Closer Together, Further Apart: An Analysis

            Economist Kenneth Boulding once wrote, “The date that divides human history into two equal parts is well within living memory... I was born in the middle of human history, to date, roughly. Almost as much has happened since I was born as happened before.” Digital Technology, in less than a single generation, has dramatically and permanently altered the ways in which humans connect and communicate with each other. As with all forms of human/social/technological change, these advances will be good for some, and bad for others. Those who effectively absorb and use technologies in healthy ways will flourish, while those who don’t might suffer. Although some argue that the younger generation will be the demise of real relationships and caring about “important things” because of their “obsession” with technology, Robert Weiss and Jennifer Schneider argue that this might not be the case. The original intent of writing the book Closer Together, Further Apart was to explore only the problems that digital technology has appeared to cause in our relationships. However, as the authors’ research deepened, they decided to take a more balanced approach and eventually wrote what I found to be an impressive book on how digital technology has simply changed the way in which we communicate, parent, work, and mate.

            “Any device that enlarges one’s environment and makes the rest of the world one’s neighbor,” wrote telephone innovator and advocate Amos Dolbear in 1900, “is an efficient missionary of civilization and helps to save the world from insularity where barbarism hides.” A main concept in the book Closer Together, Further Apart is the idea that digital communication technology is just another part of the human technological evolution, much like the invention of the wheel, printing press, light bulb and splitting of atoms. Although it has brought to the table a completely revolutionary way of communication, it has truly enhanced our ability to expand our boundaries while pulling closer those who are far away. Weiss and Schneider express that many people worry that digital communication is taking over our lives, replacing other forms of communication.  In author Greg Downey’s chapter “Introduction: Communication Meanings and Social Purposes,” he refutes this argument by stating, “throughout American history, new communication technologies have always interacted with the old in complicated and often contingent ways, rather than simply replacing each other in turn.” Weiss and Schneider further point out, “An interesting observation is that now, just like in 1935, you can still listen to the radio while driving.” Both point out that, while digital devices have essentially turned the planet into one giant room where anyone and everyone can connect, they haven’t made obsolete other forms of communication. Rather, they have evolved the previous methods of communication into more modern forms.

            Of great concern to the parents who were raising kids in the now distant 1950s and 1960s was that a new technology at the time, television, might spell the end of family communication. Weiss and Schneider point out, though, “In retrospect, it turns out that when families viewed TV programs together the content gave them an opportunity to have a shared experience to comment about, and learn from.” In other words, television actually provided the family an opportunity to engage with each other. Similarly, parents today worry the same way about smartphones and other digital technology. Unlike television though, digital communication usually requires the user’s exclusive attention. Weiss and Schneider bring up a term they call “intermittent disconnection” which they describe as “attending to technology while simultaneously in a social setting.” This can be visually described as focusing on your phone during dinnertime while in the presence of others. This same concept is described in a chapter “The Very Well Connected” by S. Craig Watkins as “absence-in-presence” which he describes as “at [a place] in body, but not in spirit.” Weiss and Schneider go on to explain that although this may have strained family bonds in today’s culture, it has become increasingly accepted and will most likely become a norm in the future. Watkins agrees that while there are downfalls to this, it also allows for people to see family and friends during times that without digital communication, they previously might not have been able to. Take for example somebody who is swamped with work. He can still make time to go visit his family because of his ability to communicate with his place of work even while out to dinner. Isn’t it better to have the person there mostly, as opposed to not there at all?

            Speaking of work, digital communications have also altered the traditional way in which work used to take place. Top-down hierarchy had always been a strict organizational pattern in the past, where the boss is to be unquestionably respected, while workers do what they’re told without question. Younger workers, who have grown up cherishing fast efficient communication, now work at a more collaborative level, questioning everyone’s contributions and working as a team (Weiss and Schneider, 21). The younger generation tends to work off of their own technological devices, which allows for people to bring work out of the office and into home, restaurants, or anywhere else. In his chapter “Social Structure,” author Jan van Dijk describes this new phenomenon as “telework.” Teleworkers are employees who have a formal agreement with their employers allowing them to spend some part of the working week at a location other than in the office (van Dijk, 162). While there are disadvantages such as commonly working overtime, less discipline, and difficulty separating work from other domestic abilities, there is the clear advantage of more freedom, a more relaxed work environment, and decreased commute. Overall, while both good and bad, technology has certainly reformed the work environment.

            Mating has morphed due to the presence of digital devices as well. Women tend to use new technology not only to find a secure a relationship, but also to minimize third party threats by establishing their relationship status on social media. This includes becoming “FBO”(Facebook Official), posting about who she is dating, how long they’ve been going out, how serious it is, and so on (Weiss and Schneider, 82). Men tend to use digital technology for arousal purposes, such as viewing porn. This has created emotional tension in some relationships and research also shows that is has caused some young men to lose sexual desire for their actual partner (Weiss and Schneider, 91). While digital technology is affecting men and women differently, it is certainly altering traditional relationships. The younger generation has clearly begun to establish virtual relationships with people, but Weiss and Schneider argue that virtual relationships can’t replace in-person connections just yet because they lack a very important aspect of a strong relationship: physical affection. In “The Very Well Connected,” Watkins further finds that “younger people [still] value their off-line relationships.” So, although digital devices have very much altered relationships and caused them to be more virtual in some aspects, it hasn’t diminished the desire for in-person contact.
            In Closer Together, Further Apart authors Robert Weiss and Jennifer Schneider address many different topics and arguments about them. What is most respectable is that as previously mentioned, they originally wanted to discuss only the problems that digital devices have caused on society, but realized through research that there seemed many advantages as well. They mention this right upfront and it sets the tone for a very unbiased book. Throughout the book, they explain many of their subjects using anecdotal evidence, however, mostly just for explicatory purposes in allowing for the reader to grasp the situations. Both authors are very decorated and respectable, and all of their conclusions are mostly backed up with sound research and appropriate studies. However, they also address and disclaim that social implications of digital technology has yet to be fully found as these technologies are still very new and long term results just aren’t available yet. Pointing this out many times for the readers to remember allow for their credibility to be even further established. Many of the concepts they discuss have been found present in other distinguished texts, as shown throughout this analysis, which proves that there are other colleagues who have recognized these concepts as truth. In summary, Weiss and Schneider have created who I found to be a very impressive text on the ways technology have changed the way in which we communicate, parent, work, and mate.

---Michelle Toni