Technological isolation

Question of Day June 23, 2012 ~ Technological Isolation

Regarding whether “Technological Isolation” exists or not . . .

Do you think today’s virtual communication and electronic devices cause a greater degree of isolation between people (causing an ability to “be alone” in a crowd with one’s own music, or to avoid physical interaction with friends or family due to being chained to texting devices, or the shallow kinds of LIKE button relationships that some social networks including this one allow)?

Do you think that today’s modern time consumers (internet enabled interactions) are more “personal” and enriching, by promoting relationships, where they could not physically exist otherwise (ie with people of different nations and cultures)?

How does this compare (favorably or unfavorably) with yesteryear’s Couch Potatoes, who were mostly “spoon-fed passive” (ie non-interactive) television entertainment?

It seems to me that for the most part, technology has reduced isolation, and allowed people to form far wider networks in both real and virtual space. And this seems to be in all ways more favourable than TV.
Certainly it is possible to form shallow virtual relationships, and it seems to me no more difficult to form shallow relationships in person.

Kathy has a good point, that balance is needed, as in all things, and for most of us, the ways to form good judgement is by starting with bad judgement, and making mistakes. That seems to be how the universe works.