Technology and relationships: A complicated connection

It’s undoubted that our relationships and how we communicate have evolved with the growth of the digital world; but are we becoming more connected? Or are we losing touch?

There are two sides to every story

It has never been easier to meet people, stay in touch with family, and find those childhood friends you thought dropped off the face of the Earth. Although, there’s speculation that the digital world can cause a lack of empathy, give an unrealistic view of how relationships should be and is causing people to lack ‘in real life’ social skills.

So what we want to know is, are we heading in a good or bad direction? This is a big question that deserves a big answer. Even in the space of the last 10 years, the way we interact with each other has changed dramatically; from dating, to family relationships and friends. But we need to break it down a little — let’s take a look at the terrain.

The modern way of meeting people

There are almost too many ways to meet your future life partner with available dating apps and websites. From the old guard of eHarmony, Match.com, and Zoosk, to apps like Tinder, Grindr, and Bumble. It sounds exhausting, but it’s a booming industry, and even Mark Zuckerberg is jumping on the bandwagon with Facebook Dating.

If you think about it, you’ll probably know someone who met their partner through an online dating site or app. In fact, if you’re single and looking for a relationship, chances are you will too. It’s easy to get sucked into the convenience of these matchmaking services and filtering through the masses to find your idea of the perfect partner.

While the likes of Tinder and Grindr caused quite a stir some five years ago, these days it’s become the norm. After all, would you rather go on a blind date with a stranger or meet someone you’ve had the opportunity to vet first?

For some people, the whole idea of online dating is exciting, convenient and progressive. For others, the somewhat limitless supply of potential partners may be overwhelming and unsatisfying. Either way, it’s clear that the landscape has changed, and judging by the trends asking someone out face to face may soon become a novelty.

Is technology changing our family relationships?

Technology has brought so many benefits, evolving parents into super parents – or helicopter parents depending on your viewpoint. When you consider the abundance of innovative technologies such as Snoo Cradle, WiFi baby monitors, virtual learning, the proliferation of expert parenting blogs, and online medical services, it’s hard to disagree.

Plus, keeping in touch with remote children is simple with messaging and video apps such as Facebook Messenger and Skype.

It’s not all perks though, and the sweet relationship between technology and parenting isn’t always a healthy one, especially when it comes to monitoring and independence. A current survey revealed that 1 in 3 Australian parents used tracking apps to keep an eye on their kids, while another third of parents in the same survey would consider it.

If that’s what parents are like now — imagine what they will be doing in the near future? Following your child with a camera-mounted drone may not be too far outside the realm of possibility.

Digitised friendships and social interaction

To what extent does social media dictate our friendships? Does it strengthen them or make them more superficial? Like all things technology related, the answer is complicated.

On one hand, social media makes it easier to find, re-establish and maintain friendships. It allows us to extend the life of friendships in ways that would otherwise be difficult, and deepen the ones with the people who are already close to us.

On the other hand, platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram allow us to build and maintain ingenuine “friends”. Some are just commemorative connections from childhood, or friends of friends you met once at a party. We are now lengthening friendships well beyond their natural expiry date. Not only that, but it’s as simple to “block” a friend as it is to make one.

It’s easy to argue that technology is actually making our friendships more superficial, that we might be losing valuable face-to-face social skills which help us navigate through life and work. But as noted earlier, it’s complicated — and it’s only going to get more complicated as social media and digital communication evolves.

Looking ahead

It’s simply impossible to predict the future of relationships in the rapid evolution of technology. However, it’s not impossible to navigate. Perhaps the best thing we can do is just be aware of how technology can impact our relationships — both positively and negatively.

This way, we can adapt these technologies to enrich our genuine relationships, rather than inflate superficial ones.