Communication Technologies that Will Change Our Lives - Literature review Example

Molitor (2003) has focused his attention on only one aspect of the impact of communication technology on families. But English-Lueck (1998) has, on the other hand, approached the issue in its totality and drawn attention to how the “world of home” is equally changed as is the “world of work” by technology. By telling a story about how communication technologies have changed the lives and behaviors of the members of an imaginary family, English-Lueck (1998) has asked the question what impact these communication devices have on community and family, and tried to answer it convincingly.

English-Lueck (1998) has further explained how technologies changed the “work-home” dynamics and redefined “the scope of work.” Problematizing the responses of interviewees that what made a family was a context of doing things together, English-Lueck (1998) have concluded that it is action rather than a natural state of being that define contemporary family and that this action is often defined by the “devices that facilitate that action.” The consequences for the family, according to English- Lueck (1998) are, “colonization of home time by work”, creation of a problem of access between the members of the family, transformation of family into being viewed as a management issue by its members, creation of a “sense of street safety” for the members of a family, creation of gender stereotypes as well as gender role reversals, transformation of parental roles in terms of control etc.

Also, families belonging to certain cultures have been found to be “pulled together”, while families belonging to certain other cultures have been found to be “fly farther and farther apart” by such technologies (English-Lueck, 1998). Finally, it has been concluded by English-Lueck (1998) that technologies do not completely alter families but only “allow families to put old behaviors and relations into new contexts.” Communication technologies have made several changes in my family as well.

After mobile phones became prevalent, my parents were greatly relieved that they can always keep in touch with us, the children but often we used to overcome this parental control by switching off our mobile phones. As my mother is used to working at home, she had prepared a time table by which we were to leave her alone during her work hours at home and not demand that she spend that time for us or with us. Similarly, as video internet chat became possible, we could talk with our father’s sister who has been working in India as a nun.

Previously, we had little contact with her as she was located in a remote corner of South India but now she is always there for us with her loving guidance. But one negative impact of communication technology on our family was that a major part of our quality time together is now stolen by television viewing. Especially, as my brother became a cricket addict and put on overweight as he always watched television eating some junk food.