Discussion Essay Example

The main goal of a discussion essay is to discuss the implications of a particular topic. It should provide a brief overview of the topic in the introduction, then transit to the analysis of different points of view in the main body, and close up with the review of the discussed information in the conclusion.

This type of essay relies on the evidence from primary and secondary sources, so it is important to conduct a research before outlining the paper. Each claim should be based on solid and credible evidence. The discussion essay example below demonstrates how the connection between technology and communication may be discussed.

Rapid technological progress has provided us with numerous opportunities to effectively communicate with others despite various barriers. At the same time, it transformed the way people interact because nowadays it is not necessary to meet face to face in order to have a conversation or to share information.

This radical change causes doubts among the general public, for it has become difficult to decide whether technology enhances communication or undermines its efficiency instead. Thus, it is important to discuss how technology influences today’s communication.

On the one hand, it was suggested that technology encourages people to isolate and avoid open social interactions. Today it is possible to limit intimacy in communication, carefully select the information which is going to be shared with others, or misrepresent oneself to the point of de-individualization. For example, one recent research on this topic studied how communication through network influenced organizational communication in comparison to face-to-face interaction.

It has been revealed that team results went up fifty percent when teams socialized more and limited email operations to working issues. Consequently, it may be said that technological progress certainly possesses threats to effective communication. It may lead to misunderstandings and detachment, thus making people lonely instead of bringing them closer.

On the other hand, modern devices allow people to disregard various communicational barriers in terms of geographical location, time zone, nationality, and even language. Therefore, it has become easier to reach people, make new acquaintances, and maintain constant communication. For instance, social scientists have determined that social networking is the opposite of isolation, thus claiming that technology enhances communication instead of restricting it.

They base this claim on their finding, which states that teenagers who are active in the social network are also more open to direct socializing. So people still see each other face to face, only now it is not a necessary component of every social interaction. Before technological communication became possible, whenever one stayed alone, one remained alone until the next social interaction occurred. Nowadays, it is easy to find someone to talk to anywhere and anytime, even if it requires talking to a complete stranger.

All in all, technology clearly influences social communication, both positively and negatively. It undermines intimacy and may easily result in misunderstandings, thus making interactions less effective. At the same time, it encourages barrier-free communication and enables people to easily make new acquaintances. As a result, it is reasonable to suggest that while there are certain threats hidden in communication via technology, they do not outweigh positive impact and are rather overemphasized.