Get Connected (or not)

Since we've been using the new media of blogging, students from 731 were asked whether we are more or less connected now that we have technology like AIM, MySpace, I-pods and E-mail. Here is what they had to say:

I think we are more connected because of the technology we use. For example, we are able to talk to people we don’t see everyday and people that live all over the world. Also, we are busy and can’t always talk to people face to face. –Stephanie Mariano

I think we are less disconnected because we can talk to more people on AIM, MySpace, MSN, etc. Even if you don’t know the person you could learn more about other people’s culture. Also, with the telephone you can talk to people who live either far away or near. –Carolina Gaviria

I think technology keeps us more and less connected to people. The reason why technology keeps us less disconnected from people is because you could keep in touch with your friends or family by phone, computers, sidekicks, etc. But at the same time, it could disconnect you more from people because there’s been cases when a person lives with someone they rarely spent time with that person because they get addicted to the technology they have like the internet, MySpace, [and] AIM. –Jose Velasco

In my opinion, technology has made people more disconnected. There was once a time when friends would meet up with other friends and bonds would become stronger because people would be doing things together. Now, with all the technology we have such as text messaging, cellphones and being able to talk to people on headsets while playing videogames, so many people are being boarded up inside their house. People become so caught up in their videogames and listening to their music that they don’t even notice their surroundings. I have a friend that is always bottled up in his room because he’s busy playing videogames and has become isolated from everybody else in his house.
I don’t think that evolving technology used for communication is bad, it should just be used in moderation because, after all, text messaging and myspace does help us communicate with people overseas and learn about other cultures. However, we still should spend time with our family members and friends outside of our computer screen, because this would help make happy and funny memories. –Sonia Aktar

We are less disconnected because of the technology we use today. The reason why is because if two friends are going separate ways they could still contact each other through technology. By using technology, people can plan when to meet with another person so that they still are connected. In a way technology helps bring people together and without technology it would be hard to keep in touch. The solution to disconnection is technology because if there’s no way to contact that person then you can use technology to reach them.
…Technology can create another path or door open to people in need. For example, the US can help people in Africa or third-world countries by using technology. The technology we use today helps us gain new things and people can reach out to others when they thought they couldn’t find a way. –Cynthia Mahbub

I think we are more connected using technology. I think that because you can communicate with the computer. In the computer, there is AIM. On AIM, we can talk and communicate and tell secrets without meeting each other. This is good because if you’re lazy all you need to talk with is a phone or texting… -James Siguenza