Technology & Human Culture

I've been thinking a lot lately about how technology has really changed the rules regarding socialization. With free social networking sites and voice-chat services, long-distance relationships (both platonic and otherwise) have taken a completely different form from even fifteen years ago.

I lived in Japan for a few years, and was able to talk to my parents for free using the internet. While not a replacement for being able to spend time together physically, it was nonetheless a convenient way to stay in touch and made the distance feel far less than "on the other side of the world".

Now I'm back in America, but I still chat daily with the friends I made in Japan. I'll admit that I'm an incredibly lazy guy, so if snail mail was the only means to keep in touch then I couldn't be bothered.

Another interesting this is how simple it is to talk with people from other countries, nowadays. I've had random people from China & Vietnam contact me on Skype just because they were curious about meeting an American. The ease with which you can reach out to people on the other side of the planet is pretty amazing, and I imagine will go a long ways towards eroding cultural biases all over the world.

Of course, with new technology comes new problems of etiquette. Often times, I'm busy with multiple tasks while I'm chatting, which means I tend to only pay attention sporadically. Countless times, my lack of immediate response is taken by a friend to mean that I'm offended by something.

Another thing: I often hear the joke "it isn't real until its on facebook" regarding break-ups. And don't get me started on how our friendships are now codified and displayed via text! Relationships as well, though they include the convenient "its complicated" catch-all.

I just find the new technological aspect to human social interaction to be quite fascinating.