Remember those clunky, bulky, brick phones that took up so much space in our cars? Over the last few years, we have seen the progression of social media and phone technology skyrocket. We now live in a world where mobile devices are small mobile computers with built-in phone features that we can easily carry with us wherever we go. Technological devices come and go, but have they influenced us in negative ways?

Technology is one of the major forces transforming our lives, allowing us to share information that we would not be able to achieve on our own. Our whole world is immersed in the latest technological advances, but are these advances helping us?

Has technology taken over face to face interaction? Take eating at a restaurant as an example. Nowadays, it is rare to see people across the table from each other holding an actual conversation. People are so caught up texting, posting on social media, and checking emails, that they forget those who are sitting right in front of them. In today's society, no one communicates verbally anymore. Instead, people think it is acceptable to "hide behind the screen" of their cell phone or computer to avoid confrontation or conflict.

Another adverse of virtual communication is the lack of emotional sentiment and body language that is usually expressed in an intimate personal conversation. Emailing and texting have become a way of life, and verbal communication is becoming extinct.

Social media has also significantly changed how we communicate. Today we interact through the Internet, where a plethora of social media tools has redefined our communication. Even though social media has given each and every one of us the opportunity to stay connected with people from around the world, at the same time social media has brought critical changes to the everyday person.

For example, teenagers are beginning to develop their social skills online rather than in person. It has reached the point where many adolescents prefer to meet people in a virtual world rather than in reality. Why has this changed?

The next time you go out for a bite to eat, look around. There will be anywhere from a few people to several people with their heads glued to their phones. It has become routine. It is no longer considered weird to talk on the phone or use your phone during a meal. In reality, this behavior is rude and frankly, annoying. Do people not realize that they're completely ignoring their company?

Even young children show the effects of technology overload. They engage in more screen time than play time. Whatever happened to hide and seek, hopscotch, or inventive games? Today, kids are not outside playing as much as they used to. Additionally, instead of handing their children crayons to let their imaginations run free, parents hand them electronic devices.

A good example is my last babysitting job. The family lives in my neighborhood, just three blocks away. Their two boys are ages six and eight, and the family frequently calls me to watch them. Whenever I babysit, I always suggest various types of activities, such as playing board games, basketball, or football. But every single time I propose an idea, the boys turn it down. They would rather sit and play on their iPads for hours on end than be active. On this particular occasion, I watched them for seven hours. During that entire time, the boys did not move a muscle; they played on their tablets and never changed positions. I kept asking myself, "What has our society become?" The fact that these boys were so engrossed in their iPads and did not get up to eat or take a break, is beyond me. This shows that our society may be improving with its technological advancements, but slowly, people are becoming too attached to their gadgets.

I concede that technology has made a huge difference in many areas of life. Improving our way of communication, providing endless resources to further research, and reducing the amount of paper use are just a few ways that technology has benefited us. But we should use technology only to the point where we are not fully reliant on it. Technology cannot supplant anything. Therefore, we must always remember the distinct difference between enjoying the benefits of and becoming dependent on the technology we use regularly.