Jones, Shawn

English 114B
Professor Azeem
2/26/15
Internet Impacts Modern Communication
The more social media we have, the more we think we are connecting. Yet we are
really disconnecting from each other. Everyday we flip through social media accounts to
find friends, check on our favorite celebrity, or discover something new around the world.
The Internet has played an essential part in our lives. Social media and the web have
made a significant impact on the world that could be both honorable and dreadful. My
feelings on this issue are mixed. I support Donaths position about Internet improving
communication with others, but at the same time it has also regressed.
Firstly, the Internet allowed people to communicate with anyone they choose.
Someone can receive my message, even if I am million miles away. The speed of the
Internet contributed to our communication. To demonstrate, imagine the process of
writing and receiving a hand written letter. It will take days, weeks, even months to
receive that letter from someone. In addition, the significant other would have to repeat
the same process to reply back. Almost all people consider using pigeons and horses to
send messages abnormal. Today, messages are sent through servers, satellites, and other
advanced technology. The accessibility of technology also means that you don't need to
be in any special location like a post office or mail room to send a message; all you need
is a cell phone anywhere there is a signal(Wright). This author makes a valid point that
modern communication is more accessible. In order for a message to be sent, a phone and

a signal are needed.

Secondly, social media websites also allow people to communicate in a certain way.
These websites allow us to find connections with other people. For instance, someone can
find his or her friends and family through a search. Networking is the ostensible
purpose of these sites-using ones chain of connections to make new friends, dates,
business partners, etc(Donath, pg. 30). Donath is portraying that these websites actually
promote networking among people. For example, sharing information among other
individuals with a similar interest. Families can find other family members, teachers
could find past roommates, and people have the option to build long lasting relationships.
How does networking build long lasting relationships? Well, dozens of dating sites match
people with similar interests, therefore, creates a relationship. In addition, networking
allows people to find new career opportunities. For Instance, imagine if you are a
struggling writer with a dream of becoming a successful play writer. Because of modern
communication, Email, Facebook, and Twitter have been viable sources for reaching out
to producers and television companies.
Lastly, communication prioritizes reliability when regarding messages. The signals
we use when sending these messages are not affected by weather. To illustrate, rain nor
snow will not interrupt channels the messages are going through. At the same time,
messages will never be lost or damaged. For instance, mailrooms are cluttered with
packages and viable information. Mail carriers will not be surprised if your intended
letter mixed with someone else desired package. Moreover, no reports of stealing
messages through signal towers have been filed. Before, people could walk to your
mailbox and steal your letter before you get it. Today, since messages are traveled

through satellites, stealing messages are nearly impossible. It may be possible if you have
a high tech hacking program, or work for the government, but who has time for that.
From a personal experience, I adore how advanced communication is now. I am
now capable of talking to friends and family without being there in person. I have used
the Internet and social media for job opportunities. I sent my application to the managers
Email, and weeks later I was offered a position. Another time I used the Internet to better
my communication was finding lost friends. I made an account on these networking sites,
and minutes later I was able to reconnect with friends in elementary school. I also noticed
how fast I could communicate with someone. In a blink of an eye, my message is sent to
your phone. Also, I appreciate the speed of modern communication. I could not imagine
writing a letter and waiting weeks for it to be received by someone else. If the only
choice for me to send a message would be using a carrier pigeon, it would be dreadful. I
am thankful of having wireless signals because it is fast, accessible, and reliable all at
once.
However, Internet and social media regressed our communication. People cannot
empathize with each other. This is because people communicate through screens, not face
to face. When reading messages off a screen, we lose the ability to tell emotion. Modern
communication focuses primarily on speed. Simultaneously, we quickly reply to
someones message without thinking what the person is trying to say. Therefore, no
spiritual contact is actually felt. When face-to-face, both parties can experience physical
contact, and depict emotion. You cannot understand how people feel through a pixelated
screen. In addition, the Internet has impacted the way we speech to one another. Due to
modern communication, slang was created. People either shorten there words, or add

extra syllables to their sentences. In the past generation, people greet each other formally.
Presently, everyone addresses each other informally. Instead of saying hello, people
address each other by saying, whats up or whats cracking. Due to this issue, young
people have trouble communicating with their elders.
In conclusion, people are less intelligent because they are concerned too much
about communicating with others. At any educational institution, students chat with
others instead of studying. Personally, I do this since social media takes up most of my
time. I spend hours upon hours talking to my friends than doing something that will
benefit me in the long run. Furthermore, people are less fond of reading. Nonrequired
reading-ie, picking up a book for the fun of it-is down 7% since 1992 for all adults
12% for 18-24 year olds(Johnson, pg.23). These statistics may not alarm you now, but
think how technology will advance later in life. Modern communication also results in
cyber bullying. According to Nobullying.com, over half (55 percent) of all teens who use
social media have witnessed outright bullying via that medium.This is a statistic that
should alarm the population.
The Internet has created a snowball effect on our communication. First, you make a
online profile to meet new people. Without realizing it, you can find your true love and
maybe a new occupation. At the same time, the Internet has created trust issues,
negatively slandered our speech, and affected literacy rates among students. Researchers
consider Internet and social media both a curse and blessing. It mostly depends on how
you wish to use it. One can use Internet to find new information to prosper their
knowledge, or bully someone they despise. We now have the ability to send messages
quicker than ever before. Do not let social media occupy your entire life. As days go by,

you will become less sociable and depress because you focus your attention in online
feeds. I believe social media and the Internet have affected our society, but it depends on
which lens you are looking through.

Works Cited
"Cyber Bullying Statistics 2014." Nobullying.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
Donath, Judith, and Danah Boyd. "Public Displays of Connections." (E)dentity.
Southlake, TX: Fountainhead, 2011. 29-47. Print.
Johnson, Steven. "Dawn of the Digital Native." (E)dentity. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead,
2011. 23-29. Print.
Wright, James. "How Technology Has Improved Communication."
Science.opposingviews.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.