When does technology go too far? That is the question we are constantly having to ask ourselves in the rapidly increasing pace of technology today. At any point in time, we are usually about two minutes, or two seconds, away from the internet. It has become such an integral part of our life. Are we becoming overly dependent on the use of the internet?
We recently had a discussion in class about the use of cell phones. I think cell phones don't even compare to the level of distraction, diversion, and detriment to society that smart phones pose. The amount of face-to-face interaction people are having is steadily diminishing. The first problem this creates is an internet mentality at all times. The internet, especially social media, encourages egocentricity, triviality, and gossip. Not to mention the anonymity of the online presence that allows people to say horrific things and bully others. We are also losing the simple ability to stand up and speak before our peers. Everyone's dialogue, including mine, is now peppered with "um" and "like".
There is a very eye-opening video on Youtube called "I Forgot My Phone" by Charlene deGuzman. She captures my feeling about smartphones exactly in one 2 minute video. She is going through her daily life enjoying the little pleasures and time with her friends, yet everyone around her is always glued to the screens of their smartphones. That bowling scene reminds me of Leonard Pitts' article on the train shooting. No one notices what is happening around them. Everyone here knows, and might be, one of the people that takes smartphone videos of moments instead of enjoying them. Like those who videotape concerts they're at, or every person in the world who feels the need to take a picture of their meals. I'm hungry! My mom has a habit of filming fireworks (which no one watches later), and then can't recount the fireworks when I talk to her. I've seen groups of friends text one another instead of talking, or sit in a circle just looking at their phones.
It is a point-and-shoot culture that encourages us to document every second of our lives so that everyone can pretend to enjoy our moments that we didn't even enjoy ourselves. It's so saddening to watch people do this. I'm not saying every smartphone is evil, no. I am saying that we should put down the smartphone for a second and just enjoy it. Also, so I don't feel like the dork who is watching everyone be hypnotized by a flashy screen. I mean, think of the next generation. We had smartphones just introduced, so it is not that ingrained in us. However, I have seen two and three year olds with being brainwashed by angry birds and pretty smartphones.
There is something to be said about a wonderful moment that was not tweeted or recorded, just enjoyed.
Thanks for reading
I agree that people tend to spend way too much time on their smartphones, at the expense of social contact. I recently read an article, though, that led some insight into why that is and makes it a lot less harsh on our generation specifically, although it didn't really account for other groups. In a nutshell it said that teens were on their phones and on social media more because they wanted to spend time together, but parents have limited fraternization, for lack of a better word, extremely since their own childhoods. Just something that made me think about this issue and takes less of an accusatory view of society.
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