People Communication - Essay Example

How people communicate and relay message has been a controversial issue in the society. Communication strategies have been very diverse and people have invented an array of media services to enhance communication in the society. In this changing world, effective communication is consequently crucial. Communication is ubiquitous and effective ways of conveying a particular message are extremely demanding. Effective communication in any case has to be informative indicating a particular way forward concealing the intentions of the message and instrumental goals. Failure of communication meeting the intended purpose raises suspicion and reactance. Communication takes place due to the assistance of a variety of tools and equipments. Researchers and scholars have plated a vital role in enhancement of communication by development and invention of effective communication tools and strategies. This paper discusses in depth technological change, social construction theories, political economic analysis, and the ideology of technology neutrality (Atkin 3). Change is a remarkable event in everyone’s life. Rapid change in technology has brought diverse effects to individual’s lives. Change comes in succession and is bond to happen in everyone’s life. How an individual approaches the changes in life becomes a question at hand. Changes that arise in an individual’s life may either be social, economically, or politically allied (Chandler). Change may either have optimistic or pessimistic impacts in an individual’s life. Change in technology has diversely altered the way people converse and relay message. Different ways have come up where an individual can have a discussion with another who is miles away. Change in technology entails innovation, invention, and diffusion of technological processes. Technological change aims for better and more effective technology (Cellary and Iyengar 187). In the social world, technology has invented methods of enhancing effective communication. Technological change in communication has changed the lifestyles of many people. It is important to note that rapid use of technology has profound effect on the frequency, quality, and type of interactions between people who are engaged in similar enterprises although in a different location. Researchers argue that new electronic communication media has enabled people interact and collaborate in a contemporary manner. For instance, every kind of technological change requires a little communication and training (Atkin 4). An individual is supposed to change with the changing technology and effectively adapt to it. Researchers depict that the biggest technological change in the society, encompasses communication. Communication is an extensive procedure that involves not only two people but also the society at whole. Language use is a key factor to effective communication. Therefore, it is necessary for individuals to strategize on the kind of language to use when conveying message (Birkinbine). Change in technology has greatly influenced the way people converse. Communication devices have changed immensely over centuries thus leading to the invention of mobile technology. The mobile technology has over time varied from a simple pre-paid hand phone to a small thin laptop. Mobile technology refers to various types of cellular communication technology devices. These devices include palmtop computers, net-book computers, smart phones, global positioning devices, and wireless debit or credit cards. Mobile technology has portrayed a wide range of first modern infrastructure in the society. The use of mobile technology has boomed over years. In most cases, the level of technology in any kind of communication devices, determines whether to purchase or buy the device. Arguably, mobile technology has been a force that clears away barriers, promotes inclusiveness, and opens opportunities to all those who would otherwise not partake in the digital cost-cutting measures (Chandler). As communication technologies change over time, subsequently the ways in which people interact and react to technology and one another ultimately changes as well. The world is in a progressive way of change and many people raise issues to whether the change is optimistic or pessimistic in the society. The ultimate cause of this change is the way of communication in the society (Freire 12). Although technological communication has changed the way people feel, interact, and behave, the extent of the change remains unpredictable. It is necessary for individuals to understand about the rapid change in technological communication and adapt ideal relationships to face the issue. Mobile technology as the most significant technology used in communication has quite a lot of importance to the society. Mobile technology is not only a source or medium of communication but also serves a variety of functions such as, business operations, entertainment, and education (Birkinbine). Change in technology has enabled communication and interaction of people from different parts of the world. These interactions may lead to job opportunities, marriage partners, and educational scholarships. These interactions take place through different communication websites found in the mobile technological devices (Pollock). The websites include twitter, facebook, and email accounts. Use of mobile technological devices in communication becomes very efficient compared to the past generation where people used letters as a means of communication (Chandler). For instance, this modern way of communication has been very fast and convenient in relaying of information. Technological change in communication has improved the lifestyles of many people. Though many people advocate for change in technology in the communication sector, this change has posed both optimistic and pessimistic impacts in the society. The most important positive impact of adapting to the changing ways of communication technology is the fact that they are fast and convenient (Cellary and Iyengar 188). In this case, an individual is able to send and receive a message without waiting for a long period. Moreover, the information provided is error free and reliable for its accuracy. Technological communication enables effective educational practices such as research. Students are able to retrieve necessary and important information from the internet websites, which help them in their studies. In some cases, tutors can also advocate for online teaching, E-learning, that serve as beneficial to both the students and teachers. Technological communication enhances business transactions whereby an individual can plan, organize, and find ways of improving the business. This change in communication is an effective way of relaxing (Atkin 4). This happens through chatting with other people, and other entertainment strategies like listening to music and playing games. Although change in technology has been of positive impact to the society, it also has negative impacts. For instance, it is important to have a good basis of determining sensible behavior in those children who often involve themselves to these social media networks at a young age. They tend to adapt the values and morals they learn from these media thus changing their way of conduct. Some children tend to engage in pornographic materials that are harmful to their social well-being. These technologies have also increased crime cases such as phone hacking associated with media people who find ways of getting information from people (Freire 42). In addition, these technologies have enhanced laziness and idleness in the society. People tend to spend most of their times in entertainment sites which later pose pessimistic impacts to their lives. Technology finds its way in the society in either politics, economically, or socially. Social construction theories encompass the particular ways of understanding and conceptualizing the technological shaping of the society and the social shaping of technology. In any case, these theories do not determine human action but rather the human actions that help in shaping technology. It is important to note that any act of communication that assumes that a message or information can be created to affect the majority of the public always takes the stand of social construction. Scholarly research portrays today’s world as an information society where people thrive towards supply and consumption of information. People always live to relay new inventions and innovations to the public. The media in the society must always be ready equipped with the necessary information that is essential to convey to the society. Research depicts three theories related to social construction. These theories include the social learning theory, the cultivation theory, and the agenda setting (Cellary and Iyengar 191). According to social learning theory, it advocates how mass media consumers are able to learn and understand appropriate societal actions. This theory encompasses the different ways in which information conveyed to the people causes no doubts or resistance. For instance, technology in media effectively provides people with different ways of understanding what is going on in the society. By use of T.V or internet, the society gets to understand what is happening in the world (Birkinbine). Cultivation theory, suggests the ways in which people line their views about issues in the world in relation to those presented in the media. This theory perceives the relationship between media and the society. This relationship is built by the use of technology in communication. The society is able to express its views to the media for contemplation. The agenda setting theory portrays the argument on the importance of the media in dictating important issues and events to the public. It relays the significance of the media in the society. Invention and innovation of new communication strategies that wholly affect the society help in social construction. Technology brings individuals to a common institution. Therefore, these social construction theories recommend that interactions with the social agents such as the media people, helps in controlling of technologies and people’s attitudes towards the use of technologies converge in social systems (Chandler). Technology always comes in between democracy and capital. Political economic analysis of technology is at most very diverse. Politicians often use technological media to carry out campaigns. Politically, technology interconnects citizens globally, hence facilitating dialogue and cultural change. This therefore enhances democracy and social relationships worldwide. Technology should be participatory where every individual has the access to technological communication devices. On the other hand, technology occupies a better part of the economy. This is experienced particularly in an industry (Freire 57). For example, the media industry requires quite a huge sum of money to manage their work effectively. Moreover, it requires money to purchase the mobile technological devices. Therefore, anything associated with technology draws its basis from capital. Technological change in communication always relies on capital. Technology as a complex phenomenon in the society interacts the political, economic, and social-cultural spheres of life. Technology neutrality has been imbued with ideology over years. In many cases, technology in one way or the other may not be neutral in the society. Scholarly research depicts that technologies are designed either deliberately or not deliberately to open some social options in the society and ultimately closing others. In this case, some technologies may be more compatible with social patterns compared to others. Technologies affect the society in a different way in the social, political, or economical perspective. Technology portrays an autonomous force upon its users. Technologies in most cases determine their own use, the kind of people who control them and their effects in the society (Pollock). Research shows that technology is unprincipled and it does not matter the kind of technology used by an individual but the manner unto which the technology is used. People often use technology as a human tool against others but research portrays strategies developed to sort the effects and deal with them. Scholarly research therefore depicts that technology is not neutral in the society. In conclusion, technology encompasses the social, economical, and political life in the society. Technology as continuous process has to face acknowledgement in the evolving world. It is important for every individual to accept change in the society. Change is a condition that comes into every individual’s life and hard to resist. Whether good or bad, it is important to appreciate and accept change. Every individual should learn to live with change rather than oppose it. Within the past few years, the level of technology has been changing posing both optimistic and pessimistic impacts to the society (Birkinbine). Change in communication technology has taken course in the society and still indulging rapidly becoming scattered all over the world. The paper has discussed about change in technology in essence with communication and media in the society. It has also viewed the social construction theories in the society and has portrayed the different ways in which technology and the political economical life interrelate. The discussion has concluded with the ideology of whether technology is neutral in the society or not. Work cited Atkin, J. David. Communication technology and social change: theory and implications. London: Routledge, 2007. Print.3 Birkinbine, Benjamin. CONTINUITY IN TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE: A POLITICAL ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL FILM EXHIBITION. Web 23 March 2012, from http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1259&context=theses Cellary, Wojciech and Iyengar Arun. Internet Technologies, Applications, and Societal Impact: IFIP TC6/WG6.4 Workshop on Internet Technologies, Applications, and Societal Impact (WITASI 2002) October 10-11, 2002, Wroclaw, Poland. New York: Springer, 2002. Chandler, Daniel. Technological or Media Determinism: Technology as Neutral or Non-neutral. Web 23 March 2012, from http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/tecdet/tdet08.html Freire, Mario. Encyclopedia of Internet technologies and applications. Hershey: Idea Group Inc (IGI), 2008. Print. Pollock, Stephen. Social construction of reality. Web 23 March 2012, from http://stephen.pollock.name/writings/res/socialconstruction.html#theory Read More