Is the Internet taking away our ability to Communicate?

After watching Neil Postman’s critique on cyberspace one particular thing got me thinking is how much the internet is slowly allowing people not to communicate with others.  The interview with Neil was done in 1995 when the internet was at its beginning and spoke on how he had heard that in future years to come people would be able to shop online, bank online, and other things that would usually require people to go out and communicate not only with people they know but even just random people within the community.  His main worry was that this would signify the end to any community life.  Personally I don’t think  that it has that effect on me but there is no doubt that there are people whose ability to communicate with others inside or even outside their community has been and continues to become effected the more and more the internet and technology advances throughout time.  We are slowly being able to do almost everything through the use of the internet whether it be online banking, watching movies, buying groceries, things that would normally require us to go out into the community and communicate with the rest of society! 

I have posted the link to Neil Postman’s interview if you want to have a listen to his thoughts.

Cheers,

Matty O

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49rcVQ1vFAY