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Recent_JJ decades_NNT2 have_VH0 witnessed_VVN dramatic_JJ advances_NN2 in_II information_NN1 technology_NN1 that_CST have_VH0 come_VVN to_TO revolutionise_VVI how_RRQ we_PPIS2 interact_VV0 with_IW each_PPX221 other_PPX222 and_CC the_AT level_NN1 to_II which_DDQ we_PPIS2 are_VBR able_JK to_TO maintain_VVI relationships_NN2 in_RR21 absentia_RR22 ._. 
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The_AT development_NN1 of_IO the_AT mobile_JJ telephone_NN1 and_CC the_AT internet_NN1 ,_, both_DB2 of_IO which_DDQ became_VVD commercially_RR available_JJ en_RR21 masse_RR22 through_II the_AT 1990s_MC2 ,_, the_AT subsequent_JJ growth_NN1 of_IO instant_JJ messaging_NN1 ,_, social_JJ networking_NN1 ,_, micro-blogging_VVG ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 the_AT added_JJ effect_NN1 of_IO these_DD2 services_NN2 becoming_VVG accessible_JJ via_II a_AT1 new_JJ age_NN1 of_IO mobile_JJ devices_NN2 such_II21 as_II22 the_AT iphone_NN1 ,_, have_VH0 meant_VVN for_IF the_AT first_MD time_NNT1 people_NN can_VM easily_RR stay_VVI in_II touch_NN1 at_II all_DB times_NNT2 regardless_RR of_IO distance_NN1 and_CC location_NN1 ._. 
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With_IW such_DA a_AT1 profusion_NN1 of_IO communication_NN1 technologies_NN2 ,_, and_CC our_APPGE increasing_JJ reliance_NN1 on_II them_PPHO2 ,_, we_PPIS2 may_VM sometimes_RT wonder_VVI if_CSW life_NN1 was_VBDZ perhaps_RR better_RRR when_CS technology_NN1 was_VBDZ simpler_JJR ._. 
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All_RR too_RG often_RR today_RT we_PPIS2 find_VV0 ourselves_PPX2 camped_VVN out_RP in_II31 front_II32 of_II33 our_APPGE computers_NN2 checking_VVG the_AT latest_JJT Facebook_NN1 or_CC RenRen_NN1 posts_NN2 ,_, sending_VVG or_CC reading_VVG tweets_NN2 ,_, chatting_VVG away_RL to_II countless_JJ acquaintances_NN2 on_II QQ_NP1 ;_; essentially_RR keeping_VVG tabs_NN2 on_II a_AT1 virtual_JJ ,_, semi-existent_JJ world_NN1 when_CS we_PPIS2 would_VM probably_RR be_VBI far_RR better_JJR off_RP going_VVG out_RP to_TO participate_VVI in_II real_JJ life_NN1 activities_NN2 with_IW real_JJ people_NN ._. 
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Is_VBZ there_EX not_XX a_AT1 real_JJ danger_NN1 of_IO losing_VVG sight_NN1 of_IO what_DDQ is_VBZ important_JJ in_II life_NN1 ?_? 
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With_IW this_DD1 unlimited_JJ level_NN1 of_IO connectivity_NN1 the_AT internet_NN1 offers_NN2 people_NN all_RR over_II the_AT world_NN1 ,_, there_EX is_VBZ a_AT1 growing_JJ tendency_NN1 for_IF us_PPIO2 not_XX to_TO concentrate_VVI on_II the_AT here_RL and_CC now_RT ,_, but_CCB the_AT where_RRQ and_CC the_AT when_RRQ ?_? 
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Indeed_RR ,_, when_CS we_PPIS2 do_VD0 manage_VVI to_TO get_VVI out_RP to_II the_AT bar_NN1 ,_, cafe_NN1 or_CC restaurant_NN1 we_PPIS2 are_VBR we_PPIS2 even_RR safe_JJ then_RT ?_? 
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Witness_VV0 the_AT number_NN1 of_IO tables_NN2 you_PPY see_VV0 these_DD2 days_NNT2 with_IW people_NN happily_RR submerged_VVN ,_, intensively_RR interacting_VVG with_IW their_APPGE mobile_JJ telephones_NN2 ,_, oblivious_JJ of_IO the_AT very_JJ people_NN around_II them_PPHO2 they_PPHS2 have_VH0 come_VVN out_RP to_TO meet_VVI ._. 
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There_EX may_VM well_RR be_VBI a_AT1 disturbing_JJ tendency_NN1 for_IF us_PPIO2 to_TO go_VVI in_II31 search_II32 of_II33 an_AT1 ever_RR increasing_JJ number_NN1 of_IO virtual_JJ relationships_NN2 and_CC neglect_VV0 the_AT true_JJ ,_, real_JJ friends_NN2 that_CST we_PPIS2 do_VD0 have_VHI ._. 
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If_CS this_DD1 is_VBZ so_RR ,_, we_PPIS2 may_VM well_RR consider_VVI that_DD1 life_NN1 and_CC human_JJ interactions_NN2 were_VBDR simpler_JJR in_II the_AT past_NN1 ._. 
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In_II todays_NN2 world_NN1 are_VBR we_PPIS2 not_XX all_RR too_RG often_RR too_RR caught_VVN up_RP in_II this_DD1 barrage_NN1 of_IO information_NN1 to_TO have_VHI time_NNT1 for_IF proper_JJ conversation_NN1 ?_? 
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What_DDQ is_VBZ more_RRR ,_, is_VBZ this_DD1 kind_NN1 of_IO behavior_NN1 not_XX likely_JJ to_TO be_VBI detrimental_JJ to_II the_AT development_NN1 of_IO us_PPIO2 as_CSA human_JJ beings_NN2 ?_? 
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It_PPH1 seems_VVZ pretty_RG unlikely_JJ that_CST any_DD significant_JJ proportion_NN1 of_IO these_DD2 vast_JJ quantities_NN2 of_IO friendships_NN2 we_PPIS2 foster_VV0 can_VM truly_RR be_VBI fruitful_JJ and_CC meaningful_JJ ,_, and_CC this_DD1 combined_VVN with_IW the_AT concurrent_JJ neglect_NN1 of_IO people_NN around_II us_PPIO2 is_VBZ only_RR likely_JJ to_TO result_VVI in_II disappointment_NN1 in_II our_APPGE relationships_NN2 and_CC subsequently_RR in_II ourselves_PPX2 ._. 
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We_PPIS2 can_VM not_XX possibly_RR know_VVI the_AT many_DA2 acquaintances_NN2 we_PPIS2 keep_VV0 these_DD2 days_NNT2 on_II a_AT1 similar_JJ level_NN1 to_II the_AT traditional_JJ local_JJ forms_NN2 of_IO friendship_NN1 of_IO yesteryear_NNT1 ._. 
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Thus_RR ,_, this_DD1 increasing_JJ reliance_NN1 on_II an_AT1 expanding_JJ number_NN1 of_IO shallow_JJ ,_, virtual_JJ friendships_NN2 is_VBZ more_RGR likely_JJ to_TO lead_VVI to_II disillusionment_NN1 ._. 
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There_EX may_VM also_RR be_VBI a_AT1 growing_JJ tendency_NN1 towards_II vulnerability_NN1 and_CC of_IO people_NN being_VBG taken_VVN advantage_NN1 of_IO as_CSA they_PPHS2 go_VV0 in_II31 search_II32 of_II33 these_DD2 types_NN2 of_IO relationships_NN2 and_CC this_DD1 disappointment_NN1 may_VM then_RT lead_VVI to_II people_NN becoming_VVG increasing_JJ withdrawn_VVN and_CC alienated_VVN from_II society_NN1 ._. 
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Clearly_RR ,_, if_CS we_PPIS2 are_VBR not_XX careful_JJ to_TO realise_VVI the_AT limitations_NN2 of_IO this_DD1 information_NN1 revolution_NN1 ,_, and_CC to_TO manage_VVI its_APPGE effects_NN2 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ possible_JJ that_CST the_AT vast_JJ communication_NN1 explosion_NN1 unleashed_VVN by_II these_DD2 new_JJ technologies_NN2 may_VM only_RR lead_VVI to_II an_AT1 increasingly_RR alienated_VVN ,_, polarised_JJ and_CC selfish_JJ society_NN1 ._. 
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While_CS we_PPIS2 need_VV0 to_TO recognise_VVI the_AT great_JJ benefits_NN2 these_DD2 technologies_NN2 have_VH0 brought_VVN to_II us_PPIO2 in_II allowing_VVG us_PPIO2 to_TO maintain_VVI our_APPGE relationships_NN2 wherever_RRQV we_PPIS2 may_VM be_VBI in_II the_AT world_NN1 ,_, we_PPIS2 need_VV0 to_TO stand_VVI back_RP ,_, take_VV0 note_NN1 ,_, and_CC make_VV0 sure_JJ that_CST they_PPHS2 are_VBR put_VVN to_II good_JJ use_NN1 ;_; that_CST we_PPIS2 use_VV0 them_PPHO2 to_TO maintain_VVI and_CC expand_VVI our_APPGE existing_JJ relationships_NN2 ,_, ferment_VV0 new_JJ and_CC meaningful_JJ ones_NN2 ,_, and_CC not_XX simply_RR to_TO go_VVI in_II31 search_II32 of_II33 some_DD kind_NN1 of_IO nonexistent_JJ virtual_JJ non-existent_JJ world_NN1 ,_, where_CS we_PPIS2 are_VBR all_DB set_VV0 to_TO be_VBI loved_VVN and_CC idolized_VVN by_II all_DB ,_, but_CCB ultimately_RR to_TO end_VVI up_RP disappointed_JJ ._. 
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We_PPIS2 need_VV0 to_TO be_VBI sure_JJ we_PPIS2 use_VV0 them_PPHO2 to_TO promote_VVI good_JJ relations_NN2 ,_, not_XX just_RR the_AT interests_NN2 of_IO the_AT individual_NN1 ._. 
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