I first saw this picture taken by Wong Fu Productions, and since I have a MacBookPro myself, I decided to take a similar picture. First, let me note that this picture was take a few months ago. I have not taken any pictures this week because I just decided to begin a photo-blog. Second, I will post my weekly photo-blogs between Sundays and Mondays from now on.
This generation has gone through one of the most society-altering revolutions knows to man, maybe except for fire. Although I am practically in love with technology, especially Apple products, I find that this digital revolution has made us absolutely dependent upon everything run by electricity. We are practically need to be connected with the world constantly. People freak out when they get no cellular service or 3G service; others cannot live without texting someone for less than one hour. I find that very pathetic. For the record, I was without internet and cellular service for 13 days during the summer.
No matter how much I long for technology, I sometimes feel much more satified when I do things the "analog" way. For example, I write in a journal that is pen and paper. It is hard to explain, but it feels that much more important than a file in my computer with the title "jounal.doc." I cheerish that little book much more than my $200 chemistry textbook, and to some extent my MacBookPro. And when I see my cousins' children play with their toys, I actually feel pity for them because they did not ge to experience the "life:" when we got those refrigerator boxes, cut out windows, and played house. Crayons and finger painting on paper. Bicicyles. Foot-powered toy cars. Now they have Wii and computers and iPods and PSPs and NickJr.com. What happened to our world?
Does this technology make life more simple or too complicated? Yes, to some extent it does make life much simple, but will we come to a point where technology eliminates the need to evolve as a species? I hope all of you have seen Wall-E. It is by far one of the best Pixar/Disney animations. And even though it is fiction, I cannot but help to believe that someday, our society will be like that: while we sit in chairs, robots, technology, and programs will run our lives. We need to get out, away from the HD 1080p, and run outside. We need that society when neighbors actually know each other and father and son go outside to toss the ball.
I wrote an essay on the effect of technology and the internet on the world today for my College Writing Requirement test. I can honestly say it was a ... compelling argument (because I passed). There was a young boy who appeared on Oprah a couple of years ago. He obtained a webcam that he began to use in his room and naively began talking to strangers. From this point, he discovered that he got money and gift from older men for just taking his clothes off in front of the camera. This later lead to drugs. He began to widthdraw from life, hardly ever coming out of him room, refusing to talk to his mother, and flying to Las Vegas to meet someone he met online. Even with all the parental controls, there will always be atleast one incident of this, somewhere in the world.
And now that we have begun a new year and a new presidency, I hope that we can change, for the better. Technology is our greatest achievment, yet maybe our greatest downfall.
