We all spend hours per day at the computer and we sometimes lose touch with the "real reality". Is the computer our new best friend or is it just a tool we use to make our life better?
I think it can be a bit of both, it's definitely a tool to make our life better, as it vastly simplifies many of our daily tasks, and also in this aspect it can be a best friend, solving disputes and telling us how to cook something You need to be careful though, you don't want to become too dependent on the computer and start to lessen your actual human interactions...
I can't predict whether my life would be better or worse without computers. Maybe I would be more social and spend more time outside. Maybe computers made me too self absorbed and anti social but maybe I was that way before. Rather than going to stores and buying things in person and interacting with people it's easier to talk to people and make purchases online. Computers have made things easier and more convenient for me but they also caused an imbalance in my life.
Studies prove than people are more and more isolated especially in big cities what is a paradox because in big cities is where most people are! We see things today like online relationships, game communities online and loads of places online where we can spend time without actually be with someone. And this part is independent from the time we need to be working on the computer...
Not having social interaction doesn't mean that someone becomes less happier. Computers and the internet have helped bridge schisms that once existed, and in time more people will get to understand that we're not that different after all, regardless of where we live or what our political/religious, etc., affiliations are. I normally play internet checkers with opponents from all over the world. The fact that most of the players always prefer to play against me again, means that in real life we could get along. So I think a computer connected to the net will in the next few decades be man's best friend.
It really comes down to how much you value in-person communication. While on the computer, I'm in contact with nearly all of my friends and family at any point in time. I can reach anyone, have a conversation with them spanning an array of topics, hear their voice via Skype and related services, order food, etc. without having to leave the comfort of my chair. Some would say this is a bad thing, that people are forgetting how to communicate, but I don't think that's true. I think communication has just changed, and the nature of how people relate to one another and how they define themselves is going to alter in the coming years as technology grows more and more ubiquitous.
I find somewhat sad that you say that not having social (personal?) interaction doesn't mean someone is less happier, even if it's true. I think people are meant to be with people and while technology should be to help us and make our life more convenient, it's not suppose to isolate us from each other.
Peninha, It can't be helped. That's where the world is headed. When I'm not on the net, I normally watch movies with friends but since we want to follow the story, we hardly ever talk. So for some people going out is changing one bad thing for another. Let's just say that much as we may hate it, technology has made people to be less interested in other people and those who are not strong enough are more lonelier than ever: Log In
Well, sadly that is a fact, that is why doing sports for example is something very important so that we manage to keep our body active and have a little interaction with our fellow humans! I think laws about using computer should me made or soon enough we will be automates!!
Okay, it depends on how you define the word "best friend" really. I consider the computer as a man's best tool for communication and entertainment, you don't really make friends with the computer, you make friends with other people who uses a computer. I use a computer all the time and I feel more alone the more I use it, I would consider a computer my best friend if, by every time I use it, I never feel the need for a friend or another person to come in contact to. I guess I'm just blabbering, but I hope you get what I'm trying to say.
I was meaning like the "thing" we spend most of our time with is the computer, we might spend 6-8-10 hours or more at the computer and how many hours per day do we spend interacting with real people? While at the computer maybe, but way too much time on the computer I think. At least I do.
Personally I think yes. I spend most of my time in front of my computer for hours and even forget to take meals. In most cases it is all about making money and that is through freelancing. That is the main reason why I spend most of my time around my computer.
Even if it's your main source of income I don't think you should skip meals mike, that's not healthy at all. And I also don't think that being at work at the computer makes it your best friend, maybe your boss?
I think it depends on person to person and how often you use computer for me it is not i am more interested in outings than in computer, yeah i mean i love to play games and spend some of my time in computers but for me it is not the best "thing" in world their are many things more interesting as well!!!
I really like my computer because it allows me to easily connect with my friends that live far away, so in that sense I would say it might be mans best friend because it allows men to connect with their best friends! Plus many people now make their living on the internet.
That's a good reason eagle, to connect with other people and eventually meet with them or at least keep in touch, but than we have the gaming phenomenon where people spend endless hours and lose nights playing and that is not healthy at all.
Instead of dogs? Maybe, I probably spend more time on the computer than I do with my dog. I don't feel a personal connection with my computer like I do with my dog, but I understand it's just a phrase. You can do just about anything with a computer, it's kind of crazy.
I think that's an attempt at oversimplification that ignores several things. First of all, a computer isn't a living breathing thing, and a dog is. A computer is a tool, just like a chainsaw is a tool. You don't usually call a tool 'your friend', at least I don't know anyone that does. Even classic cars or sports cars, which some men literally drool over, are their 'toys', and I don't know of anyone who calls them their 'best friend'. 'Mistress', maybe, but not 'best friend'. Secondly, as the computer is a tool, it bridges the gap using instant internet communications, which means you are now friends with people on the other side of the world because of the computer. Those are your friends. The computer is just the interface bringing you together.
LOL, that funny, I was not meaning instead of the dog because I think that the dog being the man best friend is a cliché. Sure, it's an oversimplification micah, but just look at the movie "Her" for example, I don't doubt that can happen for real as we are addicted to many things online.
I would say that it is a tool that we use to make our lives better. The same way that you would say a phone or a car is a tool to enhance your life. I use a computer for most of my work and if i did not have one, i would say that my life would not be where it is today. I also feel as though i would not be able to the work that i currently do to the level that i am at if i did not have a computer.
