The American Family as Strong as Ever!

I just read an article from The Star Tribune saying that the American family is as strong as ever, thanks to cell phones and the internet! That is not surprising to me though because cell phones are made so it is easier to contact and communicate with people and same with the internet. Anyways, the articles says that many thought that new technology would do the opposite, it would weaken family life. Barry Wellman, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto , said, "There had been some fears that the Internet had been taking people away from each other, we found just the opposite". In a new poll that was taken last week, 60% of adults surveyed said it did not affect how close they were to their families. 25% said it brought them closer, and 11% said it had a negative effect. I find it really amazing that 71% say it has not made them closer or had a negative effect. Cell phones make it so much easier to reach people and also with the internet. The internet has e-mail and lots of things you can communicate with. I always show my family funny videos I find on YouTube and we always show each other cool things we find. That has broughten us closer together. I don't see how it could have had a negative affect other than the kids are spending way to much time playing video games and not socializing with their families. Back to the article, Wellman also said families appreciate the innovations because, "they know what each other is doing during the day". But the article also says that technology could have some drawbacks, like families with multiple communication devices were less likely than other groups to eat dinner together daily and to feel satisfied that they had enough family time. I still think that technology is a great thing and it has improved are life in many ways. Even though it may be confusing at times it has alot more positives than negatives.
-Jason