There are times in life when you are trying to talk to a friend, but they seem so much more entertained by an IPod or their cell phone. They are not trying to be rude, but just how they are not pay attention is coming off as anti-social. Technology is rapidly increasing throughout our world; we now have Facebook, MySpace, IPhones, IPods, cell phones, AIM, Omegle, and much more. Many people think that is makes things easier and more efficient, but others will defend that it is making the world unsociable and everything is coming down texting or Facebook. While we use technology to seek social comfort, it really pulls us away from a genuine communal life.

People go from being totally normal when talking to a friend by text messages, to not even talking when you try to start a conversation with them at school. The teens are loosing their social skills, and they are not able to live with live communication. Their world is centered around and through technology. Not only do people around then notice it but they themselves do also, “they also reported spending time less talking with their family, experiencing more daily stress, and feeling more lonely and depressed” (Affonso 1). The teens even notice themselves not spend enough time with their family like they use to, they don’t seem to talk to their family and friends on a regular basis. They show no interest with the people that they love, all they care about is who they are texting or who’s on Facebook. Knowing that all their relationships are through the internet they start to have the feeling on loneliness. They talk to people all the time, but the talks don’t show them a real friendship.

Segregation from the real world is being caused by electronics that allow you to take yourself out of the social experience. Teens and adults know that all they have to do to take themselves out of the awkward conversation is to put the IPod headphones in, they think that when they take themselves out of the socialism everything with be comfortable again. Everyone around you doesn’t take that gesture the same as you think, “the main appeal of the IPod is that it preoccupies you so you no longer obligated to interact with the uncontrollable factors of everyday life” (Song 1). People believe that IPod are the resource to take yourself out, no matter where it is or when, all you have to do is press play. The world is centered on relationships through the internet, cell phones, or IPods and when they really have the chance to do it in a real social environment they don’t know how, they just feel awkward and weird.

When using technology for everyday life, you don’t learn the way to deal with the social environment, people don’t understand that you have to let the other one talk, respect them, and be patient. We gain confidence when behind the mask of technology, but it creates conflict when negative behavior transfers over into social networks. Using the internet can open the door to many opportunities that you usually wouldn’t get in the real world, “While out culture heralds the internet as a technological wonder, there are suggestions that internet use has a negative influence on individuals and their social skills” (Affonso 1). This shows that not only does in internet slowly moderates the citizen’s social ability, but it also pulls them into pessimistic influences. They have multiples places with accesses to anything that anyone wants, they have no rules and no obligation not to look at it, watch in, or join it.

While social networking helps maintain relationships it does more harm then good. Encourages appalling behavior such as “hate pages” and cyber bulling. Cyber bulling is a huge epidemic sweeping teens across the nation. Teens gain confidence by using teen networking sights. Ultimately ganging up on each other when dealing with problems and conflicts. Coget and Yutaka make a great point when they say, “the internet can foster openness, self-confidence, and a greater sense of ease and comfort in dealing with others” (1). This shows that not only does this happen in my life, or others around me, but everyone. Internet opens so many opportunities for teens and adults to bring out their real selves. When they open Facebook or Myspace there confidence comes out. They think that it is not the same when they talk bad about the person to their face, but to post it on their wall so that everyone can see it is totally fine.

Now when it comes to the side that believes it is influencing us to a better good, many may think that having an IPod or IPhone, putting their earphones in will disengage them from the world. Comfort is what people strive for, when it comes to situations face to face there is no way to avoid them. If there were no social networking we wouldn’t have to strive for comfort, it would already be there. People believe that the internet is something that shows us a whole new world, it helps use be more efficient and everything is good. Harris believes that, “Ipods unite people more than it does to divide them” (1). When Harris mentions the IPods show people a good time, and bring everyone together to have a fun party, she doesn’t think about what Ipods can do in other situations. In normal lives IPods do not do the same function, they are for your own personal enjoyment not a social group party. When you are at a party with music it does bring the people together, but when you are in your car on the way home to school listening to music that is a different story. Your mom is trying to socialize and talk to you, but all you want to do it listen your “jams”.

People eventually use the internet and social networking to enlarge their social circle that they are evolved in. Coget and Yutaka truly have faith that, “one’s social circle can be considerably expanded” (1). When you are sweep up by cyber land you forget how to have a normal relationship and genuine connections. When all your relationships are though the internet or telecommunication devices you don’t get the real feel or a true friendship, nothing is the same when you are talk through a satellite. You never no the true feeling of a true best friend or girlfriend/boyfriend when all you get to hear is there voices, or all you get is a message from them. The feeling gives you warmth, but how do you know it’s truly a relationship? No one can be trusted though cyber land, who knows who they truly are.

In conclusion, technology is negatively effecting teens by allowing them to dismiss social etiquette and creating distractions from the real world. Teenagers who become addicted to the world of cell phones, computers, and IPods are so disconnected form the world by the time they realize that, they will not be able to live a normal live. Once you live through a satellite and little social interactions, what have you learned about how to act and talk to people you may know how to do it, but inside you know that you are feeling awkward. Once you go to the dark side, there is no coming back.