The future of digital communication will enhance the quality of life through technologies related to health, education, and even social media which creates a global community. For instance, as Aron Roberts, who is the software developer at University of California-Berkeley, puts wearable devices that can assist people to make ongoing lifestyle changes and provide information not only just about diseases but also about the early detection of disease indicators (4,Digital life in 2025). Thus, these wearable devices that can detect and prevent future illness should be kept and continuously developed.
In addition to the medical delivery system, the advanced educational technology which enables online lectures and allows people to meet in a virtual space instead of a physical classroom. Also, online dating has been so viral that people can meet potential girlfriends and boyfriends through the application on their smartphones with just one click.
However, my concern here is that with the advancements of technology that allows time saving, and creation of numerous dating apps, people are not committing to a serious love relationship and also a serious friendship. Compared to the generation that did not have such technological advancements, nowadays people interact through virtual reality platforms such as Whatsapp, snapchat, and Facebook. It became so easy for people to just meet and easily abandon relationships aloof to commitment.
Furthermore, with the development, the configuration and mechanisms are complex. This feature can result in limitation of accessibility only for those who know and are aware of the technology. As a result, there will be a gap between “media consumption” as we have discussed in class. There are social elites (cultural elitism) who know the information but at the same time there are ordinary people who are not accustomed to the technology. In addition, there are people who are economically challenged or in third world countries who cannot afford them.
On the other hand, with the connections to globalization, the political awareness and action can be accelerated through social media fundraising (5,Digital life in 2025). For further information on social media for educational uses in third world countries take a look at this.
In conclusion, as pessioptimist, I believe that the future of digital communication is useful in the sense of enhancing people’s health, educational system, and political awareness; but how we weigh the relationship in the virtual reality should be taken into further consideration. Also, the digital commodities should be accessible to everyone regardless of social status.
- Do you believe that social media can enhance the quality of your life?
- Do you believe your relationship would have been better if there was no digital media?
I definitely think my relationships would be better if I did not have social media, which is why I try to limit my usage. Social media has provided a platform where everyone sees what everyone is doing therefore people are always trying to put their best foot forward. As a result what you put online is not always true because you care too much about what people think. My relationships have hurt from excessive use of social media because I can have such great relationships online but when I see the person face to face there is more miscommunication.
yes I totally agree with you that relationships goes well online whereas when I see the persn face to face I always feel like we are not that close as much as we do through social media..
Interesting post!
And to answer your questions, I do believe that social media can enhance your life in certain ways, it just really depends on how you use it. If you use it to spread and gain positivity, and factual information, then you’re on track– that’s the way to go. For your second question, I never blame social media or other digital media for relationship problems, again, it’s about how you use it. We must know what conversations are appropriate through what mediums, and so fourth. Also, it helps us! Imagine all the things we can’t do without our digital devices? It’s amazing that we can communicate with others no matter the physical distance.
I also agree that many of my relationships would be better without social media and digital communication. Social media puts a barrier between relationships and can cause trust issues and distance. I have personally seen many of my friends suffer from insecurity because of things they have seen on social media in regards to their relationship.