by Todd Pheifer

Created on: October 04, 2009

The Internet has been an amazing tool of productivity and communication since it's inception not so many years ago. People have been able to engage in dialogue and commerce all over the world, and individuals have been able to access a huge amount of information at the touch of a button. However, the Internet has also done plenty of damage in a variety of settings, and with any communications medium, there is corruption, abuse, and addiction. Here are a few specific ways that the Internet has damaged people's relationships.

Digital relationships

One problem with the Internet is that people have substituted "digital" relationships for real connections. Again, there is nothing particular wrong with people dialoguing in a digital environment, but some social networking sites have enabled people to collect "friends", even if they do not have much of a connection to the person. In addition, instant messaging and other digital communication has not always been relational content of great depth.

Time

Human beings are social creatures, and relationships have often grown when people have spent quality time together in a face-to-face setting. The Internet allows people to "connect" without actually having to get together and spend any time in each other's presence. The Internet does help bridge large geographic gaps between people, but when people email their colleague who is sitting five feet away, this may signal a difficulty with interpersonal communication.

Email wars

Another problem with the Internet is that people can sometimes attempt to resolve their conflict through email dialogue. This can work in certain situations, but unfortunately the Internet can be a difficult medium in terms of understanding humor, emotion, tone, and context. When misunderstandings occur in an online environment, the dialogue can quickly dissolve into personal attacks and unresolved conflict due to misunderstandings. Granted, face-to-face conflict resolution is not without problems, but oftentimes people have a better understanding when they can read tone, emotion, and body language.

Silver lining

What people have to keep in mind is that the Internet is a medium of communication. It is not the best thing that has ever been invented. Nor will it end the world...yet. People can use the Internet for a variety of thing, but they should respect the damage that it can do to relationships if individuals are not careful. People are still human, and in order for relationships to grow and thrive, they need to connect sometimes on a more "personal" level.

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