We see it daily, drivers distracted, couples staring at their personal electronic devices while out to eat dinner, children playing on tablets and semi recluse strangers at airports. I myself am and have been guilty of this and we seem to all enjoy the latest Netflix top ten show on our phones while we impatiently wait for our soy lattes. (Raine and Wellman, 2012) seem to have a different point of view with regards to the tradeoff and the overall pessimism that has been perceived through countless centuries as the latest gadget becomes available to the general public such as the automobile or the printing press. They give a great example of how social networking was responsible for a huge outpouring of support for a married couple whom the wife was hospitalized after a serious fall and suffered head trauma. The money raised as well as attention that was brought about by or at least attributed to social networking is hard to argue against; however, I would simply ask the question, is the ability to send and receive information, communicate almost immediately as well as other 21st century conveniences such as Wi-Fi, social media, television worth what has happened to our culture and society? To this author, it seems as though there are a great many pros that have followed the internet age and mobile phone usage; however, it also seems that there is always a price to pay. Just how much, is yet to be determined, however, I would be interested to research depression rates, lack of soft skills, professionalism and shorter attention spans. I think one must balance and weigh the benefits versus risks in any situation including watching top ten Netflix shows while waiting for my soy latte.
Rainie, L. & Wellman, B. (2013). Networked: The new social operating system. Boston, MA: MIT Press.
This is so beautifully written and I would have to agree. I think the idea of being able to consume content so easily and quickly have definitely come at a cost. Take for example my 11 year old. She super shy and lack the skills to spark up a conversation with her teachers or peers. But if she's on her iPad play Roblox and on Facetime with said peers she is the loudest. It's as if she's only comfortable communicating and interacting when she's behind the screen or her phone or iPad. But in person, she is a totally different person. I often blame myself because she had some form of technology in her person since she was 2 years old. Now i'm trying to 'undo' some of the damage but i'm afraid it might be a little too late.
ReplyDeleteHello! Thank you for speaking about the tradeoffs between technology. I spoke a lot this week in my blogs about the dependence that we have on technology. I believe that this dependence is perpetauted by the responsibilities given to us by the spaces we work in, including the global economy. That being said, I find that while there is certainly a difference in socialization as a result of technology, there is an opportunity there. When I moved 12 hours away from home to come to FSU for school, I felt every emotion one would feel in such a situation: sadness, excitement, nervousness, etc. While I often reflect, and am grateful for this decision given my educational opportunities, I know I would not have done this if FaceTime did not exist. I simply needed to know before moving that I could see my parents and friends via technology prior to leaving. Technology continues to become a necessity, so I think this is the best and most imperative time to discuss healthy tehcnology usage.
ReplyDelete