In the Living Ethics introduction Bugeja argues that the invention of new technology has forever changed the face of the media and the way the people approach jobs and relationships. While e-mail may make a task far easier than calling a person and making the effort to set up an appointment, e-mail is devoid of any emotion and does not allow for a true personal connection. Bugeja argues that when we lose touch with personal connections, such as reading facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice, we are opening ourselves up for unethical behavoir. This is a strong argument that I have witnessed in my daily life. Almost every day I see People walking through crowds or driving cars with iPod and phone pieces shoved into their ears too busy to notice their surroundings or even care about the outside world. We always look for the easy way out and become angry when things are not served to us on a silver platter. We have lost touch with the things that are not acessible with the click of a button. This unwillingness to think outside the box has stunted our ethical growth because we have done away with personal interactions. Without these interactions we become desensitized to people and their views and differences, which can lead to misunderstandings. I think Bugeja’s text will provide methods for staying ethically aware in a technology dependent world. Perhaps by being aware of the important role that personal interaction plays in daily life people can keep in touch with their ethical sides.
