Living with technology is still fairly new to people, and some see it as the end of social interaction. People spend hours on their phones and on the internet everyday. But technology isn’t isolating us, it is helping to connect people in the world more than ever before.

The viewpoint of those who say it isolates us, comes from seeing how strangers sit next to each other on their phones, instead of making small talk nowadays. But they aren’t seeing what people are doing on their phones. Phones allow people to always talk to loved ones no matter where they are, as opposed to talking with strangers sitting next to them. Technology allows us to constantly be in touch with everybody. Communicating with a loved one is only a click away, even if they are on the other side of the world.

My sister met a girl named Molly from Wales, while on a trip she went on to the Caribbean. They became really good friends, but the trip eventually came to an end. She flew back to America and Molly flew back to United Kingdom. If not for technology, that would have been the last time they would have seen each other. But because of technology, they were able to keep in touch and organized Molly coming to visit America. Now every summer they see each other. My sister flies to Wales or Molly flies to America.  Even when they aren’t in the same country, technology allows them to text and facetime whenever they want.

Social media allows us to follow what your friends and family are doing, even if you can’t be with them in person. I can see how my cousin who goes to college in California, is doing, or I can see new posts of my other cousin’s new baby, even though she lives in Tennessee. These are just some examples of how technology has helped keep me close to my family, despite the distance between us.  Also now that we are constantly surrounded by technology, we value face to face interactions more. We appreciate connections that are formed in person now, more than we did before online interactions existed.

Another benefit of social media is that it can help people feel less alone. Someone who is struggling through issues, can see through posts on social media that they are not the only ones who go through hard experiences. Online, there are posts that range from famous influences to unanoms accounts, that address topics such as social anxiety, insecurity, and other hard to talk about issues.  Anyone can see that they are not alone with their problems, and that they have hundreds of others to relate to. They can also see how others who have suffered, have also found ways overcome those same problems.

The internet connects everyone. People always have access to the news and events that are happening anywhere. Businesses can instantly message clients or partners in other countries. Soldiers from overseas can facetime with loved ones. Students can answer any question just by typing it into a search bar.  We have the opportunity to meet people and learn about cultures that we would have never experienced without the ability to interact with the whole world. Technology gives us more opportunities for creating and maintaining human connections, than we have ever had before.