Great posts, some really involved–I love SashaF6′s, and some laconic, like PaulS1′s. I am still reading the rest, but let’s not wait for that.
Is it just me, or do you guys also hear and see stories, articles, examples of human behavior that seem specifically connected to this tech turnoff and to Brave New World. For instance, yesterday, Mr. Rudolph–you know, our evil Physics teacher at Heritage, called to tell me about an article on NPR about technology and how everyone seems to think that the solution to all the problems being created by technology is to use more technology. A week before, I heard on the BBC some article about happiness, saying that governments should measure and monitor the happiness of its citizenry. Apparently, England is already doing something like this. And then on Wednesday, BrandonB1 brought in an article from Time magazine about a 70-something year old who injected himself with some hormone concoction for decades in order to have and boast about the body of a twenty-something supremely fit year old. (Brandon, don’t forget that I want a copy of that article.) Anyone else have something like this to report? Just on my way home today, I heard a report about a music conference where they are trying to strategize a way of dealing with the changes that have nearly destroyed the record company industry.
Think about it, but don’t forget to get your reading done: two great chapters tonight. Here’s your assignment:
Assignment #4: Do these technologies connect or isolate us? It is true that, as never before, we can Skype with people on the other side of the Earth, share assignments with people in Australia, send emails to friends in Germany. We may even create a video that will “go viral” and be seen by more people than we can even count–more people than it’s hard to imagine are actually alive all at once. But it is also true that kids walk through hallways with ear-phones in their ears (like Mildred from F451), that people don’t even open themselves up to conversing with others because their too busy talking on their blue-tooth cell phones in airports, or paths in parks, that kids prefer video games to recess, that families often don’t talk to each other at dinner, even if they are eating at the same time in the same place. It’s like those two guys in Wall E, who are talking to each other on screens without even knowing that they are right next to each other. What do you guys think, more or less connected to each other? What is a Facebook friend anyway?
Even though individuals can isloate themselves with technology, overall there is no way I can say those individuals overpower the massive amounts of social connectionis through technology. While there are those kids who go home by themselves and just play video games all day, things like Facebook and Skype and even texting have all allowed humans to interact with each other constantly. Just because they are technologically interacting doesn’t mean they don’t ever socially interact face to face. Many people misinterpret facebook and texting as a way to just to talk without having to see the person your talking to, but those people we talk to are our friends who we constantly interact with on a day to day basis at school or on the weekends. Overall, the connections we get from technology are much stronger than the isolations.
Technology Both isolates us and connects us together. We can now talk to some one in India thanks to Facebook and things like world of Warcraft but at the same time it is isolating the users from the world around them. We get so sucked into the screen talking to our neighbors through a head set that we fail to notice the party going on down stairs.
Too much of anything can kill you even if it’s not in the literal sense. Some things like Facebook can be great for keeping in touch with family that you don’t get to see often and for reconnecting with old friends but it is also pretty easy to go to the same extreme as the situation you mentioned that occured in the movie Wall E. If you’re having a bad day and you turn to Facebook instead of your best friend, there’s something wrong with that picture to me. During this technology turn off I have talked to more people person to person in the past three days than I have in the past two weeks. Maybe all of our attempts at staying connected are keeping us apart. Sure, it’s great that we can see what is happening half way around the world, but did you ever think that maybe what’s happening right in front of you might be more meaningful than something you read about on a screen?
I think technolgy in some ways connects us and in other ways isolates us. It is true that technology has brought us into the 21st century with a bang and we are now able to communicate much faster and it is way easier. Although it is nice to be able to communicate with friends and family from far away, it isolates us from the face to face interactions with the people sitting right next to us. I remember a comment in class the other day, someone said that it was awkward to talk to someone because we are so used to texting each other. It’s true, we have become overly dependent on technology.
I think isolation has to do with the person, not so much the technology they use to do it. The people who use technology to isolate themselves would be antisocial no matter what it wouldn’t matter if they lived in 1876 or now. The technologies of today dont isolate us they broaden who we can talk to, It honestly just comes down to the perso using them.
The technology is just a medium. people are just as connected now as they were before, the only difference is now we can more easily determine outgoing, social people, from shy, keep-to-themselves people.
The boy with his iPod constantly in at school is the same boy who 50 years ago would keep his head down and talk to no one. but 50 years ago, he would have looked like all the other kids, so it would have been less noticeable than the iconic white ear-buds.
The people talking on cellphones may not be interacting with their surroundings, but they sure are “conversing with others” on their phones. another human is on the other end, and they are interacting vocally. The phone is simply a medium.
The kids who would rather play video games than play outside does bring the fact up that simplicity is addicting, therefore, technology is addicting. It’s easier to have fun sitting comfortably on the couch than running around, using energy, sweating, huffing and puffing.
So we are just as connected now as we were in the past.
With any choice there are always two options; in this case the choice is split between isolation or interaction. Our current devices simply give us a means of instant connection, the difference is how we apply it. Someone can just as easily live a life of digital communciation with “facebook friends” and limited physical interaction, as compared to a highly social person utilizing their phone or social media to contact other firends. The choice is either: do you use technology, or do you let technology use you.
I think that it depends on the technology. For example when I listen to my ipod i do that to purposfullly issolate/ seperate myself from my surroundings but when I skype with someone or im someone on facebook I am trying to connect with that person who is far away. Mostly I think that the intentions of the person using technology will either isolate or connect people with that technology.
I think that all of this technology that connects us to the entire world is actually isolating us more than anything. As we talked about in class, more people would rather text someone than call them because we’re fearful of the “awkwardness” that may come with a simple phone call. It’s been proven that what employers are looking for in their employees is people skills because it is a resource that is decaying rapidly. We’re about as personal as robots, which is ironic since many jobs are being replaced by robots and computers.
I believe that all of these things are taking away from peoples lives. The main reason I have a cell phone and can text on it is to ask people things quickly, like what page was the math hw on. Or would you like to go play frisbee at the park in 15 min? When people begin to replace talking to friends with posting something on someones wall, they start to forget that that picture they are looking at isn’t the whole person. How we view people today doesn’t come from what we actually see, but from what we find about them on the internet. It is hard to escape this. I get on my facebook about TWICE A YEAR. Because of this some people may think I have no social life. The truth is I do, I just have better things to do than sit on a computer all day saying ” omg did you see what he did at her party” I prefer to live, and above all I prefer to be outside and active. People may think I’m strange for wanting to longboard more than watch a movie, or go for a bike ride instead of a party, but I think it keeps me alive. The world is an amazing place we just have to open our eyes and look at it. Each time I get on facebook (about twice a year) I see hom many more people want to be my friend, or have something to say. And I guess my wall doesn’t work and people can’t write on it and they feel the need to tell me that. But I also notice the hundreds of pictures of me that have somehow made their way on the internet. I just don’t understand how people have a stronger desire to put random pictures on the internet than to go outside and just watch a sunset. Facebook is an escape from reality. A virtual world where our words are all we have controll of. It is a game for people who just don’t understand. And as we all fall farther and farther into the game we soon will forget what the real world even looks like.
Technology, in this case, tends to disconnect us from those who are closer to us. Many people in their own homes spend more time on facebook or myspace then with their family and the freinds they know in person. Having a ‘facebook’ freind can simply mean that you have a similarity, and in no way verifies that, in person, you would actually be freinds.
I think our technologies today make us more isolated. We use all of these things to connect as we call it but then we’re missing all of the connections we could be making with the person sitting right across from us. Often times we don’t even recognize the surroundings we are in. I find that many times my parents will be talking to me about something while I’m replying to a text message and I completely miss what they’ve said and an hour later I’m in trouble for not having what they had talked to me about done, when I didn’t even realize they had said something to me. Even with friends we are more isolated because we go to the movies or play video games etc. and we aren’t really interacting with each other at all and when we do have “real” conversations with them it’s over a webcam or facebook or a text message.
Obviously, technology does both. In some ways in can be good but in many ways it is bad. For example, it is very easy to consider a texting session with someone as “talking” or as having a “conversation”. Rarely do we ever find ourselves communicating with someone in real life. We then later find ourselves in awkward situations if we do happen to see this person in real life because we have never learned how to actually carry on an interesting conversation. This might just be due to our age, but we still lack some social ability due to technology. In this case, technology has distanced us from people around us and deteriorated our social skills. However, there are cases when technology can be a blessing. I believe that communicating with someone miles away by means of skype or the phone is good. I realize that having a skype conversation is not the same as real life, but it does allow communication between people that would otherwise be impossible or very slow and tedious.
Overall however, I believe that technology has weakened communication between people in our day to day lives but has allowed a new and good way to maintain relationships despite great distances.
I think these technologies isolate others from the outside world, including talking to friends, other than by text (which isn’t real talking just like Facebook isn’t really talking). Even though you can actually talk to people on Skype, it’s still looking at a screen, not the people around you. However, a lot of people (not including me) still do it rather than actually talking to their friends. In fact, they’d rather talk to Facebook friends who they don’t even know than call their actual friends and actually talk to them. This trend is unstoppable and could mean a society of stupid people, like the ones in 1984, Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World, in the future.
I think technology both connect us and isolate us. Like your examples we have the world at our fingertips and can share anything with anyone. We are by all means connected through screens, and cyber space but we lack a physical connection. We can text and talk online, but when it comes to being face to face, we fumble. Instead of talking, we plug ourselves into our iPod music, or iPod games. I can’t chose a side; I’m both more and less connected to people because of technology.
I also agree that technology can both isolate us and connect us. Facebook can let us have the connection between people who we can’t be close and arrange a physical meeting with. While isolating us from the people around us. If we are so focused on technology we lose the connection between our friends and family. Skype and FaceTime can connect us with friends and family clear across the country, keeping or recreating a bond between those we are no longer close to. Yes there are those people who can interact with people face to face however there are more than enough people who don’t, making the connection over FaceTime and Facebook a stronger way to interact.
Technology gives us a sense of superficial connection. we can connect to people up to certain point. we learn things about them and share knowledge, but we cant truly connect with someone usless it is a face to face interaction. Skype helps us do this to a point, but in order to truly connect with someone, you have to share experiences with them. Facebook is great for keeping in touch and staying connected once a connectiong has already been established. It is not a good way to make a connection however.
Crazy, I can see more and more ways we are similar to the Brave New World. People I have been with lately leave radios on during commercials, volume down, not even noticing it, but I’ve been thinking – is that subconciously training us, like the hypno-sleep stuff in BNW?
I don’t think it would be fair to accuse these technologies of isolating us, but for the most part I do believe they are a complete escape from reality. People are always in a trance with their phones or iPods, I am too, and I do feel that it isolates us. Is it good or bad? I’m not sure.
This question is completely dependent on the personality of the technology user. Not every person uses technology the same way or for the same things. For example, if someone is shy or quiet by nature, they will plug in their headphones and be happy avoiding all human contact all day long. However, if someone is very outgoing and sociable, they use technology to connect and be heard. Facebook is not a good example becuase people can befriend anyone in the world, and never say a word to them. Perhaps the best example of my point is this blog. Mr. D (as we all know) is an outgoing and sociable person, and he is using technology to connect with his students. The fact that this blog exists is partially an answer to the question. Technology can isolate or connect. It all depends on the user.
I think it depends how you are using the technology. There are people out there who are determined to isolate themselves and will use technology as an excuse to do so. But for others they use it as a way to get known or be seen. Maybe it’s just how I think but people control their actions and they have choices to make. Personally I feel like I use technology to be connected and to be informed. It just depends on how you want to use it.
i feel that it disconnects us emotionaly and kind of makes our relationships generic and empty. but this is not to say it doesnt make it easier to connect and get a hold of people. facebook is a great way to keep in touch with relatives and old friends that you may not live close to.
I think that technology both conects us and issolates us. I know many people who say they would rather text a person then talk to them on the phone or even talk to them in person it is cutting the emotions out of a conversation. As for the skyping it does connect us, my best friend is in the army and the only way i get to see him is over skype and it is a blessing to see that he is ok and i wouldnt be able to do that without technology.
I feel that these technologies do connect us, but really in no personal way. For all we know we could be texting or instant messaging someone that says they are from Australia or India, but really they are our neighbor down the street. Technology does allow us to ‘communicate’, but when we connect person on person the interaction is so much more special. If we were to drop these technologies and visit some foreign country like India, the residents would be amazed to see an American walking the streets, but with technology the way it is, it has made our world a lot smaller in a way. Not saying that small is bad, but we no longer experience the feelings we once did when you meet someone from another country, now it is just a normal occurrence. A ‘friend’ on facebook could be anything from a really close buddy since kindergarten, all the way to a person who you have seen once before and may have not even said a word to. Facebook is a popularity contest, and most of the people we befriend have really no special place in our minds at all, of course with the exception of a few.
I think technology connects and isolates us. There’s always a way to get in touch with someone now and as fast as you want. It’s very convenient but then again it does keep us isolated from our family and peers sometimes. I think it only isolates us if we really don’t care to spend time with the people or talk to on a day to day basis. But I agree with Woody that technology does connect us way more than it does isolate us.
I think that we are becoming more disconnected from each other, and it’s scary!! Even I have become that person in a way. I will sit in my room, and text my cousin who is just in the next room to me instead of getting up and going to talk to him. Having this turn off will make us closer to the people we love. We will be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of getting to know someone new by actually talking to them instread of just facebooking them.
I would say that technology isolates us from our surroundings. People are so consumed in their own lives and the gossip of others lives, that if a problem is not directly related to them it is not seen as reality. Technology has made a society that is scared of being alone but yet we spend so much of our time sitting by ourselves texting. You might not feel alone when texting someone else but the emotion of a real human is missing. Technology is disconnecting us from real people, real relationships, and the real world.
Yes, I think technology isolates us. While me may be able to skype, text, email, facebook, etc, it’s not personal communication. Nothing compares to face-to-face conversation. We spend so much of our time communicating with technology that we lose time for genuine conversation. Sometimes even when you are having an important conversation with somebody else, they zone out to read a text – it breaks the feeling of engagement in the conversation.
I think that technology both separates us and brings us together. We can talk to our friends over skype that in most cases are just down the street. But that is what is separating us seeing that we don’t meet face to face as much any more and don’t have the social confrontation that most human beings need.
These technologies isolate us and connect us at the same time, creating a false image of unity. We think we are growing closer through this medium, but are we really? I mean yes, we can skype people that are halfway across the world, but we are missing the point of what a connection actually is. It has nothing to do with seeing someones face on a computer screen or texting them back and forth, thinking you’re having a meaningful conversaiton, but it’s actully the WAY it is communicated. When is the last time you sat down with a person at a coffee shop and actually had a conversation that normally people would be too afraid to have in person, so they text it or facebook it instead. We’re losing our of communication skills, which in turn separates us from each other, even though the allusion is there that we are being connected.
It depends on how the individual uses the technology. If used in the correct way, technology can bring us closer together than most people could have never imagined 20 years ago. But if people become obsessed, and lock themselves in their basement playing video games 24/7, then they become isolated and are hurting themselves more than helping.
I think that all of these technologies have connected us better and made it much faster for people to meet and communicate with each other. However it is a less personal connection and one that for the most parts. I do have friends that the only way I can communicate is through technology and its still a close enough to the point where I know the person well enough to still be friends.
I think that technology has both connected and isolated us. Being able to connect with people from all over the world has helped bring people closer together. And even if you don’t live in different countries it is useful when you just want to do a homework assignment with a friend over skype really quick or just say hey. But at the same time we are not as social in person. But in no way are we unsocial. People still know how to interact with each other in person and it is in no way as bad as the two guys in Wall- E. There are pros and cons, just like with everything else. And Facebook friends can range from your best friend to people that you don’t really know but are getting to know.
I believe while the new technology presented to us may bring people together for the most part it separates us. While it has brought many people together it has been that same reason that they will not visit each other in person because they believe they see each other threw technology. It is not the same to see someone in person rather than threw a screen. Like the great example shown in Wall _E there wont be a reason to turn and loot at the person you talk to because you can still talk threw technology. Not only that, but we spend more and more time stareing at a scream and less time interaction with others. Facebook tries to make people interact with others they have not meet before and also friends they know already. The problem is that it also influences people to talk over the internet rather than in real person.
I think we do issolate ourselves through technology. at least once a week there is a guy that comes into where i work that is talking on his bluetooth and browsing through who knows what on his iphone. i dont think he has ever said more than 10 words to me in total of all the times i have helped him. however on the other hand i get a customer who will come chat for 15 minutes about anything. i think its totally a matter of choice. sometimes i want to walk down the hall with my earphones in because i dont want to be bothered by anyone if im in a bad mood, but thats a rare occasion. i know people who will sit through all their classes everyday with their headphones in. so is technology issolating us? i would say know, but are we given the opportunity to issolate ourselves through technology? definitely.
I think that this is one that goes both ways no matter how you look at it. There will always be people who are by themselves with technology or without. There are students who sit in corners reading books instead of talking with people or trying to be social. It’s not only technology but at the same time you do see kids playing their gameboys at a dinner table instead of talking to thier families. It is one of those things you cant really give an answer to. Technology just like you said has made it possible to talk to people we may not usually be able to talk to. It is hard to pick one side and stay with it because of how many example you can give on both sides.