by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: February 08, 2009

Computers have made everything seem less real particularly through the creation of the internet. The internet is a marvellous invention and has opened up the rest of the world to virtually everybody. Everybody can have their own say, can air their views, see how other people respond, and view a particular issue. However, it is because the internet is so extensive and at the same time so inclusive that it is easy to lose perspective of what is acceptable in the 'cyber' world compared to what is normal in the 'real' world.

Relationships are particularly affected by the technological developments of the last few decades. On the one hand, technology has been a saving grace. People can stay in contact with their friends and family all the time with their mobile phones or by email, and if a person were to have an accident, it is quickly realised. However, sometimes people do not want to be accessible all the time, and want to be shut off from the outside world, which is very hard to achieve in a technologically-driven world.

Indeed, people are made to feel that they cannot survive without technology, and perhaps they are right, as everything has been computerised so that when something goes wrong, such as a power cut or some other kind of malfunction, it is very difficult to cope. Even living without television for a couple of hours can be a very trying experience, as people are just not used to being without technology all day everyday.

Technology has had the unfortunate effect of raising people's expectations. Television programmes and websites do not necessarily reflect reality, but they raise the aspirations of individuals to an unrealistic level. You only have to look at the popularity of pornography to realise that people have been developing an unhealthy fixation with a kind of sex which is not common practice in the 'real' world, making it more difficult for individuals to know how to act in real situations.

In fact, people who spend a lot of time on the internet often find that they accrue a lot of cyber 'friends' through various social networking sites. They have never met these people, nor are they ever likely to, but have some how linked up with these individuals through a shared interest. Talking to people online is all well and good, but it is not as fulfilling as engaging in a conversation with real people who you can actually talk face-to-face with.

Ultimately, technology has increased the number of ways that people can communicate with others, which has both costs and benefits. People can communicate more frequently, but quantity does not necessarily equate to quality, so that the interaction which individuals have with others is often superficial and lacking in meaning. It is harder to gain complete satisfaction from such engagement, and so people may feel unfulfilled, particularly when they are continually having their expectations raised about what to expect from a good relationship.

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