Technology is great isn’t it? Just look at the world we use it for everything. There pretty much is nothing in this world that we don’t use technology for. But is technology tearing people up? Some people are using technology non-stop. They just can’t stop. Whether they’re chatting it up with friends, playing games, downloading music, or watching videos, they can’t stop. Technology can be useful for some things, but some things are unnecessary and make us less social. There are other ways to entertain yourself than by using technology.

A majority of the world uses computers, for everything from talking to someone in China, to surfing the web when you’re bored. Now days, we even have cameras attached to our computers so that we can actually see who we’re talking to. The internet is addicting and “…leads to small but statistically significant increase in misery and loneliness and a decline in overall psychological well being” (Affonso 1). When people plug themselves into the internet, they tend to not unplug. And when they don’t unplug, they don’t leave the house, which means they’re spending less time with family and “…keeping up with fewer friends” (Affonso 1). They can then go into a state of depression because, in reality, they have no real friends, all of their friends are in a computer, and what kind of a friend is that?

Another popular use of technology is for listening to music. Today we have all kinds of different “private” music players, like the iPod for example. Everyone has an iPod right? Children get on the school bus in the morning and immediately put in their earphones, completely ignoring whoever else is on the bus. But what’s worse is that kids will get into the car, with their own family, and immediately put in their earphones, shutting out whatever their family has to say. But its not just children, adults and teenagers all have iPods today too. Adults will get on the Metro bus to go to work and put on their headphones, instead of taking the time to turn around and say good morning to the person sitting behind them. “For some people, the main appeal of the iPod is that it preoccupies you so you are no longer obligated to interact with the uncontrollable factors of every day life”, much like getting on the bus and ignoring everyone around you (Song 1).

A study done by Norman H. Nie and Sunshine Hillygus shows that people who don’t use the internet very often are invited to more parties, go to more sporting events, have more phone calls, and are more social. It also shows that they spend more than twice as much time with family than people who use the internet. Neil Postman also did a study that shows that children and adults who take virtual classes online are less social and have fewer manners. They don’t know how to act when they go out in public, “that is why it wont do for children to learn in ‘settings of their own choosing’” (Postman 1).

Although I say that technology can corrupt people, many people would disagree with me. Jean-Francois Coget and Yamauchi Yutaka argue, “The internet is a common space to encounter new friends. Users have the potential to ‘meet’ a virtually unlimited number of people…” This is true, you can meet people online, but what is the point in meeting someone that you can’t hang out with in person, you cant talk to in person or do anything with them in person. Honestly the only thing you can do with someone on the computer is talk, and honestly I don’t see how some one can fine that entertaining, talking to a random stranger in the computer. I would much rather be out somewhere with my friends than stuck at home on the computer.

I’m not going to lie I love technology; I think it’s a wonderful thing. But when I call my friends to go to the movies or go get some lunch, and they don’t want to go because they “don’t feel up to it”, but then I find out later from a friend that they didn’t want to go because they were talking to that guy from Missouri that they met online. What am I supposed to do, go by myself? I don’t think so. Next time you want to go out with your friends, I suggest you show up at their house and drag them away from their computer; otherwise, I don’t think they’re going to move. Technology is necessary, but over used. It can be good for some things, but some things are unnecessary and make us less social.