Changing Social Connections?

Are Americans today more isolated due to technology?

In a word, yes. There is increased physical isolation associated with the today's technologically-advanced, internet/virtually-driven world.

Technology today has allowed for fewer and fewer face-to-face transactions of many types. Banking, reservations, directions, appointments, and shopping, among other things, are now done more often than not through automated systems via telephone or internet. Also, a large number of Americans have the luxury of working from home because of widespread access to internet and other technological systems. Employment by companies who allow work-from-home, or"Telecommuting", as the textbook calls it, as well as home-based businesses, blogs, direct sales, and other similar enterprises are on the rise. The people who do this kind of work may feel it benefits them, because they are able to skip the commute or stay at home with their children, for example. But in reality, they are becoming physically isolated from their communities, friends, and neighbors. How often did Americans 25 years ago leave their homes in order to shop, socialize, pay bills and other errands? Compared to nowadays, it was much more frequently. There were no other options back then. Now, its not uncommon for individuals who make their livelihood on the internet to say that they haven't left the house in days or even weeks at a time.

More and more people belong to "social" networking sites, like Facebook and Myspace, and refer to these virtual networks in terms that in the past were reserved for ACTUAL, face-to-face relationships (like the words "friend", "group", "event", etc). Many individuals chose to use the Internet to meet prospective mates, using popular dating sites. Activities like these all but eliminate the individual's need or desire to meet new people the old-fashioned way. The use of the a fore mentioned sites can be very appealing for some: without the need for true face-to-face interaction, otherwise shy, anxious, or anti-social type people can become involved with others without leaving the comforts of their own homes.

Which ultimately leads to my next point. Alternately, it can be argued that people that utilize the virtual world have networks and belong to social groups that span the globe and cultural boundaries; these memberships would not exist at all without the Internet and the accessibility it provides. While I agree that the benefits of globalization are vast and great, there is a definite impersonal feel to these relationships. In fact, the human touch cannot be attained without actual human contact.

I don't foresee any sort of revert back to the social foundations of years ago taking place in the future. Ultimately, more and more of our activities will be available to us virtually, and humans will become the products of more abstract socialization and social networks and groups (Ever see the movie "Wall-E"? It shows people living in close proximity to each other who never speak to each other without the aid of virtual messaging and video conferencing). Perhaps the word "social" will be redefined in the future. It will no longer have physical, in-person connotative tones that it does today. Instead, it will simply be defined by the interactions an individual participates in on a daily basis in the virtual world as well as the physical one.