Two Steps Forward for Technology, A Step Backwards for Humanity?

In any public setting, you find yourself surrounded by technology. Right this instant, I can assure you that if you look up from the paper, you’ll see some serial texter, frantically thumbing away at their cellphone.

Whether we’re glued to our BlackBerries, scrolling through Facebook or are blissfully blocking out the world with our noise-cancelling headphones, technology is a more substantial part of our lives each and every day.

And youth seem more susceptible to the contagious allure of technology – we’re constantly looking out for the hottest new gadget; from the next generation iPod, to the hottest new phone and the next big networking site.

But with all this messaging, downloading, chatting and clicking away, technology not only connects us, but separates us on a more basic level – that of human interaction. Are youth today becoming so accustomed to this quick and easy way of life that they no longer feel the need for real social relations? Even iPods, no matter how convenient, increasingly affordable and popular they are, are perhaps just an excuse to blatantly disregard everyone around you.

It’s disheartening, in a way, when everyone within a 10-foot radius is plugged in and distracted by flashy contraptions that they really couldn’t care less to say “sorry” when they bump into you, and it is sad to think that this is happening to an entire generation. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m equally guilty. I admit that I spend more time than I’d like on Facebook, rarely go anywhere without music blaring through my obnoxiously large headphones and feel separation anxiety without my cellphone, but there is a line, and some of us cross it.

If you’re finding it easier to speak to people online because you find face-to-face interaction daunting, it’s time to turn off your computer and get out of the house. If you find that you freeze up whenever a stranger asks you for the time, it’s time to take off your headphones and reintroduce yourself to society. And lastly, if you cannot resist fiddling with your cellphone for an hour without a panic attack, it is time to seriously reconsider your priorities. Put down your gadgets and get out there: humanity is at stake.