The Deliberation Synthesis

This is an Essay about communication technology and its downside.

Obsession is a term used to describe any dominating effect that an action, or persisting idea, can have on an individual. It is more accurate to say that the word obsession is a euphemism for a more abrasive word: problem. When our possessions (i.e. cell phones and computers) come to possess us, and create obsessive behavior, it is a problem. Communication technology is a recent, and rapidly growing, phenomenon that promises infinite possibilities for human interaction on a quantitative level; the qualitative level, however, of interpersonal communication, due to our excessive use of communication technology, has decreased to a level of staggering impersonality�"we have become too distracted to deliberately enjoy life.

The degree of our obsession with technological devices used for communicating has surpassed its own semantics and made the emotion and reality of human relationships a void sentiment. A man-made device, such as a cell phone, which the majority of people own, can act as an extension of our natural self, and replace the attention for living with an urgency for synthetic gratification�"when a teenager is walking down a school hallway with his or her face buried in a cell phone, unaware that another human being exists apart from the person they are currently texting or communicating with on one of the various social networks, there is a problem; when an adult is driving a car at 60 miles an hour and wrecks because they are checking a voicemail or text message, this problem becomes a threat. Is there a single, logical reason that someone can give for placing their attention�"an  attention that is crucial for realistic circumstances such as driving a car�"on a mere social interface instead of on the absolute task at hand?  Can anyone justify the loss of a human life in a car accident caused from a driver sending a text message? Not a single, sensible person would say that a text or call is worth the possibility of an accident, yet we still text and drive. We still place the instant gratification of our communication technology over the purity of personal experiences and face to face interaction; we do this because we are obsessed�"addicted to the convenience and comfortable expedience of instant information and impersonal interaction.

Personal interaction consists of uncountable, implicit variables that rely on our interpretation and distribution to obtain any coherent meaning. When we talk face to face with another person, or group of people, we create connections that develop into relationships which are coordinated by energy and emotion that a piece of technology could never provide, nor understand, because it is artificial. There is a process when communication is exchanged via technology: one person sends information by inputting data into an explicit extension (whether it be the internet or a cell phone), and that information is received�"stripped of all its meaning down to the very essence of ambiguous data�"by another person via another explicit extension (internet or cell phone) to be interpreted in any chosen fashion of subjectivity. In a process like this, are we paying more attention to the person we are communicating to, or the technological device we are communicating with?

 In the matter of seconds, or minutes, it takes us to send a text message, we are concentrating entirely on carrying out the function of sending that message, and missing out on what is happening in the world around us. Moments in life go unnoticed and take a backseat to the concentration needed to tap the keys that send a trivial text message. We isolate anyone that is not on the receiving end of the communication technology that we are currently focused on�"it is nothing peculiar, in the “age of technology,” to walk into a room full of people that are completely ignoring one another because they have their face buried in a cell phone; even if they did decide to converse, it would be impossible to hear a word over the volume of the television blaring in the background�"this has become an accepted scenario, the epitome of everything we have sacrificed for the progression of communicable convenience.

Technology, in itself, is by no means a negative thing. Our progression in the last few decades is astounding and should be considered as a commemoration for our growth as a species. However, our abuse of technology resonates as a warning of what could possibly result from our obsession with the very power we have created�"an increasing separation of our connection with each other. It is inevitable that with the exponential increase of scientific technology, which is completely productive, other methods for speeding the flow of mass production are going to flourish as well. This is where communication technology comes into play: with the help of artificial intelligence, we have discovered a way to organize information on an infinite scale. With a database that is infinite, allowing it to surpass the laws of space and time�"proximity and temporality�"communication is unlimited.

The unlimited power to connect with any person, from any place, at any time, can only be a bad thing if it assumes an unlimited role in our life. If we cannot be responsible by exerting specific time management skills to prioritize our lives, this unlimited access to information and communication can be debilitating and counter-productive. With the exponential progression of Technological advancement, “Tech Generations” have begun to develop�"these are composed of children who are not aware of a world without technology because they have never experienced life without computers, cell phones and video games. These “Tech Generations’ becomes shorter as technology advances; there may come a time when these so called “tech generations” become so short that the whole natural evolution of technology implodes on itself and causes us to redefine our own humanity since we would be required to have a different perception and relationship with such advanced devices.

The younger generation is prone to a heightened level of distraction and, although most young children can navigate technology with ease, their ability to limit constant use of unlimited technological devices proves to be dangerously distorted. The “tech generations” are characterized by the necessity for constant stimulation and immediate resolution to any problem with the help of the internet; the problem penetrates into the daily lives of children when they are presented with real-life situations that do not involve the use of technology. Teachers report problems in school resulting from the inability of Children to adapt to a classroom environment where the use of technology is controlled or restricted. The kids show signs of withdrawal and incompetence without their cell phones, laptops, handheld videogames and other such devices�"the toys of today that have replaced books and creative thinking.

When does the indubitable vice that technology has on our ability to function become a problem?�"when the word technology is used in the same sentence with the words addiction and psychological disorder it is time to develop an awareness for the threat to our sanity and well-being. There is a new diagnosable disease, according to the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) called, “Internet-Use Disorder”. Some children, and adults, are having a difficulty controlling their lives because of the entertainment technology available. It is not difficult to imagine the possibility of losing realistic balance when everything we need�"dating websites, discussion forums, unlimited and cheap music, spell check, pictures and videos (the list is ongoing)�"is available at our fingertips. Consequentially, this overload of stimulation and convenience hinders communication skills like a barrier between acknowledgement and acceptance; the fact that we deny the overwhelming influence that communication technology, and the access to technology in general, has on our lives, is undeniable.

Technology is not going away, if anything, it is going to develop exponentially and either dictate our progression or perpetrate our possible destruction. There is no reason that we should allow the internet to affect our mental health. There is no excuse for a child spending more time playing video games than exercising and learning. There is no acceptable rationalization for anyone concerning their undivided attention to a text message and neglecting personal communication with people around them. It is imperative that we use the power of technology to our advantage, to aid in our progress, and to enhance communication, not corrupt it. By developing a deliberation synthesis�"a new way of viewing the importance of awareness and self-control�"we can turn our obsession and misuse of technology, communication technology in particular, into a means of propagating further achievement and innovation with the powerful tools that we created.

Balance is the determining factor for preventing obsession and achieving clarity. A life without balance, in general, is similar to chaos, but with the introduction of explicit, external devices that control and possess our attention, further preventing balance and, in turn, productivity, this chaos turns cataclysmic. Enervation, not in the physical sense, but of vitality of interpersonal communication skills, is presumably the largest threat to our greatest distinction for ubiquity�"as humans we have the capability of being limitless so long as we remain one. When we remember that life is a gift to be enjoyed deliberately, and that the life-moments we lose to our preoccupation with our precious cell phones are unrecoverable, then we will obtain genuine self-affirmation; if we do not, at least we have the newest iPhone app. to look forward to.

 

Author's Note

Please read the whole thing, I think it is an important issue to be addressed. I love advancement, and I know technology can be a great thing, but we must show some responsibility.