Fuad Ahmad Alshami
James Madison University (Study Group)
Since the advent of the information age, as we know it today, computers have been a significant part of our lives. The different types of computers include PCs, laptops and hand-held devices, mobile phones and even calculators. Since we make use of computers to assist us, they have reduced human intervention in performing some tasks or eliminated it completely. Just like any other of such development it has both its merits and demerits. This paper examines how computers have affected the way we do things. I attempt to find out the skills that we have lost through computer use and those that we have gained.
Furthermore, a most notable negative affect of computers is on our interaction skills. The Internet has turned computers into a superhighway of information and communication between people at any location in the world. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have made interaction and information exchange between people even easier. Added to the top of this is our possession of smart phones like Blackberry, iPhones and Android phones that make social networking easier. Although our interactions over social networking platforms are easier it has however negatively affected our physical human interaction with each other. Text based communication such as e-mail and chat messages cannot sufficiently express human emotions that are present in physical interaction. In a research work by Coyle & Vaughan (2008), while determining how social network communications affect individual relationships, they stated that social networking cannot replace voice communication and physical interaction. In their words “social networking may be convenient for retaining contact when time and distance are issues, but it does not replace voice calls and face-to-face communication”. (Coyle & Vaughn, 2008, p15). Many times, we discern a lot from the expressions, body language and posture of people when talking to them. We however lack this ability to discern and pay attention to details when we make use of communication based on social networking. Possessing discernment skills involve noticing human feelings that are not verbally expressed. In a conversation for instance, when we notice a yawn from the other party, it is a sign of either boredom or fatigue. On noticing this, the best reaction will be to discontinue the conversation and allow the other party rest. This feeling of either boredom or fatigue has not been verbally expressed but has been noticed because it is a physical interaction. This skill is however lacking in a social network based communication. Although a lot can still be expressed in words, no amount of words can replace a warm smile from someone.
We have also lost the sense of privacy when computer use is concerned. Our right to privacy has been depleted like wise we do not give privacy to others. Dwyer, Hiltz & Passerini, in a paper titled “Trust and privacy concern within social networking sites: A comparison of Facebook and MySpace” noted the growing privacy concern amongst the users of these social networking sites. The use of social networking sites make us put personal information online that should not have been put in cyberspace. “Social networking sites record all interactions, and retain them for potential use in social data mining.”(p2). The implication of this is that we do not enjoy privacy on the personal information we put online and those of our interactions. This could lead to third party, through hacking to have access to sufficient information to impersonate or wrongfully use one’s identity.
However, it is not disadvantages all through for the way computer use affect our lives. Computers and information technology play significant role in the defense of a country.The process of intelligence gathering and analysis to prevent and tackle crime has been made easier with the use of computers and information sharing. In a statement credited to the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) of the United States Department of Defense, at an RSA conference, "Telecommunications providers have unparalleled visibility into global networks. They can detect attacks transiting their systems, and in many cases alert customers" (Lynn, 2011, p2).
With the deployment and use of computer networks in all facets of our national lives from education to commerce, to health etc., cyber-attacks on organizations, both government-owned and private have increased. In order to be able control these attacks, the skills of securing these networks have also greatly increased. As a result of the foregoing, humans have improved in thinking capability to be able to predict and anticipate the possible ways attacks can come and also make early moves to prevent them. This point is supported by Lynn (2011) when he stated that "Because of our intelligence capabilities, government has a deep and unique awareness of certain cyber threats." (p3)
In conclusion, our daily use of computers has affected our lives in myriad ways. Some are positive, while others are negative. Some have enabled us to perform tasks better while some have replaced the way we do things. In this write up, I have considered the negative affect of computers on students in performing correct calculations relative to when calculators were not in use. I have also examined its negative impact on our interpersonal physical interactions. In military use, I have examined its advantage in intelligence gathering to prevent attacks and also fight crime. In all the situations that have been considered, I want to point out that each of them has advantages and disadvantages inherent in them. The side we see will depend on the use (or misuse) to which computers have been put and the personality of the users involved.
References
Coyle, C.I., & Vaughn, H. (2008). Social Networking: Communication Revolution or Evolution? Bell Labs Technical Journal, 13(2), 13-18. Don’t need DOI numbers if you have volume & number.
Dwyer, C., Hiltz, S.R., & Passerini, K. (2007). Trust and privacy concern within social networking sites: A comparison of Facebook and MySpace. Proceedings of the thirteen Americas Conference on information Systems. Keystone, Colorado.
Lynn, W.J. (2011). Remarks on Cyber at the RSA Conference. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), U.S. Department of Defense: Retrieved from Http://www.defense.gov/speeches/speech.aspx?SpeechID=1535
Rosen, I.D. (2012). I Disorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming its Hold on Us. Palgrave Macmillan.
Turkle, S. (2004). How Computers Change the Way We Think. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 50(21), B26.
