Garcia, Justin Ram A.

ZGE 1105 – CS1B

ACTIVITY 1 REACTION PAPER

Libby Larsen once said, “The great myth of our times is that technology is our
communication.” With the rise and continuous development of various social media
platforms, we have somehow created the illusion that we are more connected because
of an easier mode of modern communication. However, I must point out that there is a
thin line between communication and connection. The constant technological
development requires everyone to be knowledgeable on how to utilize this technology.
As a result, people of all ages are interested in using devices such as computers and
mobile phones. While it is undoubtedly true that it brings a lot of advantages, we must not
replace our human connection with a virtual one. We all communicate, it is an essential
survival skill. But we do not always connect. As said in the article, we have learned and
accustomed to being “alone together.” We think that we are constantly in touch with others
but the reality is we only communicate in the way we want it, just how it is. We no longer
usually practice a real face-to-face conversation where we also speak with our bodily
language. We look in the eye, we adjust our positions, we use our body part, and many
other sub-conscious actions that make us comfortable. But those are no longer.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against modern social media platforms and I
even use them. But I have also realized that the deepest connection happens in person
and from the heart to heart. With the same effort, it might even be possible to connect
with others through technology. We just need to make an extra effort to connect and we
will all make a difference. By connecting with others, we can truly understand how they
feel and what they want us to know through communicating. Thus, we mustn't stop at
communicating but we should rather understand and connect.