The Death of Distance

“Distance will no longer determine the cost of communicating electronically,” states Frances Cairncross. The cost of sending a message across the world is effectively zero. Social media is exponentially increasing the boundaries of spatial borders. Individuals are able to communicate over social networking sites at any moment as long as they have access to the Internet. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Skype and even applications on our cell phones have significantly made it easier for individuals all over the country, despite the distance, to communicate with one another at no cost.

Distance is no longer an issue.  Facebook is a social networking site that is used specifically to connect with friends and family. Now a days, we don’t need to meet up with others face to face to know how their day went. Facebook has now been upgraded to even allow video chat. Skype was also specifically made to interact with others specifically those from around the world. One is able to webcam and chat with another person at no cost. Applications such as Instagram and WhatsApp are both completely different, but created for the same purpose. On Instagram, individuals are able to share their life with the use of pictures. One is also able to communicate and exchange personal messages as well as pictures. Also, with WhatsApp, individuals can communicate with more than one person at a time and in the same chat. All local exchange carriers can use it as well as different phones such as the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone and Nokia.

My mother has nine brothers and sisters who live in different countries. She would always purchase calling cards and have to schedule a time when both were able to talk. Now, she has an iPhone where she is able to Facetime with them as well as Skype, instant message and continuously text with WhatsApp at no charge. She even created an Instagram and Facebook to stay connected with her family members and high school friends. Companies are able to communicate with their employees easily and efficiently. Social media is often blamed for the negative things that happen in relationships, but it doesn’t always have to be negative. Without these social networking sites, one may not even find their future partner or connect with significant others.

            However, I do see how social media can become a problem. It is becoming less and less social and interpersonal. Social media is seen more about promoting ourselves than actually communicating with others. From kids to elders, social media is being adopted at all ages. We live in a generation that is dependent on new advanced technological innovations thus decreasing face-to-face communication. Individuals are able to talk to one another over the Internet, text messaging and sometimes we don’t need to know what is going on in a persons life because we can just look at their social networking site. New communication technologies is modifying and revolutionizing the world we have previously known. Since companies are constantly making advanced technology, it is difficult to keep track of all the different ways to keep in touch. Advanced technology is altering our conceptions of communications at a global level.