Introduction
Social networks were known before the Internet existed; this term was first used over half a century ago. As a scientific concept, social networks began to develop in the early seventies of the 20th century. A conversation is usually understood as a form of interactive, spontaneous communication between two or more people.
It is known that modern people spend a lot of time on the Internet. Sometimes they prefer to use search engines like Google or Safari instead of asking people around them about something. In her article “Stop Googling. Let’s Talk,” Sherry Turkle warns about the dangers of replacing face-to-face conversations with Internet communication (para. 8).
In general, Turkle’s position is that empathy between people is destroyed because of texting. I agree with her position and believe that correspondence can never replace face-to-face contact. The second type of communication is better because it helps develop conversational skills and eye contact and helps read a person’s body language. The reasons for this are the possibility of empathy, the full retention of the speaker’s meaning, and improved understanding of others and oneself.
Intimacy and Support in Real Communication
It is only possible to form an accurate idea of what the other person is like when communicating face-to-face. Indeed, when people talk on the Internet, it can help them create an opinion about the person they are talking to. However, when meeting that individual face to face, it can be not very pleasant. Regular correspondence contributes to illusions because the way people communicate on the Internet does not always correspond to their communication style in real life.
Turkle believes that when left alone without mobile devices, people can truly enjoy the moment and feel intimacy with those around them (para. 8). Through face-to-face communication, one person can perceive another person physically, for example, through a handshake, a pat on the shoulder, a hug, or a touch of the hand. Such interactions make communication easier and help one better understand the other person (Turkle 8). Communication on the Internet is not yet able to replace real communication, if only because the possibility of physical interaction between two people disappears. The information that is conveyed through gestures can often be more important than the words spoken.
Partial Loss of Meaning When Communicating Online
With the dominance of online communication, the development of emotional intelligence — the ability to express one’s emotions and understand others — is reduced. Emojis help in understanding the intonation of the interlocutor, but only partially. As Sherry Turkle writes, along with the partial loss of the meanings people put into their messages, empathy and intimacy disappear (para. 8).
All this leads to a devaluation of connections between people, and despite the fact that the Internet provides enormous opportunities to always being in touch, people become estranged. This explains why face-to-face communication is better than simple texting — there is no loss of meaning in the speaker’s speech. The message is retained due to the simultaneous analysis of vocabulary used, intonation, facial expressions, and other vital elements. This is a definite advantage of communication in real life compared to online texting.
Understand Self through Communication with Others
A comparison of communication on the Internet and face-to-face interactions is impossible without pointing out the positive characteristics of the Internet. First, with the Internet, even the shyest people do not feel lonely. Secondly, the Internet allows individuals to find acquaintances, relatives, and friends and establish contact with them in a few seconds. Third, people get acquainted, meet, fall in love, and get married through the Internet. Nevertheless, it is evident that this form of dialogue should not be the only one. Texting alone will never be enough to get to know a person completely.
According to Turkle, only through face-to-face communication can people better understand themselves (para. 12). Their opinion of themselves becomes more stable as they become more capable of inner dialogue (Turkle 12). In turn, the ability to assess oneself realistically contributes to a better understanding of people in offline dialogues. When communicating over the Internet, it is impossible to see a person’s gaze, hear their intonation, or observe their body movements, resulting in fragmented communication.
Conclusion
Like any other type of communication, online correspondence has an unconditional number of positive properties. These include the ability to exchange information with people thousands of miles away and find like-minded people. However, communication on the Internet can also cause some problems, and by its nature, it can never replace face-to-face conversations. There is no way to make up for the lack of information that people do not get because they cannot see their partner’s facial expressions and gestures.
In addition, people become less empathetic to those around them, and the value of friendships and relationships is lost. Moreover, there is a high risk of misinformation, misconceptions, manipulation, and deception. Turkle, the author of the analyzed article, believes that the inability to take the focus off a mobile device, even while talking to family or friends, is a cause for concern. People should be more attentive to the impact that changing forms of communication have on social connections, as the importance of the Internet will increase in the future.
Work Cited
Turkle, Sherry. “Stop Googling. Let’s Talk.” The New York Times, 2015. Web.