Thesis Statement
Social dimensions of families are being changed and ripped apart by the rapid technological advancements because much needed family time is greatly reduced.
1.0 Introduction: Effects of technology on Family
Technology may be best defined as a way of reducing human effort (Kumar, n/d). We had seen the 20th and 21st century reeling with rapid technological advancements that people almost cannot catch up. Numerous ways of communicating, entertainment and appliances that makes are everyday work easier are available. The latest technological gadgets like ipods, laptops and hand-held mobile phones have converted the world into a global village where everything and everyone can be connected in an instant (McLuhan, 1964). Indeed, the recent technological advancements have made a big mark of reducing human effort in almost everything that needs to be done. Instead of waiting for months for your letter to reach your aunt in India for example, you now have numerous ways of communicating where you can also get instant reply or actually see them. However, even with the numerous advantages these technological advancements had given us, there are negative impacts to the social dynamics of families. Hilborn once defined a family as the understanding of two and more person living together that are bounded overtime or adoption (2009). The essence of this definition is gradually changing due to the presence of technology which has influenced the way individuals in a family interact, work, communicate as well as spend leisure time. The most noticeable effect is the reduction of family bonding time. Yes, technology enables communication between family members who are apart but, actual interaction is important when there is a possibility for family members to be together. Several researches have seen that instead of having bonding time during leisure time, family members go on their own way. One watches the television, another busy with a mobile phone, another busy with the internet and so forth. With technology, parents are now bringing home their work so even if they are home, their minds are away from home. Suzzie Christodulu suggests that “the next time you are in a public place where families gather, such as a playground, a children's soccer game or a museum, see how many parents are focused on their mobile phones instead of watching their kids” (19 Jan 2011).
3.0 Conclusion: Effects of technology on Family
Modern technology should be exceptionally upstanding when they are moderately use and used only for the intended purpose but negative effects occur when its use are not controlled. Families are the ones greatly affected by this. Although technology has enabled families to understand the world at their doorstep, the social dynamics in a family is changed by “overuse” of technologies such as social networking, online videos and text messaging. A family’s needs time and communication to strengthen their bond. But because of televisions running, cellphones and computers and other technology based past-times, the bond is weakened because instead of taking time to get updated to what family members have been doing, they go on their own way. They may be at home the whole day but they are busy with different things so their communication is greatly affected. Parents should set limitation on the use of these technologies to their children.
The fact is that these technological gadgets are inanimate; hence they are not capable of influencing families on their own. Families, who decides to keep their modern technological aspects in perspective, will not be affected negatively by technology, but instead help them make family life interesting and easy. Parents should be the one to decide the extent of technology use in the family to be able to have control. Technology can be useful to families when used under control but it could also rip families apart when used excessively or the wrong way.
Christodulu, Suzzie. (12 Jan 2011). The Lonely Crowd - the Effects of Technology on Our Families and Social Lives. Retrieved from http://www.cellular-news.com/story/47474.php
McLuhan, Marshall. (1964). Understanding Media: the extensions of man. Retrieved from http://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Understanding_media.html?id=R2bqSaC5TlkC&redir_esc=y
