Can Virtual Communication Substitute Human Relations?
According to UN’s telecommunications agency one of the three people is involved in the internet. Cyberspace has created a means for people to come closer together. Rather than spending money on phone services, people in different cities or even different countries can use messenger services, social networking or email to communicate. The Internet allows people to find old friends, classmates, and family members, or meet new people. Many people treat Internet as an enjoyable way of spending their free time.
The most significant feature of internet is the possibility of global communication which gives a lot of opportunities to find a related soul or even a true love; however it does have certain drawbacks that people tend to forget about. In other words, despite the fact that internet is convenient tool of communication; people should not forget about big value and advantages of real conventional relations. One of the benefit from building relationship, people are able to talk with thousands of people all over the world.
In real life it would not be possible, even if they would spend all their life traveling and having new relationships. While using the computer a person can have a friend in Russia or talk with tango dancers from Argentina. What is more online friends do not judge weight, skin color or clothes. Despite the pluses which were mentioned above, one of the major disadvantages of virtual communication, especially at the beginning of new acquaintance is that anyone can enhance the truth as much as he wants.
Not all sites require a photo, and even those that do cannot guarantee that the photo is a real one. Clear signs that the photo may be a fake are strange backgrounds that might indicate a stock image, photos that appear professionally taken and photos that seem old rather than current. Unfortunately some people are not able to identify counterfeit images therefore the internet makes it easy to lie, thus in some cases almost impossible to discern whether the ad is honest or the truth is being embellished.
Furthermore, relations through the internet reduce or eliminate face-to-face socialization. Due to the autonomy afforded by the virtual world, individuals are free to create a fantasy persona and can pretend to be someone else. Besides that it is hard to say no, be rude, or ignore someone when you are looking them in the eye. Also, it’s incredibly easy and quick to unfriend or unfollow someone or simply block their efforts to make a connection. In other words, just one click of the mouse and your problems would be finished.
Unfortunately, this feature of online socialization cheats people of the opportunity to learn how to resolve conflicts in the world outside the Internet and it could retard or cripple one’s social skills developments. A report from the National School Boards Association shows that 41 percent of teenagers spend their time posting messages instead of face-to-face interactions with their peers. In conclusion, although the extension of virtual influence is increasing day by day, the real human interactions will not be replaced among society.
