Some people suggest that social networking and online communication have increased social isolation. In what ways do you think this has happened? Give reasons for your answers and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience
booming age | (n) thời đại bùng nổ |
afflicting | (a) làm đau đầu, phiền não |
prevalent phenomenon | (n) hiện tượng phổ biến |
to be too absorbed into | (v) bị thu hút quá nhiều vào cái gì |
virtual | (a) ảo |
debilitation | (n) sự giảm |
sought-after | (a) được săn lùng |
cyber space | (n) không gian mạng |
amenity | (n) tiện nghi, sự thoải mái do đc cung cấp nhiều tiện ích |
allot | (v) phân bổ |
chasm | (n) = gap khoảng cách |
platform | (n) nền tảng (công nghệ) |
confide with S.O | (v) tâm sự |
degradation | (n) sự thoái hóa, giảm chất |
In the booming age of the Internet and social networks, it is a prevalent phenomenon that people of nearly all ages are too absorbed into virtual interactions to have time for real-life contact. This afflicting problem is caused by the accommodation of personal needs and the debilitation of emotion in online communication.
Indeed, the provision of sought-after content to satisfy the Internet users can create addiction to the cyber space. The artificial intelligence is developed to an amazing extent that it can analyze and identify people’s needs and interests thanks to their web-browsing history. With this understanding about the Internet users, it constantly provides favourable content through various channels including social networks. Not only those attractive contents that appeal to people but the convenience of birthday reminders, event registration, online shopping and many more online amenities do draw attention and take up time previously allotted for other activities. When Internet connected cell phones or laptops have become close friends, they inevitably substitute social relationship and form chasms in people’s social lives.
Moreover, online interaction contributes to the reduction of emotions people feel for each other. The habit of communicating via social networks or posting updates of oneself on such platform will somehow send a message that one has been talking to a vast audience already. That may create a feeling of no need to share or catch up with each other in face-to-face meetings any more. Even worse, conversing through social networks, especially via text messages, somehow reduce emotions in conversation, facilitating people exposure of aspects of life too sensitive to confide before. That explains the increasing preference for communication mediated via technological tools, and consequently pushes people away from real-life interactions.
All in all, the social isolation of people in this modern age stems from the huge fascination the online environment offers and the degradation of emotions via online communication. (314 w)
