Remember the days when you actually had to memorize people's phone numbers and birthdays? Now you just let your cell phones store numbers and Facebook reminds you when your friends were born. There is little amount of thinking involved. Gone are the days where you had to press 7 digits on a phone, or dial it in a (counter) clockwise circle. The interactivity has been deduced to a few buttons. Find the number and press talk or the green (means go) button. Voila!
Twitter is all the rage lately and with 140 characters or less, how can one get their point across? Is micro-blogging smart or "dumbed down"? One could argue that it helps people focus on the content of what they're saying and get straight to the point. There is definitely a different strategy and perspective involved in micro-blogging but on the other hand, are these short blips of information useless? In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? Does 140 characters enhance our experience or hinder it?
From turning on a switch to start a faux-fire, to research being just a Google click away and the demise of Encylopedia's, and the Dewey Decimal System, there is no denying that technology has made our lives easier, but has it made our lives simpler? After all, having all the latest tech gadgets doesn't exactly simplify life. Do you really need an iPhone, iPod, GPS, and all that stuff? Not to get into a consumption/environmentally conscious rant but stuff depletes our resources! While it's true that stuff depletes our natural resources, one could argue that it also depletes our brain resources. With more and more gadgets to do things for us that was once a manual process, our brain activity can be greatly reduced because we simply no longer have to perform a task, or remember a function!
Sure, technology can be a great resource (I love my Macbook!), but at what point does technology become excess? One advantage of technology in "going digital" vs. print is the lack of paper. I receive most my bills as online statements instead of mailing, for example, and blogging saves trees! With this in mind, it can be argued that the use of paper in print is also excessive. Both, in their own ways are.
In my own life, I am far too much a web 2.0, social media, and blogging geek for my own good. My Macbook has practically become my umbilical cord. When you work an office job and then go home to stare hours in front of a computer again it gets a bit static. I start to feel like an amoeba. I become anxious and use my gym membership to run on a treadmill machine instead of the outdoors. Technology can detune us from the rest of the natural world. Many no longer know how to grow their own food, start a fire from scratch, or even listen to the stillness and silence of nature (but I'm sure you can Google it).
Tomorrow, I welcome a respite from technology as I commune with nature. I am going camping for the first time in years. My friends and I are going to an area heavy with obsidian rock. It will be my first time camping in an area that isn't a designated campground. Journal and camera will be in tow. A refreshing break from the "dumbing down" of technology.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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40 wandering stars:
Isn't it strange that we love our computers and communication outlets but at the same time recognize how this all seems so completely asinine. That there are bigger, more important, and more necessary things out there that have yet to be accomplished.
I always think about how I wish my life was more like Jack Kerouac's 'On The Road' (replace with your favorite book) and how the word computer wasn't even around, at least not in a way similar to how we use it now, during that time period.
Technology has created a shorthand communication, but I'm not sure if it is making us dumb. At the heart of all communication is expression. That remains the same, no matter what language we use. The only difference is how articulate we are. Tech has definitely made us less articulate.
The other side of the story is what we deem as "fit for expression." The introduction of new technologies has made us reconsider what we feel fit to express. Tech may also create new expressions within us by virtue of its existence. In that sense, it makes us more aware of ourselves than we have been before. This is good.
It is also overwhelming and perhaps 90% unnecessary.
wonderfully worded, floreta.
I get bogged down with all this technology, but, at the same time, it is like a life source. An umbilical cord. It's a fine line. But I think we like to pretend it's finer than it really is... we have to create a habit of unplugging.
Technology has taken over much of our lives. I must admit, I'm guilty. I'm sooo hooked on the internet and blogging and cellphones. The internet has everything I need right at my fingertips. There was one time when I didn't have internet connection for about two weeks and I somehow loss weight. Lols... I guess it was because I was out more trying to be more active and busy myself. hehehe
That's an interesting dilemma, actually! :)
I think I believe that technology has done both - dumbed down our minds as well as stimulated them. I mean, it is possible to become an 'amoeba' by not applying one's mind at all, or one can use technology to do the dumb things and do the smart ones oneself.
Of course, easier said than done. :)
I can not agree more! I would be lost without email - but refuse to let technology take over my life with an iphone or fancy ipod. I still love my CDs :)
Technology is good but i think it's a necessary evil that is hurting our social skills. You can have thousands of friends on facebook but how many friends do you actually have in real life? my only concern is when younger generations start realizing they don't have any 'real' friends at all!
thanks for making me think about this again - i'm going to leave my computer off for the weekend :)
Technology is at our disposal, its for an individual to decide how he/she uses it..can make make it a slave and extract maximum of it or can become slave to it...the choice is always there. I believe one should use maximum of it but not get addicted to it...at the same time one cannot loose touch with nature...because technology can never supplement that.
I don't have the time or the inclination to get into how I feel computer technology has changed our lives right now, but I definitely have a lot to say on the subject when I do get into it.
Instead I'll just wish you a fun, relaxing camping trip!
It damn sure is making us dumb.add to that the misuses of tech.very well written floreta!Hopes it acts as a clarion call for some.And oh...I've a new poem...can't wait 4 ur cmnts!!!!Also glad that u started another blog...will cmnt there soon.U didn't tell me????
Well said. I don't know if it's making people dumb, but it definitely is making people detached. I work with teenagers and they are always texting or twittering on their phones instead of just enjoying whatever they're doing. It's like they'd rather tell people what they're doing than just to enjoy doing it.
Well, now you know why I just HAVE to travel sometimes -- to get away!
But I want to get away from the INTENSITY of computer-use. Everything happens so FAST, there's no time to REFLECT.
That's the only danger of computer use, in my opinion. Technology is awesome, and magical (you know my viewpoint on that).
PEOPLE are perhaps being dumb-downed by the media, or by poor education. Technology in general ENABLES us to do more, go further, faster, and live richer lives.
But obviously, if we don't know how to use technology to read those ends, it's useless.
I'll probably blog on this topic soon :)
HEY I was just about to blog about this! Been feeling so anti-social lately. Ho well.
yep yep. it dumbs people down. I don't have any of that myspace, facebook stuff and I found that when I did i felt dumb and socially awkward and now that I am like years without having one, my social skills and "smartness" is surpassing my peers and old friends. they are so used to typing things that they forget how to talk face to face and would do anything to avoid it. It's quite weird and now i find myself with no friends at all or friends that are older than me who gave up myspace years before like I did in highschool.
No. I'm pretty sure we were always dumb. I mean, sure, a select few of us were not born dumb (Einstein, Schweitzer, the guy who invented Anderson windows) but I think, as a mass, we're all basically pretty stupid.
Twitter isn't making people dumb, it just makes lazy people even lazier. And, if I hear that "it makes you really focus your creativity" bullshit from one other person, I'm going to... um... do something... dumb.
I remember the days of writing letters after letters and having to go to the post office...
Or what about growing up and having to make up your own games because your parents couldnt afford toys.
I think most kids nowadays have no imagination... the video games do everything for them and they get bored so easily.
I can't understand how I lived 18 yrs without a mobile phone. The first time I used the net was 1998.
Crazy huh! Technology has advanced so much these past few years!
I very much agree with you, in fact I blogged about something similar just recently. I think the main thing is to create some sort of balance between technology and "real life" ways of communicating. Sadly, a lot of people put too many eggs in one basket and rely on their computers/phones for literally, everything.
Maybe I'm just a bit younger than everyone else, but I don't see technology as anything other than an opportunity of greater possibility.
I mean, before facebook and programmable phones, people wrote phone numbers and birthdays down in address books and calendars. There were certain numbers and and important dates that people would remember because it was necessary from a personal standpoint to remember them. I don't think that's changed. Just ask any kid what day santa's going to visit them.
I agree in that most people really don't need iPhones, GPS, etc, but used correctly, they are important tools that save time or increase productivity. To me, that's something like a pulley system or the wheel. You could carry those sacks of potatoes back home, or you could put them on a wheelbarrow and push them. You could also bring that wheelbarrow to the market to show it off and join the WHeelbarrow Owners Association while people with regular carts wish they had your pimped out wheelbarrow. If you use that wheelbarrow to push your buddy around town while he surfs on top and you accidentally crash into a brick wall, severely hurting your friend and barring you from future WHOA gatherings, well...is that your fault or the wheelbarrow's?
I dunno, pretty much any technological gadget was created because it was needed to perform some kind of function, which decreases the number of items the user has to perform to accomplish a task. With that kind of advancement, possibilities that were limited by time or resources open up.
Wait. Did I just use a wheelbarrow metaphor?
I used to remember all the birthdays, anniversaries, first meetings and all but yeah i must admit when the cellphones and the internet dominated the human world, i have already lost the personal touch of things. Sad, but true.
Good to know you're going camping! If only i can stand insect bites, i would've gone to a camping trip too! Great post floreta! and a good reminder to all (including me!) that not everything is a necessity. =)
I hear what you are saying but...I love what I do and where it takes me. As with book, drawing or even camping, excess is not a good way to live our lives.
Thanks for making me think.
b
This kind of question has bothered humans since the beginning of (human) time. We seem to fear technology and change. I don't think it's making us dumb. Books are a technology. They were feared, too.
Birthdays and phone numbers are just numbers. We have more access to the depths if we dare to look. Technology is not holding us back there.
I'm going through the comments in more depth. A lot of us seem to think that only electronics and computers count as technology. Technology includes books, writing, radios, telephones, etc. Many seem to feel a combination of guilt and fear when they embrace a new technology. Why? Is it because of the huge leap forward it represents? A huge change? It's how we use these things that matters, not the technology itself.
hell, forgetting some details seems good to me. like a vacation from things that are too available. also, here's a recently published study on web surfing and brain activity:
http://thefutureofthings.com/news/5608/surfing-the-web-is-good-for-your-brain.html
you're right floretta, we rarely have to think that long or that hard , and we become used to things
happening lickity-split.
all life's happenings will soon
be nailed down to the time it takes
for a light to go on once we have
flipped the switch.
i crave the quiet, which is why
the snow and rain hold such
fascination for me - each embodies
for me -quiet stillness a quality
that soothes and brings peace and
of course allows me to think.
Excellent, thought-provoking post. I am quite a fan of technology--in fact, I'm more of a techie than my 20-something daughter. In some ways, I feel it connects me to others (through Facebook, blogging, etc). However, I think it can also disconnect us from God, nature and our inner selves. Chase said it so well in another comment, "We have to create a habit of unplugging." Enjoy your camping trip.
I got an inpromptu unplugging these weekend when I went back to my college to see some friends graduate and I ended up being too busy to make use of my laptop. It was nice!!
this is a great post! I totally agree that there is a disconnect with the very thing that connects us. As with everything, a balance is great to find. My laptop crashed a few weeks ago, and I was at first totally lost! but a few weeks passed and I got used to not having a laptop on..I did get out in nature more YAY- I do refuse to own a cell phone for that very reason.
be well
The more I think about it the more I think it'll be okay! :) Each social change creates confusion and disconnection, then it establishes its own place and becomes a connection.
twitter-news for people with add
i still practice the art of snail mail written on linen or cotton paper with a fountain pen and various inks.
Any good tool can become a crutch. The problem with all our new technology is that it's a very seductive crutch.
When I need to research something for a story, I can now have the answer in minutes, or even seconds. Looking things up in the library could easily take hours and you might not even get the answer you sought. But in the library, you were more likely to happen upon other information that would take you down new mental paths, leading to new ideas and sometimes a richer experience overall.
Old friends who it would've been difficult or even impossible to track down in the pre-wired era are now often a search engine away. But we communicate at a shallower level once we do find these people.
We've gained and lost with all our new toys. Only time will tell where the balance falls.
Rikin - definitely is a love/hate relationship. I can see the appeal of "On the Road".
Hal - thanks for your well thought out comment! love it. I agree technology has made us less articulate. There are always pros and cons to everything.
Chase - makes me think of The Matrix :) we definitely do need to unplug frequently. I like to take walks or runs, etc. Or actually hang out with my friends :P
Mel - i remember when you didn't have connection! i should try that cos i want to lose some weight.. haha
Sumit - i'll agree. I think it all comes down to how you apply the technology.
Jessie - i don't have an iPod/mp3 player either! i still use cds. though, haven't bought one in a long time. Hope leaving your computer off was beneficial!
we do need to be disconnected at times !! nice post :)
What liberates us also restricts us to some degree...
What was once not needed becomes 'needed' because everyone else has it. You become 'out of the loop' or seemingly disadvantaged without it (whatever 'it' is!)
But sometimes it's nice- great- amazing!- to be out of the loop... to step back and see!
This is why I moved to the mountains and refuse to buy a cell phone. I do have two computers and a Wii. lol Great post! Enjoy camping.
perspective - nature is important to me because i believe that is where you'll find silence, stillness and spirituality. i agree we have a choice on how to use technology; either slave or master!
bard - oh, i have a lot to say too and i could have said LOTS more. i'm not satisfied with the entry but i'm glad it's sparked a lot of reader opinions! maybe you could write a post about it sometime, tho i'm not sure if it fits the 'theme' of your blog.
deeptesh - not much to see on the other blog yet.. i have not contributed.
children of the nineties - yes, good point. rather tell people what they're doing rather than doing it! very postmodern ;P i definitely agree it makes people disconnected.
seb - yes, would love to hear your take on the topic (full version). i agree with you. you need time to relax and take a break from technology.. glad you can see/appreciate that. i also agree people are being dumbed down by the media and poor education.. lack of funding, cutting out music/art programs.. those things definitely help intellect. it's unfortunate.
nashe - cool! you should!
shelani - it's probably true that the "dumbing down" of technology relates more to EQ than IQ (although I'm sure both can be affected).. but it's hard to relate to people when all you do is stick yourself in front of a computer. how do relationships fare?
mr. apron - aw, you mean i'm dumb and.. average? i agree most people are pretty dumb but that's because the average isn't all that impressive. twitter does make for lazy people though.
This is an insightful post and close to my heart. I'm currently doing research on cellular phone consumption and how it is a signifier of contemporary living.I started blogging this year and am amazed by the amount of creativity that technology has enabled. Am I glad that I don't have to write in html for my blog posts? Most definitely. But there was still a lot of learning involved and therefore a lot of time taken up...and a lot of my brain cells utilized ..(lol). I am however, appreciative of the fact that I can read all my blog subscriptions via my google reader, blog from my flickr account and edit my pictures via picnik. Modern technology does simplify things to a certain extent.
Twitter has been a little disappointing though. Bloggers whose writing I generally enjoy don't translate well with a 140 letter limit and honestly I really don't care what they ate for breakfast.And generally am irritated when people whine in their tweets...it's hard to follow without the context..
I appreciate technology but I still remember phone numbers and birthdays without a need to check my digital assistants. And I enjoy activities that don't require technology - crafting, gardening and reading (actual books).
lion-ess - i think it was around 1995 that i first used the net! i had never made up games when i was a kid =/ not in board games anyway.. i agree video games and other media dries up imagination. it also makes for very short attention spans..and lots of kids are diagnosed with ADD. i actually DO have a penpal tho!
Lisa - it's definitely a crutch. i held off on buying a cell phone for a loong time.
Bryan - *blinks* Whoa, is there really a WHOA club?? haha. clever acronym tho. uhh yeah, i do agree with you on advancements etc. and how each new advancement prepares us for the next. appreciate your thoughtful comments!
ella - there's always bug spray! and i didn't get bitten at all.
b - you're welcome. i love where tech takes me too! no doubt.
vesper - i agree it's how we use them that determines its value in our lives. people do seem to fear change. i think for all that technology is, there will constantly be more advancements and that technology/science has barely touched the surface on a lot of things.
Ben - wow, thanks for the article!! love that kinda stuff.
Sometimes I think we should make a giant pile of the computers and just light them on fire - honestly.
I love that I have an easy way to keep in touch with people, but we've created these techie monsters that can't do ANYTHING without the aide of this stuff..
I think it's a little much when you find yourself utilizing EVERY single social networking site/blip that the internet has to offer...
I worry that by the time we realize the affects of having SO many shortcuts, it'll be too late - because people our age are probably the last to remember doing things the old-fashioned way, what happens to the kids that grow up with nothing BUT shortcuts?
I always say the one 'terrorist attack' people should worry about is if someone figured out a way to knock out the internet for a week. CHAOS. And yet, that's how we used to live.. I just think we're putting waaaaay too many eggs in ONE basket.
mia - very poetic comment. thank you very much!! i appreciate your thoughts.
marguerite - i agree it disconnects us from god/nature!! so the habit of unplugging is essential. actually it kind of pisses me off when people aren't into camping or hiking. haha but to each their own.. i guess..
kristan - sounds nice! graduation and catching up with friends sounds like a good time.
tanya - woww not many people these days w/out cellphones :) i held out til last year! i agree, and it's interesting that the thing that connects us also disconnects us.. great observation! i know i can survive without laptop or internet.. i have before and been happier even.
tumblewords - this is very true. each change has adjusting periods. but with the advancement of technology and the speed in which new things/trends are being created its hard to catch up!
quin browne - haha twitter is add.. i like it! definitely fits the quick/choppy culture we have.. i still write letter too.. but not as fancy as you!
Floreta, you tug at my heart strings. I spent many years in the desert digging for obsidian camped under a cedar tree.we hunted petrified trees and petrified dinosaur bone. Then I needed to pursue the world and gave up the good easy life. I do not think we are getting dumber, just making dumb choices. To may times we are to busy chasing money to stop and chase serenity. Now I spend lots of hours camped somewhere writing poetry and stories about my youth. Enjoy your camping, wish I was with you.
Old Grizz
I hope you have a great time camping! Maybe the problem isn't one of technology so much as balance. We have always had difficulty finding balance in our lives. People have always worked too hard, or partied too much, or habitually overspent. Whatever your "thing" of the moment - you need balance. Too much of anything becomes bad. Here's hoping that your camping weekend restores some balance in your life and you return refreshed!
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