One of the first points the chapter made was on how mediums and methods of communication have been traded for others, such as mailing letters has been traded for email. Almost a need for quicker access and quicker response, communication and connection is now right at our finger tips. The chapter hits the positive and negative side of this idea, but one perspective stood out to me the most. There was a paragraph towards the beginning of the chapter that talked about how being connected and being constantly online can take someone away from the present, physical environment. There are many examples of this from people on their phones at restaurants to a bad first date where the other person is constantly checking their phone. Can being on our phone take away from the now? Are we actually somewhere else rather than where you physically are? Does it manipulate our interactions and how meaningful they are?
Its a toss and definitely a debatable topic. Constantly being online and without face-to-face interaction does take away from the interactions someone can have in the now, but on the other side of the coin there are many opportunities that have come out of the digital age and being connected. This is another topic this chapter discusses which I am excited to read more about. There has been so much opportunity created from the digital age and being connected, and I am interested to read and learn more from this class about the balance of good and bad in relation to how personal communication has changed with the digital age.
This chapter also made me consider the times that I've had face-to-face interactions with others and whether or not both of us have actually been present in the conversation.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting seeing how different media constantly replace each other. There is definitely an urgency for "quicker access and quicker response." For example, Apple first produced iTunes which needed to sync with your device, but as media has changed and developed, Apple now produces Apple Music which directly streams the music right onto the device.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that we're being taken away from the present moment when we're being consumed by our phones is definitely a popular discussion concerning social media, whether that discussion is between skeptics or addicts. Those nostalgic reflections on simpler times of letter writing and calls on the landline are also brought up frequently. Lately it's become all about whatever is quicker and easier, and that only seems to be heightening with each new iPhone release, social media platform, etc. But at what point will all this "easy" communication start to make our personal communication too difficult?
ReplyDeleteIt is so interesting how the devices that connect us are the very devices that seem to disconnect us. When you are with a friend who is constantly texting it does make them seem unengaged. When they are in that virtual world in the middle of multiple other conversations it makes the present time you are spending together a lot less meaningful. Being more present is something that everyone could work on, including me!
ReplyDeleteGoing off of Marisa's comment, being on the road so often for sports makes me quite reliant on my phone for communication, to the point that when I'm in the passenger's seat of the van, I may not even speak to the driver for a majority f the ride trying to catch up and do work. It is interesting and quite sad how these technologies have their dual forms.
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