Living in today's world: Reflections on the interactions between technology and human relational patterns

Swati Tripathi and Alka Bajpai

Technology in Society, 2021, vol. 67, issue C

Abstract: This essay paper focuses on how the idea and use of technology is gradually reorganizing not only the structural arrangements but also redefining relationships and relational patterns. In particular reference to new technological applications and sites that are increasingly used by people for networking and bonding, there is a macro-discourse of being and staying connected through technology. Such platforms assume an easy access or an imagined availability of the other person at all times. Such availability also assumes psychological availability of the person, despite any personal circumstances he/she may be in. Experiencing the compressed space and time has given birth to the debate of quality of life and relations surrounding it vs. the constant flux of technology that restricts the psychological freedom while facilitating a structural freedom to communicate. Technology is an artifact that not only symbolizes values of ease and convenience but also has the potential to affect the deeper assumptions and values people hold about life and relationships. Thus, it mediates our personal, social and organizational realities, pushing us to live in dual worlds.

Keywords: Technology; Relationships; Society; Relational patterns; Covid-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X21001810
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:teinso:v:67:y:2021:i:c:s0160791x21001810

DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101706

Access Statistics for this article

Technology in Society is currently edited by Charla Griffy-Brown

More articles in Technology in Society from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().