Saudi Gazette There was a time when Saudis valued and cultivated strong personal relationships. Life was simpler and the only modern method of communication was the telephone, though it was years before it became a staple in every household. There was a culture of exchanging visits between families, friends and neighbors and Arab hospitality was on full display as people were warmly welcomed into homes and at the dinner tables. However, during the past ten years, personal relationships have taken a backseat. Mobile phones, the Internet and social networking websites have enabled people to stay in touch without leaving the comfort of their homes. People remain divided over the role modern communications play in a society that has for centuries valued personal relationships. Twenty-year-old Anoud Saleh said technology has contributed tremendously in strengthening social networking and intercommunication especially with people's busy schedules and the pressures of a fast-paced life. “It would have been better if we could forget social networking but the existence of sophisticated communication programs between different parts of the world has helped in boosting social networking and communication. At the end of the day, a person can switch on his/her laptop and check their e-mail, find out what their friends and relatives are doing and catch up on the latest news. We're still communicating but in a different manner,” she said. Talah Sulaiman, 19, agrees with Anoud's views and says instant messengers such as the BlackBerry Messenger and WhatsApp have facilitated communication greatly. “People contact one another daily and this brings them closer. If one of my friends falls sick, I usually know within minutes. Unlike the past, communication is on a daily basis and occurs around the clock.” Mamdouh Al-Jihani, 19, says social networking websites and instant messengers have strengthened one kind of communication but weakened another kind. “Two people may be sitting in the same room but say very little to each other as they are preoccupied with chatting or playing on their phones. They might even forget they are sitting together in the same place,” he said. Hatoun Ahmad, 29, thinks people often get lost in an unnatural virtual world where little importance is given to the traditional method of socializing. “We've become lazy. We don't want to go through the trouble of getting ready and leaving the house to visit family and friends. People used to be concerned inquiring about one another but today all we ask is if someone uses a certain messenger or has a profile on a certain website so we can add them to our virtual list of friends,” she said. Khulood Al-Ayyash, 21, agrees with the view that modern technology has brought people living far away closer together. However, social networking websites and messengers have strengthened relations only between people who use them. Those who are too old or simply unable to use them are left isolated. “People used to personally congratulate each other on Fridays and during the two Eids but today it suffices to send a message. These programs have eroded our social values and culture,” Khulood lamented. __
