Discussion Question: Technology and Perceptions

In the Interpersonal Ritual as the Locus of Social Interaction section of Chapter 4, Ritual Interaction of Everyday Life, it is explained that Goffman says that if a society is to be maintained, it must socialize its members to be "self regulating participants in social encounters" (Goffman 1967 pg44). It then talks about the family gatherings in Norway when there was only one television channel to watch and how it brought the family together with a safe and positive feeling. Now that there are several channels along with mobile devices. In fact certain devices and how/when/or where they are used may create particular perceptions of an individual. How would you, or most people, distinguish these different perceptions, and in what ways do you think that they have been changing over the years?