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Cody Soule
Professor Stone
UWRT 150
April 25, 2014
Final Assignment
We are in an era that has seen unprecedented technological advancements. Within the
past century, humans have gone from the first television set to sophisticated computers with
microscopic integrated circuits that can fit right into your pocket. The typical human life has
begun to intertwine itself with this technology, many of us using some form of it within seconds
of waking up and minutes before going to sleep. Technology has already begun to shape and
change the way humans interact; most communication between humans on a day-to-day basis is
through social media, text messaging, e-mail, and phone calls. New technology has allowed us to
talk to our friends without ever having to speak, and online social networks allow us to seek and
find friends who share common interests with us, those whom we may never have met before
this technology was available. Many argue how these new technologies are negatively affecting
our ability to interact with each other as humans, hindering our intellect, and simply changing
human life and interaction for the worst. I believe that this technology is actually shaping and
changing human lives positively, it is allowing us to do many things at a level our ancestors
could not have conceived. Technology is changing the way we as humans think and interact, but
it is also a significant factor in the advancement of the human race. As we master these new
technologies and benefit from the efficiency they allow us, we also need to maintain our social
skills and our humanity.

The first form of faceless communication, besides written communication of course,

became popular in homes in the early-to-mid 20th century in the form of the telephone. With the
telephone came many improvements to the typical everyday human life. One of the most basic of
these was the rapid spread of information with the phone tree. Before, information was spread
slowly, in person, or by written communication, but it was now possible to spread a message
with the touch of a few buttons. The phone tree required that every person in the chain contacted
two people below them. This new technology was utilized to increase the flow of information
between humans. Nicholas Christakis explains the significance of this idea in his book
Connected, Suppose you need to contact a hundred people quickly to let them know that school
is cancelled. Before modern communications, this was a challenge because there was no public
source of up-to-the minutes information that everyone could access from their homes with a
single call, one person can set off a chain of events that could influence hundreds or thousands of
people (15). While the phone tree might not have been utilized in too many situations, the
telephone brought about just the beginning of the major influences that technology would have
on us to this day.
The telephone allowed people to communicate easier than ever before. A professor in
California could now collaborate with a professor in New York, and their ideas could be shared
faster than through books and written communications alone. While the telephone allowed
information to flow at a greater rate than before, a new technology was invented that increased
this flow and accessibility even more. One of the most prominent inventions in recent history, the
Internet and World Wide Web, was created. This web of connectivity made it possible for
everyone on the planet to be simultaneously connected while staying right where they were.
Soon, interactive websites were being created, some of which provided information, and some of

which provided leisure. Businesses were taking advantage of the newly designed interface of the
World Wide Web and began to market and sell products directly to customers over the internet.
In recent years, online social networking has emerged as one of the most prevalent uses of the
internet. Many people are often connected to these accounts on a minute-to-minute basis due to
advanced cell phone technology that allows us to utilize such networks on-demand. The effects
of online social networking and our constant access to it is often the most argued over by-product
of advancing technology.
Before online social networks, seeking out people with common interests was
substantially more difficult, and as found by Nicholas Christakis in Connected, we were really
only able to connect with people three degrees away from us in terms of social networks (a
friend of our friends friend). Our interconnection is not only a natural and necessary part of our
lives but also a force for good, and if this is so, online social networks are the ultimate tool for
this part of our life which is so necessary to humans (8). In a recent survey conducted with a
sample of three thousand randomly chosen Americans, it was found that, sadly, 12 percent of
Americans listed no one with whom they could discuss important matters or spend free time
(12). If that percentage of people translates to the world as a whole, there are a lot of people
missing this vital sense of connection to other humans. These online social networks allow us to
socialize even more effectively than ever before. The claims that these online social networks are
disadvantageous for humans are false. Technology, and not only online social networks, is
allowing people to seek others who share common interests, histories, and dreams, and giving
many hope in an otherwise unsupportive world.
Creating meaningful relationships is often about sharing our lives with others, and
computers can allow us to do so through photos, videos, text, and music. Those who are now

connected through the internet could have been almost impossible to connect with before such
technology was invented. Say that you enjoyed reenacting civil war battles that included roller
skating. This activity is so farfetched that you would not expect anyone that you know or anyone
that they know to know someone who shares that common interest with you. This example might
be over-the-top, but a simple google search reveals that there are in fact people out there who
have this same interest. Connecting to new people shapes who you are, and adding to your social
network helps you grow. Technology has made this possible, and the advantages of such
technology significantly outweigh the disadvantages. It was found that cell phone and internet
use have a positive relationship which ones network size and the diversity of that network
(Hampton). People who were previously out of your reach can be easily contacted, allowing you
to stay in touch with those distant family members you always wished you were closer with. For
those missing that key connection in life, computer technology and online social networks allow
them to find people they can relate to, removing them from a life of isolation and bringing about
new possibilities for them. A network of connected humans has a special life and of its own, and
for some, this special network is all that they are missing in their lives. Perhaps overcoming a
sense of isolation is one of the greatest features of online communities and virtual worlds
however, simply sharing common interests and pursuits with people through technology does not
necessarily have a positive impact on social skills and social development (Kinetics).
With all of these impacts, technology has obviously also had a profound impact on what
it means to be social, but if much of our human interaction is now being done through
technology, what kind of impact does it have on our social skills? As the brain evolves and
shifts its focus toward new technological skills, it drifts away from fundamental social skills,
such as reading facial expressions during conversation or grasping the emotional context of a

subtle gesture (Small). It is very true that some technology does affect our social skills, and
draws us away from this fundamental human knowledge. Technology such as the television
provides little opportunity for meaningful interaction while watching; watchers simply sit there
and ingest what is presented to them without having to respond or react to another person
(Kinetics). Clearly, technology that is meant for entertainment purposes serves no positive
purpose in terms of social skills. Technology such as this can actually have serious effects on
peoples social skills, because those using it are not practicing how to relate to and deal with
other people. While not totally bad in moderation, these technologies can be disadvantageous
when utilized too much. It seems that the more time one spends using technology, such as a
computer or cell phone, their social abilities and overall intelligence decreases, but there are
some proven advantages from the use of these technologies.
Daily exposure to high technology [actually] stimulates brain cell alteration and
neurotransmitter release, gradually strengthening new neural pathways in our brains while
weakening old ones. Because of the current technological revolution, our brains are evolving
right nowat a speed like never before (Small). Studies found that even using a computer just
for web searches for an hour a day changes the way the brain processes information. The
constant barrage of text messages, phone calls, e-mails, and social network notifications is both
stimulating and draining. By constantly being engaged by technology, our brains are trying to
improve efficiency and productivity. In this technological age, certain cognitive skills are
constantly being sharpened because our brains are required to focus on an increasing number of
things throughout the day. Altering our neural networks allows us to learn to react more quickly
to visual stimuli and improve many forms of attention, particularly the ability to notice images in
our peripheral vision. Average IQ scores have been steadily rising and the ability to multitask

without errors has improved. We are developing a better ability to sift through large amounts of
information rapidly and decide whats important and what isnt (Small). While the stimulating
nature of computers is bringing about positive changes in our brains, this continuous partial
attention may cause people to place their brains in a heightened state of stress.
It was once said by C.P. Snow that technology is a queer thing. It brings you great
gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other (Hampton). Some technological
advances cause people to be distracted, overly stressed, and somewhat isolated. Many people are
involved in an abundant number of relationships through technology, but sometimes the high
quantity of these associations leaves people still feeling empty (Kinetics). The pathways for
human interaction and communication are weakening as technology is distracting us from
customary one-on-one people skills. Many are now relying on computers to interact with people
for them, therefore decreasing traditional face-to-face interaction time with other people. The
mainstream popularity of computers is even affecting children at a young age. A 2007 University
of Texas at Austin study of a number of randomly chosen children found that on a typical day,
five and six year olds spend at least fifty minutes in front of the computer (Small). Since the
study does not show how these fifty minutes on the computer are being spent, it could be that the
children are participating in advanced learning programs, or that they are just surfing the web
as many others do. In a different study by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2005, it was found
that young people aged eight to eighteen expose their brains to eight and half hours of digital and
video sensory stimulation, a significant amount of the time one is awake on a common day. With
technology being such a vital part of everyday life, society has become more and more
dependent on [it], sometimes lacking the willingness to think before we act. We become
impatient if it takes more than a few seconds to download a copy of the morning newspaper. We

expect immediate responses to our email, and we expect someone to answer their cell phone
whenever we call (Butte Patil).
Technology has already had many impacts on human life and interaction, but the reality is
that the effects are just beginning. Computer, cell phone technology and the World Wide Web are
still in their early developmental stages at only a few decades old. Nanotechnology is becoming
even more popular in this ever-expanding digital age, allowing for more advanced technology
that can be smaller and better than in the past. Since the first ever transistor was created in the
1970s, the number of transistors on integrated circuits has followed Moores Law, an
observation that predicted the amount of these transistors possible to fit on an integrated circuit
to increase by one hundred percent every year. This law has held true, and we can now fit over
three million transistors on an integrated circuit. This might not mean much to those outside of
the semiconductor industry, but this allows for unparalleled advances in microchips, which drive
almost every piece of technology we utilize today. New technology is beginning to surface as a
direct result of these expanding possibilities, for example Googles new technology called Glass
allows users to have access to a computer that fits into a pair of glasses. The impacts of this
technology are endless; it takes social networking to a whole different level, allowing users to
share exactly what they are seeing to others at any time. Such technology could be used for
beneficial purposes like allowing handicapped people to visually hike a mountain in real-time,
something that was near impossible to do before is now made easier by technology. This kind of
technology can bring about some critical ethical issues as well, and as technology advances,
society will have to adapt. The meaning of privacy will drastically change over the next few
decades with invasive technology such as Google Glass. Those who are looking to harm others
will be the first ones to turn to this technology and hack it for their purpose. As technology

advances we must ensure security is a top priority to help protect the limited privacy we have in
our modern day society.
Humans have come a long way technologically in a short period of time and a
large percent of the population of the word has begun to intertwine itself with technology, many
of us being affected by some form of technology within seconds of waking up. Technology has
already shaped and changed the way that humans interact, it is through invention that mankind
has developed society and created a better world. The question is now: can technology be
something that frees us up and keeps us in the moment, rather than taking us out of it? The
internet, computers, and cell phones have made it possible to communicate without ever needing
to move more than a few fingers, and online social networks allow us to even seek and find
friends who share common interests with us whom we may never have met without them.
Utilizing these technologies can help us to find new friends and colleagues, stay connected with
old ones, and share our lives with those that we befriend throughout our lives. I believe that
when applied intuitively and correctly, technology is shaping and changing human lives
positively, allowing us to do most things at a level our ancestors could not have even conceived.
Technology is a significant factor in the advancement of the human race and our future is
dependent on our ability to weave technology into our lives, and advance it, along with
ourselves. As we master new technologies and benefit from the efficiency they allow us, we also
need to maintain our social skills and our humanity. Balance is a necessity to reap the benefits
that advanced technology has to offer. As the world faces new challenges and problems, it is to
technology that we must look to solve them.

Works Cited

Butte Patil, Pratik. "Technological Advancements and Its Impact on Humanity." Academia.edu.
N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.academia.edu/346486/Technological_Advancements_and_Its_Impact_on_
Humanity>.
Christakis, Nicholas A., and James H. Fowler. Connected: the surprising power of our social
networks and how they shape our lives. New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2009. Print.
Hampton, Keith, Lauren Sessions, and Eun Ja Her. "Core Networks, Social Isolation, and New
Media." Information, communication & Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.mysocialnetwork.net/downloads/iCS18.pdf>.
Kinetics, Human. "Technology can have positive and negative impact on social interactions
(Excerpt from Dimensions of Leisure for Life)." human-kinetics. N.p., 2010. Web. 22
Feb. 2014. <http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/technology-can-havepositive-and-negative-impact-on-social-interactions>.
Small, Gary. "Meet Your iBrain." Scientific American Mind Nov. 2008: 43-49.
http://go.vsb.bc.ca/schools/uhill/Students/room16/Documents/2L%20-%20Meet
%20Your%20iBrain.pdf. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.