Instant messaging. Blogs. Wikis. Social networking sites. Cell phones. All of these allow us to communicate with each other—wherever, whenever.
These technologies are rapidly changing our personal relationships. Is this a good or a bad thing?

In today’s modernized world it seems like the only way to keep in touch with people is through technology. Almost everything we do revolves around the Internet.

People are “always on,” whether it be through their cell phones or a social networking sites.

It seems that whenever a group of people are out together, they are not talking with each other, but on their phones talking or texting with someone else or checking their Facebook pages.

What happened to the world when two people could go to lunch and just enjoy each others company?

These different technologies have their benefits, as well as their downfalls.

It is easier than ever to keep in touch with people, no matter where they live or what they are doing.

Technology has given us the chance to meet people in a much easier and quicker method. A friend is now a finger click away.

On Facebook, to gain a new friend you simply click on "add as friend" and the other person accepts or denies you, the users involved never even have to leave their house.

Technology has made letters and phones articles of the past. People do not take to the time to write a letter anymore when they can send an email from their laptops or cell phones much faster.

These “new and improved” technologies fasten the pace of our lives even more than they already are. Are they stressing us out even more than we already are?
Technology is slowly taking over people's lives and affecting their personal relationships, with friends and well as their romantic partners.

“I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies …. It's exhausting,” says Drew Barrymore’s character, Mary, in the recently released film “He’s Just Not that Into You.”

Drew Barrymore’s character said it perfectly; these different methods of communication can become a hassle. With so many ways to communicate, it can become exhausting.

The Internet is becoming a gateway to personal information and has made private information available to different publics. Everything about you is out in the open, available for everyone to see.

Many couples are “in a relationship” on Facebook. But, what happens when one brakes up with the other?

Someone sees this on their newsfeed (Facebook’s homepage that provides information about what is going on with your friends) and texts another person who calls a new another. Before long it becomes a chain of communication that is not always positive.

With just one click of the mouse, their brake up becomes common knowledge to everyone.

We are in the next wave of technology, where communicating with friends is all on the internet and instantaneous. New social networking sites are popping up everyday and people are taking advantage of them. New cell phones are being advertised with more and more features everyday.

Are these technologies going to keep consuming our lives? The answer is yes and it is only going to grow.