Technology Epidemic or No?

As I've gone to my T101 class the passed couple weeks, my mind has cleared and I have begun to view things a little differently. My instructor, Mark Deuze, tells us that we should come into his class with a clear view on media, meaning we should forget our preconceived opinions and look at media with an open mind. This is a hard thing to do. I often times, in the past, would flip flop back and forth with my view on technology and the media. I would go through a period where the new technologies would amaze me and I would be totally optimistic about their futures, but then after that high a very negative view would hit me even harder than the optimistic outlook. After the optimism I would look more critically at what the technological advances were doing to me. I would start to believe that these advances were making me impersonal and lot in the world. Then it all would flip back again. Mark has changed this for me.

Technology is a beautiful thing. It's amazing what human beings can do now with all the technology that has been created. Medicine alone has advanced so much that the world is beginning to find cures to the most dangerous illnesses. That is a wide view though. The "technology epidemic" that I titled this entry has more to do with what I view on campus at IU. Ever since classes started and I began hearing what Mark has taught us I have seen the way my fellow students treat technology. Cell phones are everywhere. I have yet to meet a student who does not have a cell phone of some kind. Some are more advanced than others, but everyone has at least a basic phone. It does sadden me a little when I see people texting in my classes when they should be focused on the instructor, but that is not the outlook I want to have. I want to be able to compare what campus life was like just ten years ago. I can't imagine that many students would have cell phones. Ten years ago cell phones were just breaking out and it was a luxury then compared to being a necessity now. And yes, cell phones are necessities now. If someone doesn't have a cell phone they are very disconnected from the world.

Wait...? Did I just say disconnected. What happened to all the theories of cell phones, and video games, and computers causing people to become more impersonal. This is where that theory falters. Our world today is so dependent on these new technologies that to be impersonal is to not have a cell phone. So is it really an epidemic to have all these things?

Every person's view is different. I love that there are all these advances, but when does it go too far. I personally think some technologies are a bit ahead of their time. For instance, the Microsoft Milan, the new surface computer, is an awesome way of computing, but is it really worth it all in the end. From what I have heard these new computers are around $10,000 and take up a lot of space. Mark showed us an informational video on it and also a parody on the computer. Check out these videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP5y7yp06n0
and the parody: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZrr7AZ9nCY

That is just one example of many new technologies that we might not be ready for. I personally agree with the parody on this particular medium. All in all though, people may think that kids are more violent and the human race is becoming impersonal, it really isn't happening. Just look around when you are walking outside. Someone is always on the phone or texting someone that they aren't physically able to be with causing more interaction. There is no epidemic in my opinion. It just advancements that come with change.

Sincerely,
The Ern