Over recent decades the world has changed radically. The Internet has created a new world order in which people can communicate globally in a way that has never been possible before. The new technology has quickly altered our living conditions.
Today, for instance, we can list 100 reasons why digital photography is better than traditional film. These include camera electronics that are able to provide many features and effects which would be impossible with film. We can instantly review pictures without waiting for the film to be developed, and if we are not satisfied, we can immediately replace them.
Technology has improved at incredible speed and consumers are now reaping the benefits. Will technology eventually rule the world? Or is there another side of the coin, where tradition remains better than technology? Yes, I think there are definitely some things that technology cannot achieve.
Consider how popular online dating is these days. Moving to a more digital procedure for finding a soulmate has become a common practice everywhere. Internet dating sites such as match.com on Yahoo! have done a good job in bringing together many thousands of singles who are keen to get to know each other. One would think that traditional matchmakers, offering personalised dating services, would be going out of business. Instead, matchmakers have not only survived, but are also thriving.
Over the last few years, a surprising number of singles have been choosing traditional matchmakers. Internet dating sites offer a vast database, but take a lot of time to locate the right person. As well, it is easy to be untruthful over the Internet, perhaps about whether a person is married or single. Therefore, professional matchmakers offer a number of advantages over online dating. Before connecting one person to another, they normally do a full background check to ensure that their customers are being introduced to someone who is appropriately "matched". Of course, they charge higher prices, depending on the exclusivity of the service, but they can introduce individuals who are truly suited to one another more effectively than Internet dating sites.
Another example is online education, which is in trend nowadays. Technologies used in online education include chatting, headsets and web cameras, as means of communication and self-learning.
There is no doubt that any form of technology-based learning is convenient. Students can study at home with a computer rather than go to a traditional classroom. However, many people argue that studying in a classroom setting still has numerous advantages over online education.
Students are mostly young so they are generally interested in meeting and being with their peers. As they interact, it becomes easier for them to stay focused and to learn and develop punctuality and good studying habits. Also, teachers are not there simply to introduce books and exams, they can teach students many valuable lessons of life that cannot be learned through technology. A teacher not only provides guidance through the learning process, but can direct students out of trouble. This bond between teachers and students cannot be built online.
No matter how advanced technology becomes, some of yesterday's traditions will always remain the best approach to today's challenges. In the case of both dating and education, online technology has impacted the way messages are disseminated, but not the messages themselves, which remain as powerful and important as they always have been. In fact, demands for face to face communications, and the ability to handle, control, and deliver messages effectively, have become more important than ever.
Nutavoot Pongsiri is human resources manager of Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production. Follow his articles in Hi! Managers on every second Friday of the month.