How the internet changed how we form and maintain relationships
In today’s fast-paced world, technology has completely changed the way we interact and build relationships. While it’s made things more convenient in some ways, there are also downsides to relying too much on technology for our social lives. They make it quite easy to meet new people without leaving your house. You can browse through profiles and talk with people without ever meeting them in person. When you can simply discover someone new with a single swipe, relationships are less personal. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that there is a real person behind the screen, which can lead to us approaching one other in unusual ways. Then there’s the way we interact. Texting and messaging have replaced face-to-face conversations. It’s convenient, yes, but it’s also lacking something crucial. When we converse in person, we can see each other’s body language and facial expressions, which helps us communicate better. But when we text, all of it is lost. This might cause misconceptions and make our conversations seem less important or real. And let us not forget about social media. It is useful for staying in touch with friends and family, but it may also make us feel horrible about ourselves. We see everyone’s highlight reel, their dream vacations, delicious meals, and happy faces and we begin to compare ourselves to them. We wonder why our lives don’t look the same, why we aren’t as happy or successful. It’s a recipe for insecurity and dissatisfaction.
Spending too much time online can increase our feelings of loneliness. We may have hundreds of friends on social media, but how many of them do we truly interact with in person? When we are addicted to our devices, we miss out on opportunities to interact with those around us. We may be physically present, just our thoughts are far removed. We need to try to create a balance between our online and offline lives. It’s fine to use technology to meet new people or keep in touch with friends, but we shouldn’t let it run our lives. We should also aim to favor quality over quantity in our interactions. Instead of attempting to make friends with everyone on social media, work on maintaining deep, meaningful relationships with the individuals you truly care about. Technology has changed the way we build and maintain connections, but it is up to us to determine whether this is a good or bad thing. By being careful of how we use technology and making an effort to connect with others in meaningful ways, we can make sure that our relationships remain strong and real in this digital time.
I personally don’t think the relationships we make online are as genuine as those we form in person. I also believe that dating apps have changed the way we start relationships. In my opinion, using dating apps isn’t the best way to find a boyfriend or girlfriend. While some people have had success with them, I think they mostly focus on appearances rather than deeper connections.
