Recently I read an article titled Technology and relationships: have we become disconnected? (c. 2018). The article had an opening statement claiming that “our addiction to technology appears to.. be having implications on family dynamics, workplace productivity and general communication skills.” (Technology and relationships: have we become disconnected c. 2018). Even with a qualifier that “actual evidence of tech-disconnection is a mixed bag”, the article boldly states “many of us have lost the ability to strike up a conversation without a digital aid” (Technology and relationships: have we become disconnected c. 2018). My personal reading of the article is that it is an alarmist narrative inferring technology has had a negative effect on social skills with a particular focus on disharmony in the home. There was no inclusion of any positive outcomes of technology in the home.
“actual evidence of tech-disconnection is a mixed bag”
My Sunday today started with a kiss for my partner Sue, a cup of coffee and a walk with my dog Jedi. Sue caught up with a few friends on Facebook on her mobile phone as I cooked breakfast and I answered a few tweets on my tablet. Sue’s brother then rang and chatted about what was happening his end of the world and reflecting on a party we had at our place the week before. He then had some questions for me about how he could use social media to promote a raffle for the local men’s shed organisation. I tweeted my media study peers for some advice.
We did some Sunday chores and chatted about house and home. I knocked over my coffee but luckily we were outside and I just poured water over the mess. We talked about a Mission Impossible movie we watched last night and the next MI installment in the theatre next month.
I head out for the afternoon with some mates and Sue goes off to lunch with some friends that are visiting from out of town. On my way home I call her to see if she needs picking up. She just got home and I arrive just behind her. As I come inside she shows me a video taken on her mobile phone of our dog Jedi jumping up and down excited at the gate as I pulled into the driveway.
It is a beautiful day on the Sunshine Coast so we put Jedi in the car and head to the beach for a walk. A nice way for our family to use up the last of the daylight.
My turn to cook tonight and I pull up the recipe on my tablet to begin cooking. Sue and I discuss lunches for the week. As dinner is cooking I check my Twitter and Sue, prompted by my posting, asks about my uni studies this week.
Sue has texted me some photos and a movie she took of Jedi and I at the beach. I edit the photo as I post it on Instagram and Twitter and show Sue. She likes the edit and I make it my wallpaper on my mobile phone. Sue approves. I share the photo and video with my 20 year old daughter on Messenger. She is big on dogs and loves our Jedi.
We just watched Master Chef and one of my favourites Jess got eliminated. We were curious about a recipe and Sue checked the show’s website on her laptop to look it up and we chatted about how fabulous it would be if we could cook it.
An ad came on the television for a performance of Priscella, Queen of the Desert live in Brisbane later this year that we have tickets for. Yesterday some friends having an afternoon ale with us had informed us they had just seen the movie. We pondered whether to invite them to join us for the trip to Brisbane.
Sue is doing some prep for her week at work on her laptop and she shows me some of her work on a task around poetry (she is a teacher), asking my advice and I quickly educate her that poetry really is not my forte.
My daughter has messaged me back after looking at my beach walk with Jedi photo and video. It reminds her of our walks together on the beach when she was little. She really didn’t love the beach but I did, so she suffered through it for her dad.
Technology existed throughout our day but I don’t think of its catalysis through any negative lens. Often the technology enriched our interactions. Technology and relationships: have we become more connected?
Please take this survey to give your feedback on Internet-connected technology in your home – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W2F8JLG
References
Technology and relationships: have we become disconnected? c. 2018, retrieved 27 July 2018, http://this.deakin.edu.au/society/technology-and-relationships-have-we-become-disconnected.
Peter 
Peter, I love this. It sounds like a Sunday lived well and a wonderful, human portrayal of how technology plays a part in our lives, but it doesn’t live them for us.
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Thanks Lisa. It just irked me that the article Adam linked was so negative. I thought about it all week lol and had to blog!
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What a really poignant way of making your case! And that sounds like an absolutely delightful day! There certainly are a lot of alarmist views about technology eroding basic human connectivity. But looking at it from the perspective that it’s actually ADDING to our adapting humanity, as you’ve shown, is really important. Technology as part of our home lives is nothing new (TV, radio, computer games etc), but as social media is intrinsically a ‘social’ endeavour, I would argue that it’s actually contributing more to our humanity if we’re sitting on the couch engaging online, as opposed to sitting on the couch watching mindless TV.
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Hi Peter, I found your approach to displaying the involvement of social media and technology very intriguing. It is an interesting and cinematic end to a blog for the reader to self-explore deeper an understandings or interpretation.
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Hi Peter, nice way to deflect the doomsayers! There are many positives in the ways in which technology and social media have enriched our lives by giving us information on demand. If you are curious about something google it, want to see some holiday snaps or keep in touch with family members travelling or living overseas open facebook, trying to get teenagers to talk to you (good luck!) but try Instagram. Maybe some commentators have forgotten the effort you used to have to go to find out anything! My only feedback is that the heading is lost in the picture and that the picture is very BIG.
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Hi Peter! Love how personal this blog is to you. I am very conflicted with this topic as I do believe that there are some positive and negative aspects of the development of social media. You seem like someone who doesn’t over-use or abuse social media so in your case it’s a non issue, but looking from a global standpoint, there are a lot of problems.
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I think addiction and over-consumerism is a big concern, whether it be social media or something else. I think the key is people being able to realise if any interest starts to affect their life in a negative way and taking steps to avoid this. Self-awareness is core to this.
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I feel like a lot of people wouldn’t even be aware of their addiction to social media. They may think its normal to use it excessively!
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This was a very interesting blog and was very enjoyable to read. I am often curious about how technology has an impact on relationships. I do think that sometimes technology can disconnect us but at the same time, social media has put me in better contact with my friends and family overseas. So, it is a mixed bag. It was also interesting to hear how social media plays a role in your daily life. I would be quite curious and nervous, to see how much social media impacts on my daily life.
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