by Veronica Bergschneider

Created on: August 27, 2009

Depending upon how humanity chooses to use it, technology can enhance or hinder any aspect of life. The realm of interpersonal communication generally feels this impact first.

Many times throughout history, humanity has changed its modes of communication as society itself has evolved. As people began to spread out geographically, verbal communication turned to writing to make it more portable. Then, people invented ways of carrying both conversation and written communication between their communities to keep in touch with one another as travel became simpler. With the advent of the telephone, people began to wonder if picking up the receiver to call one another would eventually cancel out other forms of communication. So far, as families and friends have moved away from one another, the telephone, even its cellular form, has allowed humanity to maintain the necessary links among its members.

Naturally, now that computers, instant and text messaging, and other forms of communication have found their way into the world, people not familiar with these technologies wonder what they will do to the human race. Etiquette experts and those raised on writing formal letters often worry that e-mail and text message lingo will replace the pen and paper. This will not happen, and both methods of communicating can survive to enhance humans' enjoyment of one another's company if the next generation learns how to accomplish both. Each form of communicating can survive with its own rules as people learn which situations in life call for which level of formality and which of the people they spend time with can connect better with which type of language.

Technology provides many ways of assisting people in communicating, as well. It can bridge great distances, as mentioned earlier, in keeping people in contact with each other. Computers can be used not only for e-mail and instant messaging, but as tools for helping people make their thoughts legible on the paper they are printed on and assisting with spelling and grammar in many cases. For the less artistic person who may not be able to get to the card shop in time for a loved one's birthday or special occasion, a computer with either a good graphics program or an Internet connection to a site such as Hallmark.com provides an excellent alternative for sending along greetings on the special day. When time is of the essence, e-mail or text messages can help even geographically close friends pull together a meeting or dinner party so they will be able to socialize in person. Many people also enjoy sharing photographs of children or pets with others now that technology allows such representations of life to be shared and talked about on instant messaging and e-mail so much more quickly than before.

Thus, one can see how technology, when used properly, greatly enhances the communication process among people. Without telephones and computers, society would consist solely of whichever people one could reach within a day's travel, and we would lack the means to make friends across the country and around the world.

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