Technology

Hey dudes and dudettes, 

Sorry for the lack of blog posts in the last couple weeks, hopefully that’ll change now for a while and I’ll keep at it at least until exams kick off...The topic up for discussion today is technology and its enhancements as well as drawbacks to society. 

Right, so, many have proclaimed that as a society we are currently living though the ‘digital age,’ as it were. Not many people in their lifetimes will bear witness to a time in which changes occur at such an exponential rate. Not many people grow up with any idea about the drastic changes that will take place over their lifetimes. In the past it has been predictable... Not now though. Now, everything is so volatile. Unforeseeable changes take place rapidly. The older generation are always moaning about how much has changed since they grew up. [Mind you, so do I from time to time!] It’s simply amazing watching thing develop, can you IMAGINE what on earth it was like a couple of decades ago, where computers, mobile phones and social networking weren’t central to our existence?! Up to the age of about 14 I didn’t have a computer at home or a mobile phone so I feel as if I can truly appreciate what things were like. Granted I was young and I probably didn’t have much use for a computer/mobile before that stage; but it’s beyond me WHY these days eight-ten year olds have mobile phones, and smart phones at that, if I’m honest.

Never before has knowledge been so close to our fingertips via our good friend, Google. Yet, it seems that despite this never before have the younger generation been so THICK. [Obviously, not everyone.] But seriously the number of naïve teenagers who can’t even communicate properly. I struggle to comprehend their text messages and in fact many of them can’t express themselves on a piece of paper. It’s simply ironic because this is the age where networking is vital. You are able to find and stay in touch with all the significant people you met throughout your life, but somehow you don’t know how to construct a string of words together properly... There’s no excuse really. 

I mean, I remember going to the library every couple of days when I was young, I don’t think I’ve ever got through as many books since I fell in love with the internet! It’s a serious shame, because there’s nothing like spending a few hours engulfed in a book. And yet all around the ‘younger generation’ complain about reading and how boring it is and how they’d much rather watch the film when its released. Come on now. NO FILM, HAS EVER, COMPARED TO THE BOOK! [Excluding Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate factory which gave the books a run for their money. Perhaps this is because they’re short children’s books and because they probably don’t even take more than 2/3 hour to read, the producers are able to encapsulate their story well.] It’s an absolute JOKE that LIBRARIES are being CLOSED DOWN due to the budget constraint. Some dude called Neil Gaiman (jokes about his surname aside) said: "Libraries are our future – to close them would be a terrible, terrible mistake – it would be stealing from the future to pay for today which is what got us into the mess we’re in now.” Couldn’t have put it better myself. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of technology and computers, those who know me well know I’m a secret geek. I love that I can just send someone across the world a message from my beautiful iPhone with What’s App, FOR FREE. I love that I never have to miss my favourite TV shows because I can catch up via 4oD or streaming from other website. I love that my inner valetudinarian can seek medicinal solutions without having to visit a doctor. I love the satisfaction of being able to open up my PC and sort a problem out and my ability to program in a number of languages. In fact I want to do another Cisco course or something else computing related after Uni. 

What I don’t like is that technology is slowly sucking away the joys of the simple things. I can’t remember the last time I got a hand written letter. I can’t remember the last time I went to the library to take out a book that wasn’t educational. [I do read fiction books but not nearly as much as I would like.]  I can’t remember the last day I went without using my laptop let alone the last day I went without using my phone. The paradox of technology is that never before have there been so many conveniences yet we complain about having no time. 
 

It is thanks to technology that I’m able to share my opinions with you... However, I urge you to shake things up a little this week. Pick up a book. Send someone a letter. Play a board game. Make someone a card. (Check out some of my ones below – I do sell them so get in touch if you are interested...) Do something old school. Do something a bit personal. I’m gonna be doing the same! =] 

-K