Is conversation a dying art form? The use of smartphone technologies to communicate has become extremely important in society to the point of causing real concern. There are many social networks that allow such communication. According to the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan research organization that provides information on emerging trends, “in 2005, only 5 percent of U.S. adults used at least one of these platforms. By 2011, that share had grown to half of all Americans, and today, 69% of the public uses some type of social media. There is no denying that we live in the age of social media and are completely consumed by it. In fact, we no longer communicate with each other like we used to. Smartphones get the job done much faster and more conveniently. Although smartphone technologies and social media are extraordinary tools that have expanded the world for us, it is important to take a moment and think about the bigger picture. Younger generations spend too much time on their technologies and use them as their primary source of communication, which therefore leads to the loss of essential communication skills needed to succeed in the real world, at work and in personal relationships. Although some would argue that a complete ban on social media would be the best and most effective solution, this is not realistic given the interweaving of social media in virtually every aspect of society and such a ban would undermine to individual freedom and the right to use this utility. . In order to regain crucial communication skills in the world of work and personal life, individual actions must be taken to ensure better use of this type of technology. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayCommunication via social media replaces face-to-face interactions, leading to poor communication skills, especially among younger generations. According to the MIT Technology Review, “the average American spends 24 hours a week online.” This number is constantly increasing and continues to do so. People are spending more and more time on their devices and therefore cutting themselves off from necessary human interactions. As a result, younger generations face more difficulties in face-to-face interactions and begin to avoid such instances. When we could strike up a conversation with a colleague or stranger that could potentially change our lives with new opportunities and worldviews, we choose to play with our phones instead. According to the New York Post, “Americans check their phones on average once every 12 minutes, or their heads in their phones 80 times a day, according to a new study.” This is largely because today's young people no longer have confidence in their social skills and don't know how to interact with people face-to-face, as they still choose to communicate via smartphones. In fact, millennials are considered a socially awkward generation. According to Digital Trends, a news site that covers technology news, “in this Bank of America survey, 29% of Americans chose text as their preferred method of conversing with others, compared to 40% of millennials. While 38% of Americans of all ages chose in-person conversations as their first choice, compared to 33% of millennials. Obviously,SMS is becoming the most popular means of communication. This is a problem because strong communication skills are necessary to succeed in the workplace and in personal relationships. This includes the ability to interpret body language, present oneself in a confident and positive manner, manage human emotions and be able to guide the conversation by observing the other party. Unfortunately, technology doesn't teach how to interact face-to-face when body language and emotions become an issue. Communication via smartphone technology is part of the picture. Communication via smartphone technology hinders the development of interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the workplace. Strong communication skills are an absolute requirement in the workplace. According to an article by Christina Patterson, an independent author and columnist, “More than 200 employers were surveyed, and almost all of them said that social intelligence was now more important in new hires than IQ or test scores. They said they were wasting a lot of time interviewing people who seemed to have no social skills. This is due to excessive use of smartphone technology to communicate and lack of face-to-face interaction. If social media is causing people to lose the social skills needed to succeed in the workplace, it's seriously time to reconsider how this technology is used. Donovan McFarlane, professor of business administration and business research methods at Frederick Taylor University, argues that we have learned to value efficiency over effectiveness. This means that the speed and convenience with which technology allows us to communicate has become more important than the value and clarity of the conversation. He says technology has created an “impatience in communication.” While it is great to be able to communicate with the other party so quickly and easily, it is detrimental to resort to this repeatedly or when it comes to more meaningful conversations, as misunderstandings are very likely to occur. Additionally, over time, interpersonal skills decline if not practiced. This results in not knowing how to effectively accept criticism at work, resolving conflicts with coworkers, and not being able to handle stressful social situations in person. It may be much easier to handle a work conflict over text, but it's crucial to know how to handle a situation like this in person, because it's not yet possible to hide behind your phone forever. Unfortunately, according to news.com.au, an Australian news site specializing in the latest national and international news, "a survey of American millennials by One Poll found that 65% of them don't feel comfortable talking with someone face to face. , and 80 percent prefer to converse digitally. This is sure to create problems in the workplace and is the reason why employers are criticizing the lack of communication skills among the younger generations. Additionally, smartphone technology hinders the establishment of intimate relationships, which are necessary to be socially healthy. Communicating through technology can actually end up making us feel alone. Indeed, the barrier of technology somehow dehumanizes the connection since body language and emotions cannot be exchanged. Sherry Turkle, author of Alone Together and Reclaiming Conversation, psychologist, professorat MIT and researcher, has spent about 30 years studying how technology affects skills and social relationships. In her book, Alone Together, she states that "our networked life allows us to hide from each other, even if we are attached to each other" (Turkle Sherry, Alone Together, p. 13). She explains that online connections are much more superficial due to the existence of a technological barrier between two parties, which allows for misinterpretations and the adoption of different personalities. Therefore, online connections do not satisfy the social need for intimacy and should not replace face-to-face interactions. In fact, according to Pacific Standard, an American magazine that focuses on social and environmental issues, "recently published research suggests that the mere presence of a cell phone or smartphone can decrease the quality of an in-person conversation , thus reducing the degree of empathy. » this is exchanged between friends. Indeed, cell phones distract us and make us think about what is happening online. A research team led by Shalini Misra of Virginia Tech University claims that "in their presence, people have a constant need to search for information, check communications, and direct their thoughts to other worlds" (quoted in Jacobs , 2014). Even when people aren't actively checking their smartphone but holding it close, conversation suffers and less empathy is present, preventing intimate connection. This is a concerning issue because it is a known fact in psychology that humans need intimate relationships to be socially healthy. Some would argue that banning these social media would be the most effective solution, as extreme as that may seem. In a magazine article, Natasha Devon, a writer, social critic and former schools mental health officer, argues that social media should be banned entirely for teenagers. Having worked with adolescents for a very long time, she believes that social networks do more harm than good. She also states that, through her extensive experience working with young adolescents, she has deduced that “the average age for a young person to join Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter or Instagram is 8th grade (12 years old). » It is certainly legitimate to be concerned about children starting to use social media so early, because at such a young age, social media can certainly be dangerous and prevent healthy social development. However, a complete ban is not at all a realistic solution given the influence of social media in society. According to ProCon.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan online research source, "93% of adults on Facebook use it to connect with family members, 91% use it to connect with friends current and 87% use it to connect. with friends from the past [274] 72% of all teenagers connect with friends through social media. It is not practical to impose a ban when the majority of the population depends on social media to such an extent. Such a ban would be seen as an attack on the right of adolescents to use this utility. Another possible solution would be to impose a ban on social media in the workplace and in schools. The goal is to get people to ditch their phones and focus on the work at hand without additional distractions. The Pew Research Center conducted a study to see how American workers use social media in the workplace. First, the majority of American workers usesocial media in their workplace and for various reasons. According to the study results, most workers use social media at work to take a break, with the result of the study being that "34% already use social media at work to take a mental break from their work" . However, workers also use social media to network, find information, and connect with colleagues, with study results of "24% to establish or maintain professional connections" and "20% to obtain information that helps them." help solve problems at work. » This clearly indicates that social media is also used in many positive ways. Therefore, there should not be a ban on smartphones in the workplace, but rather restrictions if the employer monitors that employees are using social media for reasons that are not useful to them. Similarly, school students can benefit from the use of social media. According to ProCon.org, “59% of students with Internet access say they use social media to discuss educational topics and 50% use the sites to talk about schoolwork.” Unless students are using their smartphones for reasons other than school-related, a ban is not necessary, as social media can contribute to learning by providing access to many different opinions and discussions in line. With this in mind, the best solution that would give the most optimal results is individual action. Ultimately, it's up to people to decide how they will use social media, whether in a beneficial or detrimental way. The primary source of communication should not be technology. Why should younger generations bother to start meeting in person more often and spend all that extra time where a text message or even a call at their convenience could get the message across to the other party? Because face-to-face communication has many other benefits and having great social skills can help you progress in many areas of life. When people communicate in person, they are able to express themselves more fully and understand each other better through the use of body language, which can be used to guide the conversation and get the most out of it. This is very useful during job interviews, business meetings or to resolve a conflict. By making a conscious effort to discuss larger work-related ideas in person rather than via a device, one is likely to benefit enormously in one's career and build stronger relationships with colleagues that would surely pay off . In fact, according to a study by David Deming, professor of education and economics at Harvard and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, "workers who combine social and technical skills fare better in the modern economy , as evidenced by their index of 7.2”. one percentage point increase in available jobs and 26 percent increase in salaries between 1980 and 2012." Therefore, it is very important to develop these strong communication skills in order to convince employers or clients and succeed in the current context of the modern economy. face-to-face communication would allow people to form deeper, more meaningful relationships. It has been proven by the research already mentioned, that conversation becomes more intimate, empathetic and authentic when people are actually with each other and direct all their attention towards each other. He is actually.