How has technology affected Communication Today?

Public Speaking
How has modern communication technologies effected communication today? Modern communication is connects us to the entire world quite literally. In today's world, I can speak to someone in Japan and Australia simultaneously. With the invention of the Internet, including Facebook and Instant Messaging, and cell phones there are very few reasons for being out of touch. Modern technology has made staying in touch easier than ever, but the tradition of personalized contact has gone by the wayside. The main form of communication nowadays is text and facebook. Both of these encourage anti-social behaviors. Personal contact isn't the norm nowadays. Facebook encourages small talk, but for good communication to happen, there should be a "critical mass" of relevant/interesting things to say; this "critical mass" usually doesn't build up if you can have small-talk every few hours. people are made transparent to the level where they get boring; having someone's opinions on all matters written up in a chronographic dictionary means there is nothing for which you'd have to talk to the other person. I can simply read your "wall" to find out everything that's happened. Some may argue that talking to another human being on a telephone is interacting, but it’s not face-to-face, and when talking on a phone while walking through a public place, it interferes with face-to-face contact. Without face-to-face communication, people become dehumanized. It is easier to be impolite, or to say mean things when the affect on the other person can’t be seen. I noticed this while deployed in Afghanistan. I grew distant from the people that I would normally speak to on a daily basis. My only method of communication was the internet and that personal connection was missing. Not all aspects of modern communication technology are negative. Since so many people own cellphones, the likelihood of having one available when an emergency arises is good. If an invoice or document is needed immediately, chances are it can be emailed. If a loved one needs to be contacted quickly, a phone isn’t necessary; they can be contacted by email or instant messaging. The range of people available to talk to is infinite. And its uses are infinite as well. Businesses can get information from their suppliers and clients. Students of a foreign language can link up and speak to someone who is from a country that speaks the language. Families that are separated for however long can keep in touch. This technology has its place, but it should not replace personalized contact. Even though modern technology has made communicating simple, it has a price. People who consider each other friends on the internet might not even recognize each other on the street. People are more likely to be rude or impolite to others because of not having to witness the effect that behavior has on the other person. People will go through life preoccupied instead of enjoying and learning from the sights and sounds around them. Communication technology has come a long way, but unless human interaction is reinstated, people will continue on a path to isolation.