| Computers have increasingly become an integral , even intimate, part of our daily life. They have changed the way we do our work and the way we communicate with others, but they also have become a huge source of distraction , even discord, in our relationships. Americans, you see, are falling in love with their computers. Technology has made it possible for people to work on their computers almost anytime, anywhere. "Eighty-four percent of people are more dependent on their computers than they were a couple of years ago," Technology consultant Anthony Rodio says. That's why so many people have difficulty getting off-line. Rodio: We found people are more likely to have a strong relationship with it at home as well. Frequently, when they get home, they get on it under the pretense that they're getting on it for work. But they quickly devolve into doing other types of surfing as well. A survey by Rodio's company, Support.com, found that the user-computer relationship often interferes with the user's human relationship. "Almost two-thirds of Americans now say they spend more time with their computer than their spouse." Rodio says this close reliance on computers can affect the time people do spend with others. "If there is a problem with your computer, feelings are so intense because you are so dependent on your computer. It leads to anger, alienation and sadness. That then spills over into problems in their personal relationship as well. " Psychotherapist Linda Miles, co-author of The New Marriage, says computers have become a distraction in many relationships. |
