Paper #2

It has been the fate of every person on earth to become part of a group. Becoming associated with a variety of groups is an inevitable part of life that we cannot escape. While some people choose to become involved in formal groups such as service groups or high school extracurricular activities, we are all unconsciously part of some sort of informal groups, such as family, circle of friends, or even the individual's nationality. As technology and society change, so do our groups - such as how they were formed, the way they are formed, and the way the groups meet. It is interesting to see how the groups I am involved in have changed over time. Not only have the types of groups I am involved in have changed, but so have the way they are structured and ran. These changes are correlated with my age and the technology that is available to the other members of my group and me.

Growing up, I was immediately placed into a certain set of groups - mainly groups my parents were involved in. Some of these groups included our family, church, social group of friends, and even a group who enjoyed boating together. As I entered Junior High, I was able to join groups that I got to choose, but I had to rely on my parents to drive me back and forth between group meetings. Some of the groups I was involved with in Junior High included my dance group, multiple athletic teams, 4-H, band, and choir. None of these groups used the internet or technology whatsoever - which may be due to the fact that the internet was a new idea and was just starting to become a popular luxury during that time. On the other hand, one of my groups was becoming more focused on technology - this group was my circle of friends and classmates. Because the internet and the technology involved with it was becoming newly introduced to us, we were doing all we could to chat online every night. Most of my friends and I would be on the AOL instant messenger EVERY night to talk about boys, gossip, and clothes. To be honest, our conversations were pretty immature and repetitive. Even though our conversations got somewhat boring, the new technology we were using was new and thrilling to us. We could talk to miles away from each other and with our fingers! Little did my friends and I know that this new technology we were newly exposed to would change the way people, societies and groups communicated with one another.

Throughout high school, I was involved in the same types of formal groups - band, choir, various athletic teams, drama, 4-H, and church. These groups did not use any form of technology to communicate - the schedules and letters were sent to my home via snail mail. The only group that used technology was on an instant messenger with my group of friends. We still communicated leisurely online rather than on our home telephone, but not to the extent as we did in middle school. Another form of technology that was introduced to my groups was the mobile phone. My friends and I used our cell phones to call and text each other, but not to the extent as I did at Luther.

As I graduated college, the use of technology and its features have steadily been integrating into my life and groups. I never regularly used my e-mail account until I came to Luther, nor did I come to feel a sense of dependence on technology. Throughout my years at Luther, I have been involved in the following formal groups: APO, Habitat for Humanity, Nottingham Program, Rugby, Silicon Valley J-term trip, and the Running Club. These groups all meet in person, but we all communicate via e-mail. The communication between my group of friends and I have evolved around technology. We communicate mainly via text messaging on our mobiles or e-mails. My relationships with others have also changed due to the popular social networking internet site, Facebook. Facebook allows me to see what is happening with my friends without even asking them directly; however it also does not require me to contact the person directly to see what is going on in their lives, which has weakened my relationships with my high school friends and people I do not see on a regular basis. Even though I am somewhat connected to a larger group of people, I feel more distant from them.

Technology has significantly changed throughout my life. It has drastically changed all forms of communications in society, my groups, and my life. It is hard to imagine surviving today without the use of the internet, facebook, and especially mobile phones. Technology provides an easier medium to communicate, but the groups I have been involved with could still be possible without technology - group members would just have a more difficult time connecting with each other. It is interesting to see how technology and my group involvements have changed throughout my life, but it will be even more interesting to see how our lives will become more dependent upon technology in the years to come.