How do you imagine social interaction within 10 years, taking into consideration the impact
of technology on human relations?
By Alice Assenza
Social interaction is the way people relate and communicate with each
other. It is not necessarily a physical relation, but it may simply be a
mutually subjective orientation people have towards each other’s selves.
In fact, even if no physical behavior is involved, social interaction still
exists:
friends sending each other’s letters , people texting or chatting online.
Social Interaction
Just like everything in life, social interaction has been subject to many
changes. The importance of human communication has been recognized
from the start and this is why it has always been and it still is one of the
biggest field of research.
Let’s look at a brief history of communication..
The first form of human communication dates back to a very long time ago.
Before written words existed, the homo sapiens painted walls..
Cave of Lascaux, France.
Grafiti
Story telling..and the ancient Greeks started the tradition of the "ἀοιδός“, the story teller.
People would come together and listen to the story teller; they would share
emotions, imagine different worlds and cement the group identity.
Omero, Iliade, Book I
From the first hand-written books and to the mass print
The first real books were
hand-written by the
amanuensis and were only
accesible to few.
In 1455 Johann Gutenberg invented the first
printing press, becoming the father of the
modern printed books, and a communications
catalyst opening up the world to a quick and
efficient spread of knowledge and ideas
Marconi’s InnovationsAt the end of the XIX century, Guglielmo Marconi invented two new objects
that completely rebuilt the world of communication:
1. The telegraph 2. The radio
With these inventions not only long distance communication was enabled,
but also people travelling could always be kept up to date and could
communicate with their homeland.
The television
Yesterday
Today
In the late ‘20s the television was introduced. At the beginning the tv was
available to only few and, like the story tellers, became a medium of
aggregation. It also “shrank the world” allowing live transmission of
information in every part of the world.
With modern times the television became a mass item of communication, and
not it is owned by almost every family.
The telephoneThe invention of the telephone represents a strong turning point in the world of
communication. Nowadays everyone holds a cell phone and it is no longer used
merely to communicate through phone calls, but also to share data, to text, send
invitations to events, and access the internet..
The Internet..In the XX century “the Web” revolutionized, once again, the world of
communication. Both the speed of information and knowledge sharing
increased exponentially. No more boundaries obstructed social interaction
and people all around the world began to feel closer than ever. The
proliferation of social networks strongly affected both personal and
professional relationship.
Technology and Comunication
It is not deniable that advancements in technology have improved and made
media of communication more accessible. Undoubtly, for professional
purposes, technology improvements have been very positive; however whether
they have been exclusively positive is arguable.
At a professional level, advancement in technology has allowed:
Internationalization
Video-conferences with people from all around the world, through
apps such as Skype and ooVoo
Faster exchange of information that improve business efficiency
At a social level, advancement in technology has allowed people to:
Keep in touch with friends abroad, through social network such as Facebook
or free internet calls through apps like Skype, Facetime or Viber.
Have easy access to information
Share thoughts and news through social networks such as Tweetter
Share live-moments through uploads of pictures and videos in social
networks such as Instangram
However, it is important to consider the counter side of this technological
development, which has led to an abuse of media of communication, not
only reducing personal relationship, but also alienating people from reality.
And in 2024?
Foreseeing how social interaction will be in 10 years is not simple. The level of
technology sophistication continues to increase exponentially and affects human
relations in an irreversible way.
People will probably be able to stay in touch online more practically, there would
be no more boundaries to knowledge and information sharing and this would
allow businesses to innovate more quickly and adjust to new environments.
In 2024 probably all the instruments that nowadays we see as very innovative,
will become out to date and will be replaced by more high tech ones.
It is not excludable, for example, that within 10 years technicians will create
instruments that will be able to function just by reading people’s thoughts other
than through buttons and keyboards.
The forthcoming launch of the new Google Glass represents a very big step
toward a new and more sophisticated technology.
These are augmented reality glasses that display additional information about
what we see, “on the spot”, on a screen positioned on one of the lenses.
It has the ability to take videos, photos and connect to emails; everything can be
activated simply through vocal control.
A gaze at the future
With the risk of being overwhelmed by technological development, people
must be careful to not abuse with the use of media of communication, and
always prioritise human relations.