Has Modern Technology Helped Or Hurt Our Relationships?

I think the main culprit is TV. Families sit physically together but emotionally separated while they focus on the tube inteadof on one another. The rest of the technology should free us up to spend time together, but all we do is watch TV.

Never thought about it that way .I do think you have a very good point. I am on the computer in the living room my 18 yr. daughter is in her room on the computer we are talking back and forth but not "really talking" we did talk when she got in from work and we do talk alot but I can see what you are saying. We talk on our cell phones but that is briefly so to keep the bill down.Yes I think technology has put a crink in things. But the dishwasher stays :) ... LOL

I agree with you. When the modern technology at one point created more time to sit and talk with our families and actually enjoy the time and not feel to exhausted to listen. We have also lost contact. Because we have tv with 400 channels, often kids sit in front of the television. They use it as a way to connect to others are school without really connectiing. "Hey, did you watch Beauty and the Geek last night?" "Sure did! I never miss a show!" Yeah, that is a great conversation, right? But we also have video games. Kids will be in playing video games so much, that even when they are not playing, they are thinking of playing. And because of this, sometimes running from cops or other violent crimes do not seem so harsh because they have been de-sensitized by these games. This is why they have had to put a rating on the games. But some parents buy the games anyways. Why? Because maybe that parent is too busy playing on the computer. Chatting with people or playing their games that are more stress relieving after a long hard day at work. Essentially, everyone will be home, but no one is talking. And if they are talking, they are not talking and sharing thoughts and feelings. I do set aside time for my kids. But I am guilty too of being on the computer. There are times though that we have sat like a family all laughing and joking. And they do get this from me more than their father because their father is not as availble as I am. But yes, you do have a point about not talking in this world we are in today.

Modern technology has allowed people more freedom an independance. This includes adults and children alike. The need for modern technology is there because people have filled up their schedules to the maximum these days and are always coming or going. You need a microwave to make meals in a hurry because most people don't have the time to prepare a meal on the stove or in the oven. You need a cell phone to make calls on the road because people don't have a half hour to sit at home and make important phone calls. People always seem rushed or in a hurry because they have more places to go and more things to do. Modern technology has allowed us to do more of these things while at the same time sacrificing our nerves to do it. People are way too stressed out and always complaining that they don't have enough time in the day to do everything that they need to get done. I don't know why people put such great responsibility on themselves and always feel the need to be doing something during every waking hour of the day. Because of people's need to be busy all of the time family communication has broken down. How many times have we seen a mother or father drop their children off at soccer, baseball, or football practice and then leave to go and do other things. This is time that they can spend watching thier children and being mor einvolved with their life. Then over dinnre you can talk about how practice went and be able to comment on what you saw your child do at practice. But to some peopel it is more important to be coming and going and heading up this commitee or going to this meeting then getting involved. Modern technology has given us more time, but it is not entirely to blame for this. People still need to communicate to one another and families still need to spend time together.

Besides technology making our daily chores faster it has also been more expensive to pay for the newest thing... that means that people have to work more outside the home. This actually reminds me of a story... This summer my three kids and I were in our backyard when we noticed a man walking around our neighbors house looking at their roof. He left a flier on their door and started looking at our roof. He saw me watching him and entered our backyard. He began asking me questions about if we had a satelite dish or cable TV. I said neither. He replied that according to his paperwork we were not Mediacom customers so what kind of service did we have? I said that we just used the antenna and so we get ABC and NBC. He stared at me in disbelief. He then presented his case for us to become Mediacom customers. I polietely told him we weren't interested. The salesmen in him came out and he asked me about our internet connection and I told him that we have dial up. He then offered us a different service so that I wouldn't have to have my cell phone on when I used the internet. I laughed and told him that I didn't have a cell phone. He stared at me like I was an alien! Who doesn't have at least cable TV and a cell phone and who in their right mind would use a dial up connection to the internet. I then challenged him ... I have free TV right now, I get long distance for $25 a month and pay $10 for dial up. That means for all three my monthly bill is $35 and if he could offer me his product for $35 a month then I would be willing to change. He walked away shaking his head. I stay home with my children and my husband works hard enough as it is without paying for these other "must haves" ... There are more important things in life then material possessions.

I think that you are absolutely right. We take too much for granted. Adults who remember the "old days" at least appreciate new technology, but kids don't know anything different these days. I think a big part of the problem too is the way we communicate these days. We rely too much on emails, IM's, voicemails and so forth. Whatever happened to sitting down for a real conversation or writing an actual letter... with paper? I have a few old letters and postcards written between family members decades ago and I love having those. What will our children have to hang on to?I know that this will look like shameless self-promotion or spam, but I wrote a similar post for my blog a while back. If you'd like to see it, you can read it at this URL: http://robharrington.blogspot.com/2006/07/elegy-for-family-farm.html

I feel that modern technology has done a little of both in regards to helping and hurting our relationships with our families and loved ones. It has helped us keep in contact more with our family that lives long distance as it is much cheaper to email or instant message than talk on the phone. So it can be helpful to those who are financially strapped. At the same time modern technology has hurt us since many of us are so addicted to the computer and cell phones that we do not spend much time with our families and do things that we used to do together or go out together.

Agreed it would seem that technology would allow us to spend more time one on one however our lives become busier, busier. We each have things that pull at us and demand our time. The crime is due to 2 parents working, less structure in young children's lives and the stuff we see on television and video games. Those things numb us to the realness of other people. Children often do no chores either. While technology has helped us in many ways it has also made human lives more difficult. If we are vigilant perhaps we can begin to reverse this trend and make for better lives for everyone!

it has certainly helped in alota ways i mean if ur in a relationship and away from ur partner u cud use phone email webcam n stuff to get connected etc

Another thing I see with all the technology is what I call the 'impatient phenomonon.' It seems we want everything NOW. I see young kids getting married and they want all that their parents have immediately, without having to work for it! With everything being 'instant' we seem to want things in our relationships and all aspects of our life to be 'instant' as well. In the past, as you say, there was no instant heating of leftovers in the microwave. One carried the laundry outside and stood there clothespinning each piece to the line and later went back to retrieve the clothes! Sending words of well-wish to the sick meant baking muffins and going to the store for a card, or heaven forbid..writing a letter, but now we fire off an email. Perhaps in our relationships we are now impatient as a result of all this? When things aren't instant or require a 'pulling together' we can't handle it! I seriously belive that families were stronger before all the 'instant.'

I am not sure that I would blame modern technology , but I might blame busyness . It is a challenge to really connect to our family members especially our spouse. My husband often comes home exhausted , too tired to communicate . Sometimes you want to give up trying , but life becomes meaningless if you do .

i really think technology has been a boon especially for guys who live far away from the family.we can communicate with them anytime ,from anyplace and anytime..we can either chat with them through the computer..i would always love to spend time with my family..but right now it is technology which is bringing us together.

100% help us.

Absolutely! I think that modern technology has hurt the family! As pointed out, members of the family will "talk" but it will be on their cell phones or through email or by chatting on the computer. It also cuts off each person into their own little world (like when they are at their PC). There's no interaction between family members. But I think a bigger reason for the selfishness and disrespect is due to lack of effective discipline, just as much, if not moreso than technology. I also think that because families do not take the time to eat dinner together is hurting us. Of course it all ties into together in the end.

it may helped but at same time it has creadted problems for them too.earier a girl could make a dish and mate could be happy has ever for that since she has to undergo lot of stress to do it.but with all latest equipments that thrill is gone.

I think modern technology has done both hurtful and helpful things. Why using all these new tecnical devices to speed up the time it takes to do things, we have become dependent on them, and thus less likely to know in the future generations what to do if we didn't have all these technical devices, or forbid some electricity. We as a family spend time together on a regular basis, the modern technology I use doesn't really interfere with this, yet, although the tv sometimes keeps us apart in different rooms because everyone has different interests. I talk alot to all 4 of my children, and feel we are closer because of this. My children are very protective of their family....despite the idle teasing and bickering that goes on between them inside the house...let someone outside the house pick on one of them, and you have a problem...even my little ones stick up for the older siblings at times. I enjoy having the computer to stay and touch and talk with family members that I would normally have to write or call which can be time consuming and expensive, I just now instant message them, etc. Our world is becoming more and more selfish, with all the new technology, it costs money to buy these things, and making money the old fashioned hard earned way, is becoming harder and harder to find. I have vowed to keep my family close as possible for as long as I am alive, and I hope the values and morals that I have instilled thus far and in the future will carry thru when I'm gone. I have told my children a million times, we will continue having our "BIG Sunday meals" together as a family, which means when they get older and move out of the house, they will hopefully want to come back home with their families each Sunday (well anyday, they can always come here for anything they need) to eat a big meal, and socialize with their family. My family growing up used to do these things, but right before I became a teen, the family business went under and since then, the meaning of family has quite diminished over nonsense....our Thanksgiving dinners at my grandparents house are practically non-existent, and everyone shows up at Christmas, but they all get a present...dont see them any other time of the year. My son just came home from school, and we have talked about every aspect of his day, and it's good to hear his stories from school, and what exciting things he's about to be doing with various projects, and I love to be able to do some of these things with him, which keeps us close (he's a teenager, so this is very important to keep him grounded in his morals and values). Our society is becoming what we have let it....basically because people are out for themselves...I blame the government,politics, and modern technology as well for this....I wont let all these things keep my family from becoming distant, or violent, etc. And unless people stick together and dig deep for some of the traditional "old fashioned" ways, of loving thy neighbor, accepting people as they are, and lending a helping hand to those less fortunate....we will continue to become a violent world.

i dont think modern techonlogy hurt. our relationship..its just we are not..handling the relationship. properly . .its so easy . to . talk to ppl these days.. so easy to meet ppl... its just from ur inside..that how u want to get along with the relationshiP..

yes modern tech. even helps but sometimes it creates a problem also, but u can xpress ur feelings in a better way.......

I try to spend time with my family, but it's hard, they annoy me so much. That could be however because I'm getting older now and everything just annoys me, but you know how that goes. Technology probably has caused a gap between myself and my family, but yet, it's created stronger bonds with my friends and I.

Modern technology don't think have much to do with our relations it is all about feelings and understandings . If we know each other very well we need not to worry about other external factors . If we have confidence on each other no power can make us feel suspicious anytime