Tuesday, September 28, 2010
R.I.P.
Here's one to get you started. A lot of early American authors wrote about the changes they saw happening in the new republic, the growing pains associated with the building of a nation. Irving is famous for this. Both "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Devil and Tom Walker" reflect a concern over the general direction of the country. It seems like Irving was worried that some quality of life was slowly diminishing. I'm wondering how applicable that is to our society today. RVW seems to show that as society moves ahead quickly, some human quality is left behind -- and some might argue that this is the general pattern of modernity. Every advancement is accompanied by some kind of loss, and what's lost usually involves a quality of life issue. If we look at this in a modern context, we might consider any one of a number of technological advancements that have "improved" society. Take, for instance, cell phones. Most would agree that they have improved certain aspects of daily living in a very noticeable way. But at what price? What is lost? Do you feel like the advantages of cell phones (or any other technological advancement... television, computers, internet) outweigh any collateral damage they might do? Feel free to rant and rave, shoot from the hip, tell stories, speculate wildly, or otherwise sort out your thoughts in writing.
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Personally, i am super attached to my phone... His name is Penny Joe. Sadly i have to say that cell phones are more damaging than helpful. I mean people waste their life texting and don't really seem to use the phone for its intended purpose. Phones used to be for calling, not typing long messages because you don't want to talk on the phone. One could argue that cell phones would be really good in the event of a car accident, but many car accidents are caused my talking on the the phone and driving. Now many people have stopped vocally communicating, because they can just text a message to a person, as opposed to telling them, which is more personal... obviously. Phones are good for talking to people when one is away from home, but people develop the habit of constantly in public and it is considered to be rude. It is super obnoxious to be in a public place and a really loud obnoxious person starts talking on the phone and you just want to tell them to shut up. Phones have benefited people i just feel like they harmed people even more, because now if you want to talk to your grandma you can just text her. Though texting is good and very helpful, people spend so much time talking to friends instead of doing work so it provides a distraction. Now in classes people constantly are distracted by phones, because they want to always check their phones because it is rude to keep people waiting if they send you a text. Technology has proven to be one giant distraction from everyday life, but it also is considered to be a huge part of everyday life. I know this is contradictory, but it is so true. This is also hypocritical because i am a texting addict... to me personally, cell phones have become super distracting. :)
ReplyDeleteWay to get us started Karina!
ReplyDeleteAs one of the few Facebook-less individuals at Parker, I know firsthand what it’s like to feel behind or uninformed. I’m inherently curious about the world of Facebook, which to me is like the fascinating, “magic[al]” world introduced to Olaudah Equiano when he first steps upon a slave ship on the west coast of Africa. But I think that many of you would agree that while it’s fun to see who is “In a Relationship” or who posted new photos from his/her vacation in France, it’s nice to be insulated from that sort of thing every once in a while. Sometimes our technology can become a sort of addiction (per Karina’s blog entry); I have many friends who give up Facebook for Lent! Our society is obviously in an interesting place if not using your Facebook is a so-called sacrifice…
ReplyDeleteObviously, it’s a tough call – does technology hamper human development or does it galvanize it? How do we find the middle ground? In some cases, technology is obviously beneficial; you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like the development of defibrillators or contact lenses. In others (interestingly, those that deal with interaction with other people), we find ourselves lost in an endless world of temptation – from cell phones to computers, the distractions are endless.
So what is appropriate when it comes to using our technology? How do you determine what is or isn’t an excess? I’ve seen students text each other from across the room. How strong is our urge to talk to someone during class when we should be listening to the teacher? Perhaps the technology itself creates such a “need,” in which we find constant (and often banal!) conversation necessary. What do you think?
Technology is addicting. No matter what we say about how it is harming our society, I think that most of us would have a problem not texting, checking Facebook or our E-mail for a week. That being said, I agree with Karina. Cell phones, and more broadly, technology has taken the personality out of life. I can't honestly remember the last time I had a full conversation with my friend on the phone, that didn't end in ten minutes or less. Yes, we are busy with school, sports and all our other activities, but I know, personally, I haven't spoken to my friend from another school over anything but texts since July. Sure, a cell phone is fantastic to have when your broken down on the side of the road, but then why do 4th graders have Blackberries? I didn't even get a phone until my 8th grade graduation! Obviously, I am not saying to stop texting and checking Facebook, because I couldn't do it either. There are definitely benefits in texting. My sister and I have totally different life schedules yet we still share funny moments throughout the day. What I am saying though is that we should be more conscience of when and why we are using technology. Not that I have never done this, but seriously texting something to a friend because you're to lazy to talk? On the other hand, if you don't want others to hear it, fine. My mom will call or text me in my room to do something, when her room is MAYBE 30 steps away. That is lazy, and then she gets mad at me for being lazy. Crazy stuff. What really bugs me are those people who sit in the back of the class and text for the whole class period. Seriously, do you think you are cool because the teacher didn't say anything to you yet? Honestly, teachers can see that so easily. Is it really worth getting your phone taken away for the whole day just to reply to the text and say "Haha". Technology is awesome, until it starts to mess with the personality that comes with people. People can't tell when I am being sarcastic with them over a text, they just think I am being mean. They are always trying to make things better, but we are getting along pretty well right now. Is it so bad to be totally fine with an original Ipod Video and a working cell phone?
ReplyDeleteI sort of disagree with you guys that technology is taking away human qualities of life. Facebook and phones and other communication devices allow people to talk with others when they wouldn't be communicating otherwise. Personally, I use facebook and my phone for planning stuff, don't actually talk with people on those things for the sake of talking. I am very awkard on text and while talking on the phone because it is hard for me to talk with people without being in their immediate vicinity. THen again, without my phone or facebook, I couldn't see my friends on a regular basis outside of school. In my opinion, without long distance communication devices, people would be even more isolated and have even less human contact. Even so, it is still very annoying when you are talking to someone, and he/she starts texting, or checking his/her facebook on the phone. when people start using those technologies in replacement for actual human interaction, that is when technology can become a degrading component in one's life.
ReplyDeleteCellphones are extremely addicting. No matter how much you use it, a little or a ton, there is still a sense of wonder with your phone. With my phone I seem to get excited waiting to see if I have a new message, missed call, or voicemail. A lot of the the time I am legitimately excited to look at my phone, and if no messages or calls pop up on the screen I am thoroughly disappointed. However, I do agree with Karina that cell phones are more addicting than helpful. First of all they are a complete distraction. Wherever your doing homework, driving a car, or in class, cellphones take away from your full attention. While doing homework I am normally talking on the phone or texting and writing down a math problem at the same time. This doesn't allow my full focus on what is needed. Driving with your phone has sure shown its consequences. Everyday we hear stores about crashes where the driver was texting while driving. I definitely do agree with the law banning texting and talking while driving. Last week I was in a car accident. I was not on my phone, but the first thing the police officer asked me was "ma-am were you using your phone at the time of the accident?" I replied no. Texting and talking while driving can have extremely serious consequences. Finally using your phone during class. Im sure all teachers know it goes on but they just try to ignore it. I know its in the " handbook" at Parker but who doesn't look at there phone or txt in class every once in awhile. I know that it goes on, so just admit it people. However, its not only distracting to you but the teacher and the students trying to learn around you.
ReplyDeleteI do not know if cell phones come at a price. I do believe people are losing social skills because of them though. I know plenty of people who can txt, facebook chat, and AIM up a storm, but they could never hold a conversation in person. I know this is some peoples personality.. but technology is just making it worse. socialize WITHOUT YOUR PHONES TOO. I know pretty soon technology will completely take over. But while its still developing, balance your time with the deceive and leave some time for real people.
Since texting and facebook have become such accepted changes to society and have been previously mentioned in this exciting blog, I was forced to think up other changes that have occurred that have created a difference in daily life for humans. Here are my thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. With the use of the Internet, bound dictionaries and language translators are most definitely on the decline.
2. The advancement of cars has made long walks and super strong calf muscles virtually disappear.
3. With the invention of sunglasses and reading glasses (kudos to our very own B. Franklin on this one) people don't squint so much in the sunlight, and those born with bad eyes can read fantastic novels on men going into the wilderness, meeting devils, and what not.
4. My final point is something that every single person reading this will probably agree with and has been affected by most likely this very week: water bottles. With the advancement of our recycling ability and our changing global ideas on plastics and pollution, water bottles have been given a serious makeover. Now, many would say that there are no negative concurrences with this change. But I disagree about as strongly as the people above me do about phones and facebook being negative to our daily life. Those new smaller caps on the water bottles are not as much fun to flick at people because they don’t fly as far. Back in the golden days of heavy plastic laden bottles, when one was thrown in the air and came crashing down onto hard concrete, its liquid contents would not explode onto passerby like the new “ecofriendly” ones do.
Many advancements have been noted in American society, and most have caused some collateral damage to our daily life. However, it is up to the individual to decipher if they are going to stay strongly against said changes, or embrace the new ideas, inventions, and lifestyles of the modern era.
While I agree with the earlier statements that all technology should be taken with a grain of salt, I strongly disagree that technology is ruining the social skills of the world today. People can take things such as texting and Facebook and use it however they want. There are people who are "addicted" and people who sign on a couple days a week to stay in touch with others. Each person makes a decision for themself to sign on, it is their choice. As a person who has close friends that go to different schools I view texting as a great way to keep in touch during the busy week. Of course that sent message does not make up for me hanging out with them on the weekends, but it allows me to keep in touch. One common argument against most technology is that it creates opportunity to procrastinate important things. This may be true but people will procrastinate no matter what. Before Facebook became popular it was watching TV or playing on the computer. Yes Facebook gives a way to procrastinate, but a procrastinator will always find a way to distract their self. Marly made a point that in our world we are constantly changing and evolving. This is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a bad thing but it is inevitable. The good out of technology could be that a family member can talk to another member that lives in a different state instantly, while a couple hundred years ago it would have taken months. Something that makes the world a more accessible place cannot possibly be viewed as all negative.
ReplyDeleteI must say, my cell phone and I are attached at the hip, almost literally! As a volleyball player, the spot where my spandex and my hip meet is the ideal place to put my cell phone when I am in a rush. You might say "Eweeeyy" but sadly I am not the only person that does this. I have seen people stash their phones in their socks, spandex, bras, pockets, and so much more. For some reason, we can not separate ourselves from our technological friends, cell phones. People will go to many extents to keep their cell phones close. Don't get me wrong, cell phones have been an incredible invention. They allow us to keep in contact with others with only the click of a button. I love having the ability to call my mom when she is running a few minutes late. A few weeks ago a friend of mine and I were talking about life BEFORE we had cell phones. We treated this "era" of our lives as the BC (before Christ) of our time. We talked about how we did not know how we ever made it though our childhood not knowing when we would be picked up or what our friends were up to. Cell phones have created an ease in communication in various ways that were once deemed impossible. We can now call someone in another country in the blink of an EYE! Although cell phones have made our lives simpler in many ways, they have also taken away various aspects of daily life. Cell phones have caused people to loose a close sense of communication and personal interaction. Today, most people can not go more then a couple hours without checking their phones, me included. Whether you want to know the time, call your friend, or simply see your background light turn on, cell phones are addicting. Not only are cell phones addicting, but technology in general has become the center of our modern lives (Asha). Call phones and other means of technology have removed the small pleasures we once enjoyed in life. Instead of going to see your friend to catch up, you can just call them, vid them, text them, or even read their twitter. Most likely, unless your friend has been eaten by giant piranhas, they have updated their facebook, checked their phone, or basically done something to keep in touch with the outside world.
ReplyDeleteFacebook, specifically, should be labeled by the CDC as a highly contagious disease. Facebook, if it were in the bible, would be a sin. It is a drug, and the addiction of our modern day youth. Today I heard someone in 6th grade say "ya ill inbox you later" as they turned on their I phone. What has the world come to when a 6th grader has an iphone and a Facebook? Let me tell you, when one day I was in my room and received a text from my dad saying "come see me", I realized that the world had become lazier, and less communicative. Sure, sometimes texting saves you from an aquard moment where you don't want to call someone for homework, but still, texting your friend from across the couch? UT UH SISTER. I can definitely say that texting has saved me from more then one of those moments. The availability of GOOGLE and the internet has also saved my butt many times. Perhaps that is the reason why technology has taken over our lives. The fact that the internet and GOOGLE is widely available causes all of us to resort to its many uses. Today, in a world of face book and texting addicts, what is next? The clear images over Skype and the 7,000 text messages sent each month, we can only sit back and watch as our attachment to technology gets worse. As the quality of life decreases, the personalities we embrace towards each other do as well. Think about it, how many times has your text message been read in the wrong tone? As we learned in Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography, Rip Van Winkle, and The Devil and Tom Walker, tone is everything. So next time you log on to face book, you might as well set your relationship status as "with cell phone" because at the rate we are attaching ourselves to technology, that is the only relationship we will have in ten years. I mean, look at me now... I am doing my homework on the internet.
ReplyDeleteThis has been interesting reading. More later.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHmm... Interesting thoughts, young ones. I would like to also shoot from the hip on this one.
ReplyDeleteI like facebook. And I like phones. Thank you, thank you, thank you very much. I also like disposable water bottles, marmar, so please don't be obnoxious about it. Although, I must admit, it is much MORE obnoxious to have plastic water bottles dropped from the heavens onto my perfectly flat-ironed hair than even hearing the echoes of loud people calling even LOUDER people in the hallways.
Technology has most definitely improved my life.
1. Say, for instance, that I was craving to bathe myself in the wonders of the Niagra Falls. How would I find directions without my trusty GPS devices? (QUIZ: who knows what GPS stands for??)*
2. Here, I'm sure this has all happened to you guys: your parents aren't home. You're hungry. What would you do without the comforting hum of your microwave?
3. OR, as you all have probably guessed, I have over six boyfriends. Now think, in my position, how would I possibly be able to accomplish such a feat without the help of texting?? My phone assures me that I will never forget their names, seeing as it kindly reminds me every time it receives one of their texts. I just hate when Jacob and Jarod respond at the same time. (As I'm sure you know, the forgetting of names is a fatal blunder to most relationships.)
I truly believe that phones and similar technology has improved the lives of all. Texting during class, in my personal opinion, is just a more polite way of telling the teacher that hey, my army of boyfriends is more important than you are. No apologies necessary!
With that, I'll leave you with a technology-related thought to ponder:
Which came first, the microwave or the Lean Cuisine?
*(Answer to QUIZ in third paragraph: Global Positioning System)
Very insightful thoughts here!
ReplyDeleteFirst I have to agree with Erica, no one makes a person text or facebook constantly. Remember advancements and addiction to technology are products of human being. I too keep in touch with people through e-mail or text. For example, my grandmother Anita. Even though she only lives in La Jolla, one of our main forms of communication is e-mail. On any given day I can open up my e-mail and find either a dirty joke or a cute personality quiz that will instantly put me in a good mood. I also keep up with my cousins, Tiffany and Brittany, who live in the Big Apple through text message. I text them to find out which celebrity they saw doing what and and they text me to see how I am dealing with high school.
On the other hand, technological advancements can be dangerous. The late Biggie Smalls put it perfectly himself, "Mo Money mo problems", (just substitute technology for "Money"). This is probably one of the main reasons I don't have my own facebook. Sure I go on my friend's, but I don't want my own because I'm too worried that then I will have to deal with a distraction that could bring my grades down or interfere with my other priorities. Plus, facebook is so impersonal. If I really like you I don't want to poke you, I want to hug you.
At the end of the day it is important to know that humans ultimately control the reliance on technology. Yes these facebook and texting can be addicting, but it is one's own job to determine if they will get addicted.
Wow, everything that everyone has said is so interesting! I'm definitely loving this blog.
ReplyDeleteTo start off, I agree with Katie, in that the advancements in technology can definitely be useful for keeping in touch with those you don't see on a daily basis. How else would I be able to keep in touch with my friends from summer camp who live all around the country? However, I do think that technology such as Facebook, Myspace, and texting diminishes relationships with the people that you do see on a regular basis. When you urgently need to tell a friend something, instead of telling them face-to-face the next day at school, we either text it or send it in a message. Although using technology is certainly more convenient than waiting to tell someone the next day, I think that technology in general has sort of created a society that is unwilling to wait for anything. It seems that life has become a lot more fast-paced than it used to be, something that Rip Van Winkle noticed after waking up from his 20 minute nap, and I think that it is largely because of the advancements in technology. This new fast-paced lifestyle is not necessarily bad, but I do think that it takes away from people's relationships with each other. Why have a conversation with someone when I can just text with them?
To be fair, I'm not totally against technology. I love my Facebook as much as the next high schooler, but I do see where it can weaken communication skills and relationships. As long as everyone makes an effort to not solely rely on technology for communication, I think we will be fine.
In the early days of our planet, there was no technology, but yet man survived. They walked barefoot for many miles to hunt, travel, and visit other tribes. As time passed, man became more and more intuitive and knowledgeable about their environment. But somewhere along the way we began to use our newly found skills to make our lives easier. This sounds great, but as we made our lives easier we lost an essential tool. When was the last time any of us went hunting for food in the forest? How many of us are capable of using the sun and stars to navigate our way home. In today’s society we see cell phones, gps, and Internet as a essential element, which we need to survive. This past summer I went to the library a lot. I would go to the beach and after I would walk over to the library. You wouldn’t imagine my embarrassment when I had to ask the librarian for every question I had. Where can I find the magazine section? Where can I find the newspaper? I had no idea how to open a newspaper! All of the crevices and folds made my life so confusing. My point is that like anything else in life, if we don’t practice and repeatedly do certain things, then we will inevitably forget how to do them.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that I enjoy Facebook, email, and the countless abundance of online resources, and I can’t even imagine being separated with my phone for more than ten minutes. But for a moment, just imagine our world without electricity. Imagine if planes, cars, factories, iPods, and Internet were suddenly taken away from us. Do you think you will survive it? NO! We have become so accustomed to all of what we have, that we have not only forgotten to accredit those who dug their way out of the stone ages, but we have forgotten the skills which should be basic for everyone. For example, cooking. How many of us can even cook a raw peace of meat on our modern day heating devices let alone on an open fire. When was the last time we wrote a letter and mailed it to a friend? It seems like much of what I have read on this blog is talking about how we use email to communicate, as if email is the only way to communicate with others (Katie). My problem with technology is not so much that it has made us lazy, as some might say, but more so that it has allowed us to forget essential skills. If this trend continues my grandchildren may not even learn basic mathematics and instead, computers and calculators will replace their ability to think and use their brain.
In the early days of our planet, there was no technology, but yet man survived. They walked barefoot for many miles to hunt, travel, and visit other tribes. As time passed, man became more and more intuitive and knowledgeable about their environment. But somewhere along the way we began to use our newly found skills to make our lives easier. This sounds great, but as we made our lives easier we lost an essential tool. When was the last time any of us went hunting for food in the forest? How many of us are capable of using the sun and stars to navigate our way home. In today’s society we see cell phones, gps, and Internet as a essential element, which we need to survive. This past summer I went to the library a lot. I would go to the beach and after I would walk over to the library. You wouldn’t imagine my embarrassment when I had to ask the librarian for every question I had. Where can I find the magazine section? Where can I find the newspaper? I had no idea how to open a newspaper! All of the crevices and folds made my life so confusing. My point is that like anything else in life, if we don’t practice and repeatedly do certain things, then we will inevitably forget how to do them.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that I enjoy Facebook, email, and the countless abundance of online resources, and I can’t even imagine being separated with my phone for more than ten minutes. But for a moment, just imagine our world without electricity. Imagine if planes, cars, factories, iPods, and Internet were suddenly taken away from us. Do you think you will survive it? NO! We have become so accustomed to all of what we have, that we have not only forgotten to accredit those who dug their way out of the stone ages, but we have forgotten the skills which should be basic for everyone. For example, cooking. How many of us can even cook a raw peace of meat on our modern day heating devices let alone on an open fire. When was the last time we wrote a letter and mailed it to a friend? It seems like much of what I have read on this blog is talking about how we use email to communicate, as if email is the only way to communicate with others (Katie). My problem with technology is not so much that it has made us lazy, as some might say, but more so that it has allowed us to forget essential skills. If this trend continues my grandchildren may not even learn basic mathematics and instead, computers and calculators will replace their ability to think and use their brain.
ReplyDeleteNote to self: don't wait so long to reply to this thing, because it takes a really long time to read everyone else's stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with kamron and his "forgotten skills" idea. To be perfectly frank, i still have to ask my mom sometimes whether the stamp goes on the right or left side of the envelope when i have to mail out my annual christmas thankyou cards.
I get that there are obvious pro's and con's to technology, but i don't necessarily think that it makes tech bad or good; just different. Think of it like this: back in the 1500s or whenever, not a single person in europe had ever tasted sugar, but, que the global trade network and cash crops, suddenly it became available and everyone REALLY liked it, to the point where they couldn't stop eating it. Personally, i don't think i can go a day without a some sort of delectable treat. Technology, in its own way, is the exact same, just sped up a little faster. And in the word's of Marie Antoinette "let them eat cake!"
Going back to the whole "different" thing,i've heard friends reminesk just as loudly about lost cellphone privelages as my grandma does when she talks about "the good old days." it's really just a frame of reference. And to be perfectly fair, my grandma's frame of reference has changed a lot more drastically in about 70-some-odd-years than pretty much any other generation. I vividly remember my one experience with teen-senior connect (and i don't mean this to drag on it, it's just no my thing), where is spent 30 minutes teaching an old women how to use the SCROLL BAR. Even if technology isn't necessarily good or bad, there sure is a lot to say for it's blinding speed.
Kamron's comments foreshadow the transcendentalism unit, where thinkers like Emerson will argue much the same -- that the use of certain technologies robs us of our vital force. As soon as you get the wristwatch, you lose the ability to tell time by the sun. As soon as you get the cell phone, you use the ability to read a wristwatch -- and so on. I think you can rightly ask the question: is one any better than the other? Was there some Golden Age of water bottles that we have left to the dustbin of history as we press ahead with our eco friendly, super sleek models?
ReplyDeleteI will stop here and take a moment to say that I'm really impressed with how much ground you have covered in this blog already. It looks like it could be a great resource and fun activity.
Full disclosure: I've got an iPhone. I have not named it Penny Joe (ha Karina), but I suppose I use it as much as the next person. I certainly can remember the world pre cell phone, BC as Val says, and while it wasn't a perfect world where everyone had MEANINGFUL FACE-to-FACE CONVERSATIONS all the time, it was different. One side note: the explosion of cell phones has made people less decisive and generally less reliable. It used to be that if you told someone you would meet them at the mall, you pretty much had to be there. Now, with instant texting, it is socially acceptable to change your plans at the very last second. It's a small change, but it's something I've noticed more and more. The bigger issues are ones that have been identified by many here above -- addiction, perpetual distraction, the diminishing of certain basic social skills (ever tried to communicate sarcasm in a text?) I hate the fact that cell phones take you completely away from where you are. Living in the moment is hard enough; a blinking and buzzing cell phone makes it virtually impossible. In the end though, I think I'm with Erica, Katie, Matt and some others in the sense that we get to choose. Thou mayest let your cell phone become an addiction, but we all get to choose our addictions, right? Lee would never carry a cell phone, and if he did he certainly wouldn't allow himself to be controlled by it. Timshel, right?
This might touch a nerve, but do you think that allowing certain technologies, like your cell phone or Facebook, to take over your life in an unhealthy way, is a sign of personal weakness -- or should we blame the technologies themselves. I will conclude on this beautiful Wednesday night by saying that I don't have Facebook either, Emily. My sense is that I'm saving a lot of time and not missing out on much -- am I wrong about this?
See you at school tomorrow.
I'm not really concerned or disappointed in the fact that technology has advanced so much that humans have lost aspects of daily living. I definitely agree that some aspects have been lost but that is not what is most important.
ReplyDeleteSome people have said how different aspects of technology are good yet bad. I don't see how this type of opinion generated from observation and experience can help our society. I just don’t see how a double-sided opinion progresses humans and our society. If you haven’t noticed already, I don’t like to dwell on the past. Instead, I aim to be excited about what is next in our futures, whether it is tomorrow or 20 years or even our next generations to come. I would like to see people who care about this advancement because it is inevitable! It’s happening everybody! Losing parts of our past as a people cannot be a sad thing. It has been happening forever and our world is still prospering IN THE BIGGER PICTURE. (Please don’t oppose this last statement because of the status of the American economy or any economy. I would be disappointed in you.) What I am trying to say here is that people should embrace the current progression around the world so that we can help society take its natural course of action.
Today, technology like the Internet, cell phones, and television are an enormous way that people communicate, become educated, and stay close to what is occurring around the world. Without these forms of technology, our society would not be as close and concerned about how be successful and move forward. I think that the results from technology that one might see bad yet significant are completely trivial. One example would be when a person is texting while another person is trying to have a face-to-face conversation with them. It is the same when someone answers their phone during a conversation and says, “Hold on a sec. I’ve gotta take this call.” This is outrageous and completely rude like Molly said but it is still not significant enough to consider a reason for why technology might not be the way to go.
In general, why worry so much about what has been lost in the past? The world is following its course and taking technology with it, but we don’t have to give in to its addictiveness and necessity. I just wish the way people changed because of technology was different. As Mr. Harrington said in his post at 9:12 pm (which I really like), people have become less decisive and less reliable. This is completely true and it disappoints that we have become used to it and accepted it into our society. It is an example of how certain morals like responsibility have become less important when values like this are truly the most important for a person to have.
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ReplyDeleteI would like to start out by saying I am typing this on my mother’s IPad, and a year ago that would not have been possible. That right there proves the point that technology evolves quickly. And on that note, I agree with Adam that technological evolution has become part of our overall evolution as a species.
ReplyDeleteYes, there is a positive and a negative side to everything, and technological advancements sure have both, but honestly where would our society be without technology? Many have said there is more of a negative effect to technological advances than a positive, but think about it... We are doing our homework on a blog, I can assure you each and every one of us used the internet for something school related tonight, typed something on word, used Facebook or a cell phone to obtain homework assignments, etc. This displays that whether it is society’s fault or the technologies fault these "devices" have become a vital part of our everyday lives.
In my opinion, the downfall of technology is completely unrelated to the addictive behavior people show towards them, but more the negative effects they can have on our health. Just a few weeks ago I was at homeopathic doctor (I used to think all of these guys were quacks, but my mom assures me he was an MD.) and he used some sort of radiation meter to demonstrate the radiation field in the cell phone, the router and even in an air purifying machine. The results were jaw dropping. For me this was not only enlightening experience, but rather a frightening one. Just like everyone else who is posted, I am somewhat addicted to my cell phone. Recently I have been trying to use my phone for only things that are necessary, as opposed to wasting all my time texting away, and I have actually noticed that I have felt better and am much more productive.
Personally, I don't think we are addicted to these devices, rather we need to learn to use them in moderation. I know from being in the Philippines last year that it is difficult, but once you get past the initial shock, it is easy to survive without the use of a cell phone. I think it will be interesting to see if these technological advancements will have a long term effect on the health of our generation, and that is something we will not discover for years to come.
Sent from my iPad
I was watching Tosh.o the other day, and there was a video of this guying burning an ebook (an electronic device that stores a lot of books) as a way to "rebel." It is supposed to be ironic because it is like burning books. I thought it was funny but thought provoking at the same time. It is truly amazing how much there is possible with electronics. Computers, phones, security systems, self-flying airplanes, ect.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has definitely helped the human race advance as a whole. In the comments above, people say technology has made us lazier and lazier as the years go by. I agree that technology gives us the ability to be lazier. And naturally, we all want to chose the easier path, where we have to do the least possible. In comparison, I would rather have more lazy people in the world, than not have such advanced technology in the world.
There are many people in the world that have become extremely wealthy from the comfort of their home. That is amazing! You can buy and sell stocks from your home, make programs, write and publish books, make a cool website, start your own business, meet your future wife/husband. All from the comfort of your home. As for cell phones go, because much of the conversation has been about them; they are too much. A cell phone should solemnly be to communicate occasionally or in an emergency. I used to always want the new "cool" phone, but now i just need a phone i can use to talk occasionally. I use 100 minutes a week at the most. While my sister uses about 500 minutes a month. My dad uses about 2000 minutes a month, but it is for his job, so that shows how much we need cell phones. But not everyone "needs" them.