Everywhere we look, we see all kinds of tech innovations in our lives. From the way houses are built, businesses are formed, and how we live, technology plays a huge role in the modern world. Tech innovations are mainly introduced to the public to serve many great purposes. But then, some of us became slaves to tech that made it challenging to function as a strong community.
How Technology Made Some Feel More Isolated
Certain types of technology were designed to make communication more seamless and collaboration effortless. Think of mobile phones, social media, and messaging and video call apps. But then, these very innovations are what made more people more isolated.
These technologies made communicating and reaching out to others easier. But because of the convenience these tools have to offer, many opted to unconsciously isolate themselves from the world. Those living alone can use technology to reach out to friends, buy what they want, and meet new people without going out of their homes.
Nowadays, social interaction became less apparent after more people turned towards virtual connections. It became easier to disconnect ourselves from our own communities since everything we might need is at our fingertips. Even the way we work and find jobs changed thanks to the amazing innovations available these days.
Even families who live under the same roof now feel disconnected because of continuous tech use. Activities that used to involve all family members turned into a social media affair, with the members caring more about what they can share with the online world than the experiences they can gain. This is evident with the amount of screen time most people spend daily.
Technology does have the power to connect us to the world. But it also plays an undeniable role in why many families and communities feel disconnected. This now has a major implication on family dynamics, and inevitably, the whole community.
Building a Stronger Sense of Community with Technology
The good news is, more people realize the ill effects that their bad tech habits have on their relationships. They learned the hard way that focusing on building connections online will never replace the satisfaction one can experience for nurturing real-life relationships. Even businesses are doing their part in building a stronger sense of community with the help of technology.
Here’s how everyone can build a better sense of community using the same technologies that divide our society.
Join Online Communities with the Same Value as Yours
Many businesses and organizations built their own online communities to bring employees and or customers together. You have the option to join these and have access through their websites or by downloading their respective community app. By joining online communities, you get to mingle with like-minded people online and use this opportunity to meet new friends, widen your reach, and even explore opportunities.
Online communities are not only for businesses wanting to get more out of their customers. Some also aim to provide their clients with a platform where they can share their thoughts, talk about their opinions, and meet others who have the same values and beliefs. Using such platforms to instill a sense of belonging and community can help consumers enjoy a network they can work with, learn from, and rely upon.
On the other hand, consumers can use this opportunity to do more than making new valuable connections. They can utilize this time to bring those connections made into the real world. Translating online connections to the offline world can help reshape your community life.
Embrace Best Practices When Using Technology
Constantly connecting to distractions brought about by technology made it tricky to maintain and nurture relationships in real life. Instead of focusing on virtual relationships, we must practice moderately using tech. This involves being more mindful of how we utilize technology.
For example, instead of focusing our attention on building connections online, we should also prioritize making real connections in real life. While we can use tech tools to meet new people, we should not stop after successful online connections. It helps to take the next step further by nurturing those connections using the following tips:
- Reach out to online connections and set up meet-ups offline
- Choose real-life meetings over online sessions
- Choose to engage in face-to-face activities whenever possible
Today’s modern world made people consider online connections a more critical part of their daily lives. This, however, hurts our real-life connections. How we choose to handle such connections can dictate how our tech use will impact our future sense of community.
