DOES TECHONOLOGY MAKE PEOPLE MORE LONELY? | SAJNI

Technology has made the world more “connected” than ever before. The internet, combined with all the different gadgets we use to connect to it, has given us greater access to information. It has increased opportunities for interactions through social media, and enabled us to pay our bills, do our shopping, and even play games with people on the other side of the world - whilst doing this all from the comfort of our own homes. ‘The best time to be alive’, some might say. Others, however, argue that instead of technology bringing us closer together, it is in fact leaving us more isolated and lonely than ever before. So – are all the advancements of the digital age enriching our lives, or does technology make us more alone?

Whether technology can be directly blamed or not, there is no denying the fact that the world is currently in the middle of what’s being described as a “loneliness epidemic.” A 2018 survey from The Economist found that over ⅕ of US adults say they always or often feel lonely, lack companionship, or feel left out or isolated. A similar study carried out with BBC radio 4 in 2017 called the 'Loneliness experiment' showed that a THIRD of Britons often or very often feel lonely.

Loneliness can be severely life-altering – even life-threatening – for those who experience it. Linked with psychological problems e.g alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders and depression, the devastating effects of loneliness should not be overstated. There is also much evidence to suggest that loneliness can also cause biological problems for example loneliness leading death or suicide.

According to figures published in the Independent, an “analysis of 300,000 people in 148 studies found that loneliness is associated with a 50% increase in mortality”, which is the state of being subject to death, from any cause. In other words, no matter the illness a person may be suffering with, isolation makes it worse and makes it harder to recover from the condition. In these terms, the analysis concluded, loneliness may be considered comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and more dangerous than obesity. Technology has created the illusion that when we use technology we are all technically being social however in reality we are all really deprived of real human interaction, which has led to a loneliness epidemic

To combat the negatives of loneliness, studies show that a person needs face-to-face interactions. However in this day and age we are relying upon technology more and more: at home and at the workplace, so this again leads us to the question : is Technology making us more lonely? While different studies show different results, the overall trend is clear. The world has become addicted to technology. and social media use, in particular, has skyrocketed over recent years, especially this year due to the coronavirus restrictions. One report reveals that when we factor in all media technology – TV, computers, radio, smartphones, tablets – adults are spending 10-and-a-half-hours every single day consuming media. That’s 10-and-a-half hours out of every 24 hour day into a screen, not physically interacting with anybody, not socializing but being engrossed in other people’s lives instead of living our own.

One reason why technology makes you more alone is because we are always depending on our phones and other technology, constantly checking on it, knowing that you may see

something that may hurt you. For example, how would you feel if you had just seen your friends meet up together through social media platforms without you- would this not make you feel immediately excluded and lonely and is this not the effect that technology has on loneliness? When you start to get too attached to your technology, you start to compare your life with the lives of others, and you put yourself down with the amount of likes and followers someone else compared to you. These are the comparisons that have been known to lead people into a downwards spiral of depression and loneliness.

However, the term social media really speaks for itself. It is a place where people can be social online. Social media is a world wide platform and allows people from all over the world to connect together highlighting the fact that people do not have to feel alone when they are physically alone. Technology has allowed people to make friends from their own homes with people on the other side of the world. It has allowed people to express themselves differently, opening up to others and making themselves feel more comfortable. Surely this shows that social media has allowed people to feel less alone.

Comparatively, technology has become so advanced that in the past few decades, online shopping has gone from being non-existent to becoming a multibillion-pound industry. Buying things online has become a common practice among millions of people around the world. The modern lifestyle has changed to being able to order virtually anything online without leaving the comfort of your home. The interaction with shopkeepers and exercising by walking to shops is decreasing exponentially. Technically, if they wanted to, people would never have to leave their homes and still be able to survive.

On the other hand, technology has really helped businesses grow as well as helping employees seamlessly coordinate with colleagues far away or at different locations. This has become even more apparent this year due to coronavirus. Many businesses would have been in a far worse position that they are in now if we did not have technology. Technology creates a team dynamic within a business because employees at different locations have better interactions. If factory managers can communicate with shipment coordinators at a different location, tensions and lack of confidence are less likely to evolve. Cliques and social tensions can become a nightmare for a business however technology often helps workers put their different backgrounds aside, and helps employees not feel so separated, therefore showing that technology instead of making people feel more alone, actually brings people together.

Therefore, whilst technology has brought a revolution to our lives and removed barriers to communication it has made the art of verbal conversation a rare occurrence. Nevertheless, technology has to be embraced for the advances it has brought in every aspect. Technology and social media has also brought families far apart in this world much closer together and therefore cannot be said to cause as much loneliness as one may think.

Sources : https://itchronicles.com/technology/does-technology-make-us-more-alone/ - Terry Brown - Published: August 6, 2019- Does Technology Make Us More Alone?

https://dixiesunnews.com/news/articles/2020/01/23/technology-makes-us-feel-more-alone/#:~:text=Technology%20makes%20us%20feel%20more%20alone%20because%20we%20are%20more,connections%20than%20real%20life%20connections.&text=Not%20only%20does%20spending%20copious,personality%20traits%2C%20according%20to%20Helpguide. - Lillian Rogers - March 31, 2020 - OPINION: Technology makes us feel more alone

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/14/learning/does-technology-make-us-more-alone.html By Michael Gonchar - Oct. 14, 2016 - Does Technology Make Us More Alone?