Communication

Nowadays, people are being absorved by the possibilities of interpersonal communication based on non-personal contact. There is plenty of new social networks and technological dispositives that provide the possibility of making personal relationship a little bit less personal. Just to name some of them, we count with Messengers (from Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail), Skype, Facebook, Twitter and, of course, the new sensation: Blackberries. So, is there maybe occuring a lost of face-to-face relationships and interactions?

Well, although many of the new technologies available for conecting people around the world arise as a solution to the limits imposed by distance, certainly there is occuring a lost in the sensibility and skills that only a personal, face-to-face contact can develop in people. However, I'd think we're far away from abandoning personal contact with other people. I mean, we'll always need someone to hang around or to party!

But, yes. It is clear that the distance these technologies were trying to reduce, now has taken another form and its manifestations may be seen in some kind of social withdrawal or alienation. Then, how could we solve that and make people again meet each other and feel the necessity of having contact with others? That's a hard question to answer, because of the new trends that among young people are provoking a change in human behaviors.

If we take into account that a big deal of responsibility can be charged to the media and to the telecommunications industry, I would dare to think that it is through these same means that solution may arise. If media, as in the way they generated part of these new behaviors, comes out with the creation of the necessity for people to resume face-to-face contact, then maybe again they will mold people's behavior and once again a coffee break will be a good plan to spend some time in the afternoon.

Images' Sources:

• Blackberry, Social Networks. Retrieved on 15th May, 2011, from: http://www.blackberrycool.com/2009/02/19/top-5-blackberry-social-networks/
• Lasers in green dance club party. Retrieved on 15th May, 2011, from: http://www.monsterloop.com/blog/?p=295
• Juan Valdez Coffe Shop. Retrieved on 15th May, 2011, from: http://astrologialordjim.com/hikin/sys/www/jaun%20valdez%20cafe-9555.html