OPINION COLUMNS #1 AND #2 DRAFTS

Rationale

For this assignment I decided to write two opinion columns that discuss the same concept with contradicting opinions. Chosing an opinion column to discuss the effect of technology on communication enables me to provide a more profound fullfillment of the task. The first response will be written from the perspective of someone who has experienced a time where using technology to communicate wasn’t a possibility/ the norm. The second column, however, will be written from the perspective of someone clearly younger who is familiar with the technological world of communication. Depending on the argument , the target audience would be people who practice what the writer is against or who simply want to further their knowledge on how technology affects language and communication. The purpose of both responses would be to reflect on the points that both arguments are trying to make, to bring attention to the positive and negative impacts of using technology to communicate or replace language. Both opinion columns make connections with the initial question of wether technology being used to communicate is beneficial or not, throughout the entire text. The key here is to demonstrate a statement that is not solely based on opinion, but rather on bullet proof facts and correct observations which is a much more convincing strategy to persuade the audience.

Opinion column #1( negative)

A New Meaning To  "Communication"

It is truly baffling how people these days think that their way of communication could ever compensate, if not  replace the true meaning of it. And I don’t mean the definition, im referring to the actual interpretation that communication has accumulated over the years. For a very long time technology wasn’t a very commonly accepted part of that and shouldn’t be, for obvious reasons. The people of today are becoming easily distracted, their attention span being shorter than a goldfish's. They're isolating themselves and therefore eliminating opportunities that can not be replaced by chatting to someone for hours. Don’t believe me? Alright lets look at the facts. A study by Salaway et al , 2008 has discovered that 85% of undergraduates use social networking sites. That’s quite a lot and proof that technological ways of communication are the latest breakthrough and just increasing in fame, like a  disease if you ask me. Take a look at this graph and you might want to reconsider your opinion about wether the youth as well as the middle aged, and even some of the old are actually using technology for their own good.

It speaks for itself doesn’t it? Now the majority might protest, claiming that the more people use technology to communicate the better, but it is quite the contrary actually. Ever thought about where social anxiety might've popped from up all of a sudden? The cyber bullying? Sudden suicides, seeds that plant depression? People of all ages are affected through those factors and they're all ways of communication right? It is fairly easy for someone to develop a great ego and a dose of fake confidence when all you have to do is type in some letters, click send and stay anonymous if suitable. In contrast there are honestly not a lot of people who would dare and speak the truth, which in turn can be abused through social networking where new sneaky skills are acquired such as hacking and possibly destroying someones reputation. Taking a look at those hybrid versions of our beautifully articulated language/s is cringe worthy. "LOL" for laughing out loud. Most of the time it's just used to pass the boredom and not to express true feelings. Often there are misconceptions on what people actually mean or how they feel in reality and it all just numbs the conversations, stripping the partners off their identity and programming people to react less and become more self absorbed as well as rude and impatient. All that because of using technology to communicate. Texting, E-mailing, social networks and the sort all have a bad effect on their users if uitilized on a regular basis. A much more fitting alternative would be to give the electronical device the cold shoulder and actually T A L K to someone face to face, using your mouth and voice to give off thoughts, not your finger tips. Enjoy each others presence and develop healthy communication skills , regaining your identity as a human being with feelings and ideas that arent copypasted or marked with fake "lol's" and "rofl's" when your butt is neatly planted on your chair. Try it out and then think about wether using technology to communicate really only has positive aspects to it. Just an idea to make this world a better place to live in.

Opinion column #2 (positive)

Better Faster Stronger: Technological Communication

Despite the claims of Technology being used to communicate having negative impacts on the users, at the end of the day everybody will have used it at least once to help them , and if that doesn’t already prove who wins, then here's some more. Imagine a world were you would have to literally walk or drive to someone to quickly ask them something important, a world where the only information you get would either be in the library or from some ancient proffessor. Very time consuming if you think about it. A quick scan through google, a conversation here and there to different people at the same time and all beeing done in a few minutes. Isn't that just completely incredible? You will get judged, bullied or have bad experiences either way so why not get them over with quicker and more painless? There's always skype and others for some face to face convos if you really miss someones presence. So really, communicating through technology strengthens our relationships, enables us to make a lot of beneficial connections and opens us up to diversity and cultures. Its easier to reveal your true self without risking too much judgement and public humiliation. There is more privacy and freedom. People have learned to make faster decisions and find solutions to all their problems, with such a variety of opinions available. A 2009 World Bank report found that for every 10% increase in high speed internet connections, there is a 1.3 percent increase in economic growth. So it’s a win - win situation. People tend to augment and not replace their relationships with people, they simply find quicker ways to access them. All kinds of knowledge are always open to anyone using the internet which is incredibly fortunate. We basically created a new lanuage by shortening words, giving others a new meaning that only the "texters" understand ;  we create shortcuts and new possibilities everyday and form more solid bonds. Don’t be too restrictive on technological ways of communication, after all real life convos arent the best either. A new era of communication has arrived and won't leave anytime soon, so you might as well get used to it and try to at least accept it as a positive influence on people. Sooner or later you'll end up using or needing it anyway.