The Internet and its Effect on Society
Paper #3 submitted to Dr. Zurbuch for critique in partial fulfillment of the course
requirements of TECHNOLOGY 31000 – Cultural Dynamics of Technology
Date 4/19/16 By Jaime Priddy
Introduction
Computers, the internet and the ever-increasing connectivity of the world has had
numerous effects on society. Humans have always found necessity in communicating knowledge
and ideas to one another. This is why we covet the ease of the internet and we welcome the
changes to our society. Increasing the flow of information is paramount to our society and our
way of life.
The internet allows people to track and see changes as they happen in real time.
Information is readily available in a variety of forms, including social networking sites,
discussion boards, news outlets, and blogs. People use this information in numerous ways.
Connecting with family members, friends and colleagues, finding dates or maintaining long-
distance relationships, playing games online, finding jobs or even finding the best tacos in town.
Whatever the reason, Americans are always plugged in to their devices and are constantly adding
to the flow of information that is accessible to people around the world. This hyper connectivity
has led to changes in society that may be harming our relationships, families, careers and even
our physical and mental well-being.
Literature Review
American families have been witness to numerous changes since the advent of the
internet. Our society is increasingly mobile, and this mobility has the tendency to spread families
out across states or even countries. This happens due to divorce, military deployment, job offers,
jobs that require travel or even the weather. The distance between family members can be
shortened by the use of the internet. Grandparents that travel to warmer states during winter
months can still enjoy watching their grandchildren taking their first steps or saying their first
words via Skype or Facebook. The same applies for those who are deployed in other countries in
the military, or those who travel for work. Another example of this is parents keeping in touch
with their children after they move out, or finding common ground to talk about while they still
live at home.
The benefit of a family unit is that children learn the give and take of society and how to
interact with others. When this interaction and flow of conversation is limited or transferred to an
online platform (such as email or texts) it can be difficult for new generations to pick up social
cues and be empathetic to others. Larry Rosen, a psychologist who has studied the psychology of
Facebook interaction, states “Our study showed that real-world empathy is more important for
feelings as though you have solid social support. Although those who had more virtual empathy
did feel more socially supported, the impact was less than the real-world empathy.” (Williamson)
This means that while kids can still “learn” empathy online, it is still important for them to have
