Positive Effects of Telephones

Communication forms the backbone of society. The speed and accuracy of communication directly affects the majority of other aspects of a society. Telephone communication has had a positive influence on society since its invention. Some positives results following the invention and distribution of the telephone over the past century and a half are instantaneous communication, economic growth and contribution to formation of mass media.

The telephone was an improvement on the system of letter writing and delivery. This method would be how a government oversaw and steered the course of a battle or war, or how businesses would fill long-distance orders. The telephone eliminated communication delay inherent to this form of communication, which positively affects government, journalism, business, agriculture, interpersonal dynamics, and emergency response time.

The telephone improved the way business could deliver its goods to fill customer orders, and gave farmers a way to find the most up-to-date price for their crops. The development of the telephone gave companies the opportunity to expand their operations to other countries and o speed up the trading of stocks and bonds: vastly increasing wealth generation for a greater number of people. Mobile telephone technology also expands the opportunity for individuals to work from any location, which cuts down on a worker's commute time and decreases a company's overhead for renting office space.

The delivery of accurate, timely information concerning the current state of affairs in society is the responsibility of journalists. Telephones offered a positive improvement to journalism in that sources can deliver tips to a news office, and journalists can rapidly pen stories regarding the event. The end result is a dramatic improvement of a society's access to the state of its affairs in its local and national proximity. It also causes instantaneous communication between friends and family as they call each other to discuss recent developments in the news, like the outcome of elections and the impact of natural disasters.

The Industrial Revolution causes families break up and migrate away from the small, rural communities they called home for centuries, and results in gulfs in relationships. Also a product of the Industrial Revolution, the telephone soon becomes more affordable and spreads to become a common feature in every home, allowing communication between family members across town, between states, and internationally. This reunites families who might have experienced estrangement due to geographic disparity, and improves the interconnection between families and friends.