Technology & Teams Online Lecture
Where is the line drawn between real and virtual communication? Is there even truly a difference between the two? These are the questions our online lecture this week presents to us. Being able to manage your relationships, either of a work or personal variety, creates an overlap between the supposed virtual and real worlds that blurs any line that may or may not exist. Essentially if teenagers are using the “virtual” world to “begin, maintain, and end” romantic relationships then there can be no real line between the two forms of communication.
Most romantic relationships that I have noticed among people my age have one foot in the virtual world and one foot in the real world. I rely extensively on instant messaging and text messaging with my girlfriend since we are both often too busy to be able to see each other on a daily basis. Instead of being able to have that time at home with each other we supplement our personal time by communicating through a medium that is hardly of a virtual nature for us. When I was organizing the medium I used almost exclusively was email in order to coordinate between different affiliates in order to meet project goals. No longer was face to face contact necessary, through our communication technologies we used email to facilitate contact, organize and set goals, and make timelines in order to get our organizing drives off the ground. I argue that there is no longer any need to argue between what’s real and virtual, much like the online lecture proposes the line has become so blurred as to be rendered meaningless.
4 comments:
Communication technology has certainly lent us a helping hand in keeping track of work, appointments, and significant others. Our lives seem busier then ever, and as you mentioned in your example between you and your girlfriend, texting is the next best thing to being able to meet. The ease in texting allows a quick little message that you are being thought of, or makes a quick plan efficient instead of a long conversation that neither if you may be able to have at the time. My husband and I rely on texting a lot to send a quick “I love you,” or “I will be home late” message. I still believe that nothing takes the place of face to face conversation or a quick chat over the phone, but I don’t think texting or other forms of electronic communication are bad either. The only time I become annoyed with technology is when you are trying to spend quality time together and your significant other is texting friends or answering every email that comes across the cell phone.
I do agree with you, no matter the medium for corresponding, communication is communication. Technology is amazing for bringing members from across the globe to together to share ideas and goals. It is also amazing how small the world has become with the advent of technology.
I am in a long distance relationship for about a year now and it is tough indeed. However, technologies such as cell phones, text messages, emails, and webcams allow us to connect and communicate on a regular basis. It has allowed us to make this relationship work, and we do make time to visit each other whenever we can. So, our communication is predicated on having both face to face and technological interactions. The term real and virtual communication is misleading because the fact that we do communicate on a regular basis through technology makes our relationship real. Through this frequent communication, we are able to understand each other. Although, the lack of face to face interaction may cause me to misinterpret and misunderstand his message sometimes and so, I primarily have to rely on listening to his tone of voice. Overall, technology can help us bridge that gap with people from across the globe. I appreciate technology because it has helped me communicate with people from long distance, but I do not see any relationships to rely and sustain on just using communication technology.
I have to agree that we do have a lot of communication being done virtually and limited in real. I too spend alot of time chatting on the computer or texting, I hardly ever call anyone anymore, I just end an email, or text or IM. I do the same thing in businesses too. When I worked at Kia, I usually used email as my means of communication as oppose to walking over to someone and talking face to face or calling up outside counsel and talking to them on the phone. I believe both are essential means of communication as virtual can allow for you to do multiple things while carrying out a conversation while not seeming to be rude or uninterested. However, face to face discussion is just as important.
Just about a month ago, my boyfriend went on a mini vacation with his family and I wasn't able to go because of prior commitments. It was hard to leave each other for such a long time because we aren't used to be apart for more than a few days or so. We had to rely on "ICHAT" or "video chat" in order to see one another. He doesn't have the text feature on his phone so we weren't able to connect via "text", which I found kind of difficult because I text almost everyone I talk to. Also, we had to rely on email besides instant messaging because he didn't have much signal where he was staying and it was hard to keep in contact. I agree with santa cruz when she gets annoyed with technology esp when you're having an intimate moment with your loved one and all of a sudden you hear a "BEEP BEEP BEEP". That happens a lot and it just ruins the whole mood everyone is in.
It's great that we're able to experience such high technology because my parents are always saying, "OH as kids we didn't have anything close to what you guys have now". It's great that if we're unable to be in communication with one another we can always find a way for instant communication gratification.
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