Skype: Killing or Creating Distance?

"It's been forever since I've seen you! Let's skype tonight. See you then"

I love technology, and without skype I don't know how I would've survived studing overseas for 4 months. However I am still undecided as to whether the online world is helping or taking away from life.

Skype is an application that allows anyone in the world to video call for free. It also offers features like call forwarding, answering machines, call any phone (landline or mobile) and also gives you the option of having your own skype number that landlines can call. With all these features at the your disposal how much longer will we continue to pay for house phones?

Being an avid Skype user I rave about its amazingness which allowed me to talk to my family and friends for free from Denmark. I still find it mind boggling to think that from the convenience of our home we can talk and see anyone we want. It really takes convenience to a new level.

Although Skype appears more personable because you can see each other; and it is compared to talking on the phone or typing on the internet, it creates distance. It does this because we have all started to accept a Skype date as a replacement for a face to face meaningful event. It is much easier to sit down at your computer for an hour than make your way to a coffee shop. Apparently that time spent commuting to that meeting point is too valuable these days.

Not only has Skype seeped into dorm rooms and homes, we have even taken it to work. More businesses are using Skype for conference calls and interviews and saving millions on airfare as they do it. I've already had the luxury or awkwarness of a Skype interview. It felt very cold. And I overall did not enjoy the experience. Although it saves money I feel it shields our ability to make an honest first impression. I have a feeling they will become more popular through the years and someone has already taken it upon themself to create a How to Ace a Skype Interview.


So in conclusion, I'd say it sounds like I dislike what Skype has done to our relationship building however with a busy schedule and the high cost of communicating I will continue to impersonably chat with friends. This discussion has however has made me realize that I need to put a little more effort in making real dates rather than cyber dates.

Skype is both, killing and creating distance.