I've got one and so do you: our electronic media companions! The whole world is at our finger tips, or so we think. But why the heck do we need everything so damn convenient? are we really that lazy? Excuse my language please, but it really seems that our society is far to indulgent in all this new technology. What are the consequences? Is society composed of rampant technophiles... or am I just a technophobe? The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle (as most answers do). This blog is dedicated to my observations of people and their relationships to their personal hand held devices, where these personal relationships are leading us and our society in general. Feel free to follow along and rip my opinions apart if you feel the need; I love a good argument, or academic debate I should say... something of which cannot be adequately captured in a T9 text message.
On a side note: as I'm typing this, the person directly opposite me on the library computer desk is currently "plugged in" to three different computer devices... his Ipod, palm pilot, and the computer he is working on... and he's avoiding my eye contact at all costs.
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6 comments:
personally, I think that different hand-held devices is causing people to not connect with the other people in the world. I guess I am a victim of this thing, as I usually have a Nintendo DS in my hand, a laptop computer in my bag, and an iPod/MP3 Player in my ears, with my eyes glued to the screen of something, and a cellphone hanging down my neck, and when I was in Hong Kong, the occasional Playstation Portable (aka PSP) in my pockets as well...
it's quite funny though, although it appears that we are more lazy and out in our own world, if we think of it another way, it's another way to connect with other parts of the world. For example, you can go online on the "iPhone" and still reach pages like Facebook and Safari with it... Laptop computers can go online... PSP can play games with other people around the world, and NDS can be used to Mario Kart someone in England...
Lazy? maybe, but I think it's another way to connect
Hey,
I agree with your statement that "society is LAZY" It is absolutely ridiculous with how dependant we are on technology and in this case, new media. As much as we like to multitask by listening to music, playing video games, and texting I honestly believe we as humans are losing meaningful relatioships with one another. We get sucked into our own little world of virtual reality that evidently is our reality! In some sense what does this have to say with the stability of our society, if our whole line of technology and new media was to crash what would the human race do?
As guilty as I am of using this media ( like right now for example) I agree that is does allow us to communicate with one another and I guess provide entertainment. But really, is playing video games at the dinner table truly necessary? It may connect us with other parts of the world.. but what about connecting with your immediate surroundings?
And for those who do not think technolgoy has not made us lazy... When People start calling each other in the same house because they do not want to find the other person... or when ppl text each other when they are right beside each other.... that is what I call lazy!
Really interesting - I wonder, though - is technology making us lazy, or is the fact that we organise technology to make our lives more convenient that leads to a society in which laziness is built into the foundations?
I'm not even sure "laziness" is the right word - as Jenna points out, technology has encouraged an intensification of multi-tasking and has refocused our attention on productivity and efficiency across the board.
So here's the question, Wes - why is convenience bad? How does technology contribute to it? How, then, does technology promote conditions that support laziness?
On the other hand - why might it be a good idea to promote a little bit of inconvenience every once in a while?
I used to be one of those people who you would see always on my blackberry while I was walking my dog in the trails up Lynn Canyon or walking through Park Royal Shopping Centre. I was so caught up in my work 24/7 that everytime my blackberry beeped with a new message I was always reaching for it in my bag to see what my emails message said. I never wanted to miss out on some important information or someone was sending me something for me too look over that they need a response back by the end of the day. There is no way that I would have been able to enjoy (or so what I thought was enjoying my life at the time) my free time without that blackberry. I was working full time; doing school part-time; and my most important job was being a mother to my now four year old daughter. My job was one that I didn't have to be in my office all the time, since I had my blackberry I was able to go to the mall and shop or take my puppy for walk and spend time with my daughter all while waiting for those so called important messages from my co-workers.
Now I look back at the way I was living my life (which I should tell you was only last year) I wonder to myself How I ever did it? I quit work and now I am going to school full-time; working a different part-time job which allows me to be as free and far away from the office as possible except for the 15 hours a week I put in and still spend most of my day with my daughter watching her grow up. I am happy to say I have no more blackberry (it is in a drawer in my closet, and if anyone wants it just let me know) and I am HAPPY with the way my busy life is going. Work is at the work place; school is at school with some homework done at home; and my family time has increased and allows me to spend quality time with them.
Well of course he's not making eye contact, your the one not hooked up to nearly enough stuff, Amish!
Anyways, this argument goes all the way back to CMNS 112, from the anciet Socrates tale in which he percieved that writing would dumb down human abilities and intelligence.
Now, while a lot of our modern day electronic media does indeed allow us to connect to users across the globe, the other side to this argument is that it weakens the physical bonds we have with the people around us.
However, I guess one could pose the question; why should we bother bonding with the peope around us if we don't have to? Previously, even if you hated your neighbors or school mates, you had to become at least moderate friends with them in order to get by.
But now I don't have to play nice with those crazy next-door kids if I don't want to. I can get in touch with those who share my interests and not worry about a tangible presence.
But, I suppose there is a claim to be staked here about the quality or value of an electronic based relationship or discussion versus the classic, physcial one.
Just putting it out there.
I actually agree with Cassidy on this one. If anyone has ever had to ride the bus downtown during rush hour, you know that your Ipod (or cellphone or portable game playing device) is your armour against the Eleanour Rigby's out there who want to tell you about their cat's weepy eye and the rescheduling of their upcoming bladder tumour removal surgery. And I dare you to make eye contact or a friendly gesture to someone on the bus. Seriously, it is a grievous mistake you will only make once.
Basically I use portable devices as a social boundary bubble against people who don't have one. I have something to hold onto, look at, listen too privately, and all my senses are concentrated in one place (personally I like to read a book as well as listening to my Ipod), sending every signal possible that I am not interested/too busy/too focused to have a conversation with the fellow sporting a mullet, no shirt, leather jacket and eau de Pilsner can on patrol for a chick to attend his one month parole anniversary party.
Hmmm... sounds like I am pro portable devices because of what they do and because of the "F*** off" message it sends to those around me. When I listen to my Ipod it is like God laid little white eggs in my ears to block out all the bad. You just can't beat that, no matter how antisocial it makes you.
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