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I believe there is an underlying misunderstanding of technology because people don’t realize that it reveals us more about ourselves than typical social interactions ever could. In Change of Absent Presence, the idea of social norms is constantly being brought up. The context is most often with the changing of behaviors. These changes are also often attached to a fear or negative opinion. For example, on page 235 the article says, “My concern here is with the emergence of a world of meaning cut away from the pragmatics of everyday life.” I take issue with a few things being said here. I don’t think technology necessarily takes away from the pragmatics of everyday life. I think that too often we distance ourselves from technological advances. We like to act as though technology is its own self functioning entity, not a creation of humanity. We adapt around our own creations and change how we interact, not because it forces us to, but because we decide the new social norm. On twitter the word count was not determined by the website, it was chosen by the developers. From their guidelines a new way of communicating was born and we chose to adapt to it. This adaptation should be recognized as it reveals how susceptible we are not only to change, but to social pressures we put upon ourselves.
All of this being said, I will admit that certain groundbreaking technologies such as computers and cell phones created far more radical changes in our society than the apps of today. I believe the article does do the social and societal changes caused by cell phones justice. It acknowledges the fact that we are glued to them, in this age of constant social media we seldom take the time to look around and interact with those around us. I often think of how often I spend time on my own devices. I would say 60% of my day, while awake, is spent on some sort of device. It is a strange thing to think about, yet it is true. Technology has been implemented into every part of my life. Movies like Her paint the picture of a man obsessed with the computer based in his phone more specifically an I whom he slowly falls in love with. This idea is fascinating. As I just said I spend more than half of my day on some form of technological device, but if my best friend was also in these devices I doubt I would ever put it down. I personally don’t use social media so I don’t know how I would feel about an interactive computer living with me. Either way I think that Her paints a picture that is not so far fetched. We already are buried within the technology we created, so it is not too far fetched to think we will soon build ourselves into obsoleteness. It is hard to imagine, but I think it is an important thought to consider as technology develops constantly around us.
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Posted from My blog by Patrick H.