Today in the Paper

MY LIFE

The human touch: Despite the many social networking tools available to youth, a corresponding rise in the rate of marriages is nowhere in sight.YouthInk writers say why:

Lost in their own world
It is ironic that as technology progresses and interpersonal communication becomes more efficient, we are losing touch with the essential skills needed for face-to-face interaction. "People resemble their times more than they resemble their parents," says Australian researcher Mark McCrindle, a specialist in social trends and generational studies.
And the times of Gen Y are replete with modern modes of communication such as e-mail, SMS and instant messaging, all of which absolve one from the need for face-to-face interaction. Many Young people, on the MRT or even during family meals, seem to be engrossed in a world of their own, busy sending streams of text-messages to their friends.
Hidden behind this text messages does nothing to hone the tone, gestures and body language that constitute 94 per cent of effective communication, according to the late professor Merlin Wittrock, who taught psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and who is well known for his literature in verbal and non-verbal communication.
This does not include social skills essential for marriage such as commitment, trust and the sharing of responsibilities. Use technology for ease of communication but do not let it replace he human touch completely.

From Tabitha Mok,21, is a fourth year medical student at the University of Western Australia.