The Connected Age

Technology has advanced to a place that allows for constant connectivity. Getting a hold of someone is as easy (and as impersonal) as sending a simple text message.   No matter where we go, as long as we have a smartphone in our pocket, we are within reach. This has been a beneficial change in many respects, but what are the negative effects of growing up in the age of connectivity? Communication is changing digitally; aspects of this will be positive where others will be negative. In this blog we will take a look at a few of the pros and cons of staying connected digitally.

The Pros

• Being connected means increased safety. There was a day when breaking down on a dark highway was a life or death situation. Now, thanks to high range cell phones, help is only a phone call away. Doctor appointments can be made online, routes to emergency rooms can be Googled and there’s an app for figuring out minor ailments.
• Connectivity makes staying in touch easier. A recent example of this benefit is international communication.  With the help of an Internet connection and a web cam, soldiers deployed overseas can communicate with their families, face–to-face.
• Technology has made offices portable. We all know at times the commute to work can be challenging. Thanks to telecommuting, working from home while sick or on personal leave is as simple as opening up your laptop.

The Cons

• Connectivity is hard to turn off. We all enjoy being in touch, but sometimes we need alone time. Being continuously accessible makes disconnecting extremely difficult. This adversely affects our capacity to stop and smell the roses and enjoy our surroundings.
• The ability to take your office with you also means you are always at the office. While redefining the workday and permitting more flexible hours can increase productivity, it can also make workers over-work. It’s important to keep your private and professional lives separate, which is progressively difficult thanks to increased connectivity.
• Being connected can cause us to detach from those around us. Staying in touch with people who are miles away can cause us to neglect those close to us. We may be communicating with our associates overseas, but we might also be negelecting our friends in the very same room.

As with every social shift, dealing with constant connectivity is a matter of moderation. Finding the balance between too little and too much is paramount when determining which level of connectivity you are most comfortable with.

For more information on connectivity, as well as an interesting look at unplugging yourself from technology, check out this article.