Cultural Anthropology Assignment Essay

English-Lueck is of the opinion that communication technologies have increased the ways in which we can keep track of our families. According to him the communication technologies have been a boon especially for the working mothers as they help them in being connected to their children’s lives even when they spend a lot of time outside home. But at the same time communication technologies have become a bane for them too. To explain this point English-Lueck uses the example of an ageing woman who enjoyed the position of the center of her family till a few years back. Due to the boom in the communication technology, her position has been eroded, as there are other things that her children have started paying importance to even in her presence. For example their constant email contacts keep them busy. As a result the modern gadgets are sharing the time they spent with their mother. So according to English-Lueck, there is a mixed effect of the technology. In some aspects it has enhanced family life while in another aspects, it has played deterrent to keep intact the old way of leading life. Molitor’s viewpoints are also similar to that of English-Lueck as far as the issue of the effect of communication technologies on families are concerned. According to him the modern technologies help us to stay in touch with our families even when we are physically away from them. To explain this point he throws light upon how even newborn babies are in constant touch with their parents through technology. Their parents with the help of two-way radio transmitters monitor every move that they take in their cribs. So though the way of stating their viewpoints is different, both the experts are similar in their analysis of the effect of communication technologies on maintaining family relationships. My family and I are greatly affected by the technological changes that have taken over the years. Each of us is just a click or a phone call away from each other. Even when all of us are so busy in our lives that we hardly get time to spend with each other, thanks of the innovative technologies, now we have complete track of one another as we are in constant touch with one another throughout the day. References English-Lueck, J. A. (Speaker). (1998). Technology and Social Change: The Effects on Family and Community. COSSA Congressional Seminar. Mackay, H. , Ivey, D. (2004). Modern Media in the home: An Ethnographic Study. Italy: John Libbey Publishing – CIC Srl. Molitor, G. T. T (2003). Communication technologies that will change our lives – Science & Technology Retrieved Feb. 1, 2008 from, USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education) Website:://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_ml272/is_2692_131/ai_9628305/ print