Addicted to gadgets

Over a period of two years, 21-year-old Hezron Odemba has owned 12 mobile phones.

Owing to a need to keep up with the latest trends coupled with a spirit of giving, the young man has been a frequent customer at phone stores.

One of his phones was stolen while the rest he gave away to friends in need, each time upgrading to one of the latest phone models in the market.

“I never get attached to anything, so giving things away is not difficult,” he says.

In addition to his current phone, Hezron has a laptop, an MP3 player, a personal computer, and a pair of earphones through which he listens to his favourite music.

He represents billions of people around the globe who are today in possession of an assortment of electronic gadgets. Smartphones, tablets, iPods, Bluetooth gadgets, and video game consoles are some of the electronic gadgets that today mark the evolution of technology.

Numerous benefits are associated with these devices, including the fact that they help save time, increase convenience, hasten communication, and provide entertainment.

Tablets, for instance, enable one to quickly read ebooks, download music, engage with people on social networking sites, and keep up with one’s emails, among other uses.

REMOTE RELATIONSHIPS

However, concern has been growing over the impact of electronic gadgets on personal social interaction, specifically face-to-face communication.

With widespread use of these gadgets, many people are opting out of physically meeting and discussing matters with others. Why meet a friend when you can simply make a call or send a text? Some may ask.

The youth are heavy users of electronic gadgets and communication forms such as instant messaging and internet sites such as blogs, social networking sites, and sites for sharing photos and videos.

Considering this, questions abound as to whether such means of communication are changing the amount and nature of interactions among families and relatives.

Gone are the days when a significant number of family members would sit around a fire or dinner table after a hard day’s work and share experiences.

Today, especially in urban areas, it would be more common to find a father engrossed in his laptop, a mother on the phone with friends or relatives, and children playing video games, watching television, or downloading the latest music to their iPods and MP3 players. This leaves little or no room for personal interaction.

Another scenario is how young people, especially on the local scene, choose to spend their free time. Rather than go out to showcase their talents through sports or art such as music, many youngsters would rather chat on Facebook, watch a variety of movies which they have painstakingly collected, or play online games.

More so, of growing concern is the breakdown in communication between couples due to electronic gadgets.

Cases of husband and wife texting each other about issues such as bills and debts that are due (yet they are in the same house) are now being registered.

Such lack of personal direct communication further widens the gap that may already be existing between them.

Nowadays, it is commonplace to find parents choosing to make a simple phone call to their child in boarding school instead of visiting them when possible.

This takes a toll on the child, as 21-year-old Wendy Anyango explains:

“I remember a time in high school when my parents failed to visit me in school while my friends happily munched goodies brought to them by their families and relatives.

They had both called on the phone to say they couldn’t come and I was left feeling hurt and betrayed,” she recounts.

WORRYING TREND

Dr Margaret M. Munyae, a professor of sociology at the United States International University, sees this as a cause for worry.

“Relationships need to be nurtured and parents should encourage this while children are still young. They must allocate family time and encourage children to engage in hobbies that will help them grow and add value to their lives,” says the lecturer.

The effects of electronic gadgets can also be witnessed in institutions of learning, and universities in particular. At a level where detailed, well researched group work is expected, many students choose to gather data individually, then send it through email for one person to compile.

This proves problematic for other students who are not comfortable with the practice, such as Lydia Kimani, a student at a local university.

“There is no opportunity for correction because many group members do not like meeting in person to discuss the assignment. Everybody assumes they are right and the person compiling simply puts bits and pieces together before submitting the work to the lecturer,” she explains.

Electronic gadgets have also influenced many working environments. Many bosses are using their iPads and phones to send emails and texts to employees, alerting them about certain agenda, some of which is sensitive, instead of explaining matters in person.

Some argue that this saves time, but how effective such communication can be is another matter altogether, citing the fact that people’s instant reaction to issues is missed since non-verbal communication such as facial expressions cannot be observed.

PS I LOVE YOU

On the dating scene, electronic gadgets and electronic communication have had an indisputable effect. Every day, advertisements encouraging people to subscribe to services offering romantic messages are aired on radio and television. Targeting people in search of lasting love, the advertisers provide a fast and easy way to express love through words many can barely put together on their own.

This raises the question of just how honest, sincere, or real an individual can be when addressing a potential partner, having relied on other people to “speak” for him/her.

Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are also a favourite when searching for love.

One recent study of romantic relationships among college students explored the use of Facebook among 1,440 First Year students at Michigan State University.

The study indicated that many of the students were using Facebook to check out people they had met as prospective dates. Uses such as this were ranked relatively highly.
Another study of Facebook users indicated that compared with light users, heavier users of Facebook reported feeling more confident in the information they had gathered from profiles.
Prof Munyae says that indeed social networking sites have significantly changed the manner in which people get partners.

“Dating has evolved and with the busy schedules people have today, social networking sites provide an introductory proximity. This means that people can get to introduce themselves to others over such sites, then probably get to know each other later,” she says.

However, the professor is keen to point out the need for caution when interacting on such sites.

“Many people assume a false identity on networking sites so one should not rush into making commitments such as marriage without meeting the subject of their interest in person. Take time to develop a good friendship,” she urges.

Many people discuss sensitive matters over the phone in public. This speaks volumes about just how much people have found comfort in phones.

It is not uncommon to hear people in public service vehicles making calls demanding that the person on the other end pay back the money they had borrowed, sometimes quoting the interest accumulated.

Another worrying trend is that visiting ailing family members, friends, or relatives in hospital is no longer a priority to many.

A simple three-minute phone call or a Sh2 “get well soon” message to a person writhing in pain in hospital does it for a number of people. No flowers, no warm hugs, just a call or a text.

WIRED TO DISTRACTION

Even when people meet in social gatherings, distraction by electronic gadgets is common. During a wedding ceremony, for instance, it is not uncommon to see guests scrolling their iPads or texting.

In church, some members of the congregation like tweeting or facebooking during the service.

That electronic gadgets are here to stay goes without saying. The human race has come so far technologically speaking and with minds like those of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, we can expect more from the field of technology.

Nevertheless, there is a need to strike a balance in the use of the innovations as the human touch is still vital in enhancing communication.