with technology as the focus. While we do save time, in turn we lose the human interaction that unknowingly crave. New opportunities are created by social networking, but we also lose out on current relationships at times. Next time you're at a party scan the room to see how many people are on their phones instead of talking to the people they came with. We live in a time when if someone has a problem with a peer they'll call them out over Twitter rather than sitting down and talking. While we may gain a future business partner over LinkedIn, We could potentially lose a friend as we become too consumed with our Instagram feeds. The biggest downfall to the technological takeover is that we as young adults become too materialistic. This self-centered mentality can and often does lead to strained relationships. However, these are not immediate effects nor are they guaranteed. In the end we have to decide whether technology will rule our modern society or if it’ll enhance it. We can choose to use technology for all of its intents and purposes while being able to have enough self control to put the phone down at the dinner table. Many new jobs and careers have been created that wouldn't have even been imagined without the access of the internet. Due to this our society benefits greatly everyday. Take action and shoot an email to a potential employer about an internship. Don't start a Twitter feud with a rival by sub tweeting about how your party was better than his. Our social lives thrive with the use of technology and with constant improvements lead to open doors. Some people despise change, but I argue embrace it. Put the gift that you have been given to good use and I guarantee that you'll love that fact that we live in the 21st century and have an endless amount of knowledge and information.