Computers Are Barrier

In Japan, many of the internet addicts hide themselves at home for years and years, many of them are teenagers. “Hikikomori” is a Japanese term to describe those people who withdraw from social life. They hide themselves because of several reasons, mainly they get abused at school. They quitted their school life, they don’t go to work, and hide at home all day long. This “hikikomori” phenomenon has led Japan to a very serious social problem. Some Media blame that the addiction to internet has lead to the decrease in social life among people. People are not talking face-to-face, but they uses computer as a means of communication. Moreover, if they keep communicating with people through the computer, their social skills in real life will be lost. However, are computers only detrimental? The answer is no. In my opinion, computers are not a replacement of human kinds and are not barrier to social relationship, but an aid to enhance the relationship between people. The Internet provides another context and channel for people to meet with strangers for the first time, initiate meaningful and satisfying conversations, and build stable, long-term relationships, similar to face-to-face (FTF) interactions (Walther & Burgoon, 1992). This essay will explore how computers improve interpersonal relationship and demonstrate on the positive effects of using the computer.

The worldwide problem of computer addiction problem for sure is a serious issue. However, those who argue that computers are a barrier to interpersonal relationship had missed the brighter side of using computer. Computers had given us a more effective and convenient means of communication through the internet. Sending e-mail or using online messengers to chat with your friends overseas is a way of communication regardless of geographical distance. "These applications (e-mail, IRC chat, etc.) disproportionately reduce the costs of communication with geographically distant acquaintances and strangers; as a result, a smaller proportion of people's total social contacts might be with family and close friends." Also, "Other applications on the Internet, particularly the World Wide Web, provide asocial entertainment that could compete with social contact as a way for people to spend their time." (Kraut, 1998). Without using any money, you and your friends can chat all day long. I have a group of friends which I met on the internet forums are always having fun chatting with each other. We chat about everything we like. Also, on the internet, you could chat freely and express yourself more comfortably.

As we are living in a technological society, having a computer is a must in order to get new information and to communicate. This led to the development of the Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and it became a necessary form of communication, as well as the Face-To-Face (FTF) communication. Computer-Mediated Communication is the name given to a large set of functions in which computers are used to support human communication. CMC can be defined narrowly or broadly, depending on how one defines human communication. At its narrowest, CMC refers to computer applications for direct human-to-human communication. At its broadest, CMC can encompass virtually all computer uses (Santoro, 1995). Online personal relationships demonstrate the same relational dimensions and qualities as Face-To-Face relationships: e.g., greater interdependence, understanding, code convergence, commitment, and online and offline network sharing (Parks & Floyd, 1996). As the same quality of the face-to-face communication, the CMC users will not lost their social skills. Internet also removes the barrier between celebrities and public. All of us could chat and giving comments to the celebrities we like and build up a healthy relationship which you couldn’t do it in real-life. So internet provides a huge network for people and connects the people all over the world.

Computer communication has also changed organizational communication, like doing business also requires communicating online.