What effect does technology have on relationships?

Technology is used in every day life for the majority of the world. It is used for research, organisation and espessially communication. The emergence of sites such as FaceBook have revolutionised the way the world communicates. Calling someone on the phone is a thing of the past and talking to someone face to face is becoming a lost art. Messenger, WhatsApp and Snapchat are taking over the traditional means of communication. Is the changing of technology ruining our relationships, or is it only strengthening them?

One of the main benefits to online communication as opposed to face to face communication is the ability to form relationships with people you may not have had the chance to meet otherwise. Even twenty years ago the world was a much smaller place than it is today, travel between countries does not take more than 24 hours, the media cover news events from every corner of the globe and you are no longer limited to sending someone a letter in the post. Email, messengers and Skype allow communication all over the world. My French pen pal Circe and I never would have met if it had not been for technology. When my grandparents received a letter from Circe's grandparents saying Circe wanted a pen pal I knew communication via letter was not going to work. Thanks to email and now Facebook we communicate regularly and I was surprised to find out how much I have in common with a girl who lives half a world away. We never would have kept in contact, and I would have never have made a friend if it were not for technology.

Humans are very sociable creatures. They require regular human contact to survive. However thanks to technology phones, computers and tablets are taking over real human contact. If this continues peoples ability to converse in person rather than through a screen will be gone. We will lose the ability for real human contact...

Online communication has changed the way people keep in touch. Old friends, neighbours and workmates may leave your everyday life but technology ensures a way to maintain a relationship with them.

Technology has caused a worldwide phenomenon, especially in the past 20 years. It is impossible to leave the house an not see someone who is using technology in some way whether it be to listen to music or to message friends. How often have you gone out for lunch with someone who has had to check their phone every time it buzzed? We are relying to much on this technology, the artificial relationships we have formed in our online world rather than the ones right in front of us. Technology is helpful but real life relationships are much more real and it is important to realise this.

Overall technology both helps and hinders relationships. On one hand it is a great way to make new friends, and to keep in touch with old ones. On there other hand if we let it take over and consume us, the constant need for technology, it can only end badly.

I do not think the positives or the negatives outway each other I just think it is how each and every person treats their relationships. You need to have a positive relationship with technology to have quality relationships online and in person.