Computer Mediated Communication can both affect the process of management ethics, attraction, and repulsion. Today’s generation is exposed to several different forms of Computer Mediated Communication. Many people everyday resort to social mediums like Facebook, AOL Instant Messenger, Skype, Twitter, MySpace, Formspring, E-Harmony, Blogspot, Email and Cellular Phones from the simplest phone to a Blackberry or Iphone. The main question that comes to mind when thinking about these mediums-How does “computer mediated communication” (a) effect the process of management, ethics, and attraction/repulsion?
Management has been greatly affected by Computer Mediated Communication. In the past, business meetings were always held in conference rooms where employees looked at each other face to face while discussing important company topics. Recently, business meetings are conducted through chat rooms, email, Skype, and Blackberry messaging. Disciplinary actions in businesses can now be completed in a less personal manner using email or AOL Instant Messenger. People today find it easier to make confrontational statements and confrontational decisions using Computer Mediated Communication.
Attraction used to be an emotion found at a local coffee shop or at the grocery store, but today the coffee shop and grocery store have been replaced by dating websites like E-harmony and even social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. E-Harmony is a dating site that allows a person to post information about themselves, pictures, and what they are looking for in a future soul mate. Other people that are looking for their future soul mate then join the website to connect with their “true love.” Dating websites have caused controversy among today’s generation and past generations, but one thing is for sure-people today find attraction when meeting people online. But some people still argue how the internet can change who you really are. E-harmony tends to make the impression that everyone is a great person just innocently looking for love. As much as we would all like to agree, there have been cases where people have joined E-harmony for reasons other than love. Facebook and MySpace include just as much personal information, if not more day to day interaction. For example, on Facebook a “friend” can view your photos, your status updates, your “about me” information, the games you play, and even chat online with you. The biggest problem with websites like Facebook and MySpace is that they create attraction, but the main question to ask yourself is….Is the attraction created from these social networking websites fake or are you really “you” on Facebook?” . Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you view Computer Mediated Communication, having a computer screen in front of you allows a person to change their persona, in both positive and negative ways. Attraction may be found online because people tend to be more open in online settings. It is important to remember that lovers communicate intimate feelings they were too scared to say aloud on social networking and dating websites such as E-harmony, Facebook, and MySpace.
In life, everything has an opposite, and the opposite of attraction is repulsion. As much as social networking and dating websites create attraction and even possibly a false sense of “love,” social networking and dating websites also create a sense of repulsion. In a recent web-surfing session, I began reading different Formspring pages of my friends and simply acquaintances. On one Formspring page, I read “You’re a bitch. How do you feel about that?” This is just another example of how the internet empowers people to say things that they wouldn’t ordinarily say to someone’s face if they were standing in front of them. Another Formspring read, “You looked really ugly today. I bet it is driving you crazy that you don’t know who is telling you this shit.” The problem with these types of social networking sites telling people how much they repulse others is that some people actually take what is said to heart. Statistically, this has lead to suicide, a lack of self-confidence, and other physical or mental problems. Formspring, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogspot, email, and text messaging also leave room for miscommunication which may leave people with a false sense of repulsion. Something very innocent can be written in Computer Mediated Communication, but the meaning of what was said can become negative depending on the emotional state of the person reading it, where and what they are doing, and even if it is written without the little text message smiley faces that we all have grown to love. Repulsion and a false sense of repulsion are both created through Computer Mediated Communication.
Computer Mediated Communication is both a positive and negative aspect of everyday life. Social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Formspring, and Blogspot create a “society” that people can socialize with each other, stay aware of other’s life situations, feel attraction, and also show the repulsion that many of us wish we could show when we are face to face with another human being. Dating websites like E-harmony have created true love, but have also torn people apart. Management is forever changed. Our supervisors now speak to us using their Blackberries and hold staff meeting via chat rooms as if we are playing a casual game of online checkers. But whether we approve of Computer Mediated Communication, it is a part of our lives that both fulfils and does not fulfill our basic relationship needs.
No comments:
Post a Comment