The media depravation experiment began over the Thanksgiving weekend. For 24 hours, my girlfriend and I turned off our cell phones, unplugged our television, and turned off our computer. Being the competitive person that I am, I placed a bet that I would make it though the entire day and she couldn’t. The winner would have to cover the bar tab on Saturday. It was by far the most difficult thing that I have ever done. The peace and quiet was killing me, and I actually went jogging for the first time in a long time and started working out again. In the end, my girlfriend couldn’t hold out any longer and I won the bet.
We have become so reliable on technology it’s almost sickening to think that we are so dependent. When I lived with my parents and the power would go out at our house, we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. We would find our old black and white television and huddle around that trying to find a good reception. Even when we are forced to go without technology by Mother Nature, we still find ways to grab hold of some form of technology. Media, especially when watching movies or getting on My Space, allows us to step out of the norm and into a different reality. Some people who have My Space profiles allow themselves to step out of reality and become “cooler online”. Watching a movie places us the jungle with Rambo, in the boxing ring with Rocky, or in the hospital with our favorite characters on Scrubs. High definition television allows us to be at the big game cheering on our favorite sports teams or at the race track riding along with our favorite NASCAR drivers.
Technology has also allowed us to shop and do research from the safety of our home. We don’t have to stand in line at department stores and go to the library late at night. Who knows who is out there waiting to attack us. Personally, I applaud the advances in technology. Have we become dependent on this phenomenon, of course we have. These technological advances have become a necessity and it’s time we embrace these advances and not reject them like so many others have.
We have become so reliable on technology it’s almost sickening to think that we are so dependent. When I lived with my parents and the power would go out at our house, we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. We would find our old black and white television and huddle around that trying to find a good reception. Even when we are forced to go without technology by Mother Nature, we still find ways to grab hold of some form of technology. Media, especially when watching movies or getting on My Space, allows us to step out of the norm and into a different reality. Some people who have My Space profiles allow themselves to step out of reality and become “cooler online”. Watching a movie places us the jungle with Rambo, in the boxing ring with Rocky, or in the hospital with our favorite characters on Scrubs. High definition television allows us to be at the big game cheering on our favorite sports teams or at the race track riding along with our favorite NASCAR drivers.
Technology has also allowed us to shop and do research from the safety of our home. We don’t have to stand in line at department stores and go to the library late at night. Who knows who is out there waiting to attack us. Personally, I applaud the advances in technology. Have we become dependent on this phenomenon, of course we have. These technological advances have become a necessity and it’s time we embrace these advances and not reject them like so many others have.
3 comments:
I'm so glad you still think that our media advances are a good thing! I think a lot of people have a negative approach on this assignment, but I think it made me appreciate the technology I have in my life. We're only using what has been given to us in our age of technology and we can't be blamed for that.
Your non-technology day sounds a whole lot like mine- full of misery and difficulty, with a side of jogging and other exercises. Nonetheless, congrats on winning your bet. I can't say the same for myself, thanks to my mom's vicious mind games. However, this assignment made me truly appreciate all of the technology that I've been blessed with.
Also, I totally agree with your view. Technology upgrades should be applauded. It's because of technology upgrades that living is easier today than thirty years ago.
Whether it's researching for school or looking up directions to a certain destination, many people, for many years, have tried to find ways to invent or upgrade technology so that it could be at the level it's at today. Now that this goal has been accomplished, what are people whinin' about?!
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