When I read the abstinence assignment and I saw that I had to abstain from the internet I thought it would be easy. Little did I realize how much I rely on the internet in my daily life until I was unable to use it as a source. I started my twenty-four hour period on Thursday at noon until the following day. Usually when I get home from my summer course I like to check my email and then surf different websites that I'm interested in. I also like to go on facebook to see if any of my distant friends have sent me a message. So without the internet I found other things to do which was fine until I really wanted to look up information. When my friend told me she had heard Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson had died on the same day (Thursday) but was unsure, I wanted to look it up online and see if she was right. She asked me if this really was the case and I told her, "Well normally I would look it up, but I can't." I realized at that moment that the internet is a huge source of information for me whether its email, friends, weather, movie stars, sports...you name it. I even look up how to spell certain words online instead of using a good old dictionary like I used to do. The internet has become such a commodity of convenience for me.
In chapter one of Wood and Smith's novel they explain how much of an impact the internet has placed on society. On page 21 it states, "The Internet, it seems, is the forum, and hence the place, where people have turned to find their sense of community once again." I can't help but agree because I know in my personal life I do a lof of communicating through email or via facebook. I even used the word "surf" in my first paragraph without even realizing it until now. On the same page (21) the term surfing is correlated with space and is commonly used by people to describe their specific action. This term was created to better establish an identity and commonality with people, hence the community mentioned by Wood and Smith.
Postman also examines the use of technology in his first chapter relating to Thamus and I think he made a crucial discovery when on page 11 he states, "As Thamus prophesied that the specialized knowledge of the masters of a new technology is a form of wisdom." The internet is always evolving into bigger and better things that people continually want. Thamus and Postman are exactly right. Knowing about computers and the internet is crucial in our society. Yes, of course you can survive without the internet, we have done it in the past and many people are still doing so today. The point that is being made is that having knowledge and an expertise when it comes to technology and internet will give you a form of wisdom that sets you apart from others because you have a very intricate specialized knowledge. Sure I can login to my accounts, surf the web and fix a few minor difficulties I may have along the way but in no shape or form am I a master of the internet or technology in general. Thamus didn't know of computers or the internet but his point is still relevant because it is becoming a very specialized to be educated of the systems.
Not having the internet did affect my ability to communicate. I even had a friend who was nice enough to ask if I got his message because I hadn't responded in a while. What does that tell you? I rely on the internet more than I thought and because I was unable to use it for a very short amount of time I didn't respond to his message. It makes me wonder what I would do if I completely stopped using the internet for a week or two...perhaps inevitably. Would I be able to do it, or have I become so heavily reliant on it? I know I don't spend hours on end on the internet but I do spend quite some time emailing. I think I spent my time more wisely when I had to abstain because I accomplished more tasks, didn't become as distracted and chose to do more constructive things. I think this particular assignment says a lot about our culture and our need for technology and more importantly the internet. I guarantee the majority of us taking this class rely heavily on it for information, even just finding a great recipe to make for the family. I know I'm guilty of using the internet for so many things I don't like how much I have begun to rely on it quite frankly. Does anyone else rely on the internet a lot for information, whatever it may be?
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I thought your mention of relying on the internet for many things, even as a dictionary, was interesting. In fact, the other day my boss came over to my desk at work and asked if I had a dictionary she might borrow. My response? "Dictionary.com." I was almost a little taken back by how quickly I referred her to the internet, and didn't even stop to think about where she might find a paper copy in our office. In fact, I know there are dicitionaries in our office, but I have absolutely no idea where! With immediate access to the internet, I've never cared enough to find them.
ReplyDeleteI also liked your comment about how your friend asked if you'd go his message. While a little absurd, we really have come to expect everyone (including ourselves) to be connected all the time. Not only do we expect this with friends, but also at work or school. We start to get annoyed when a professor doesn't email us back in a day or less. Clearly, what could they possibly be doing that could be more important than responding to our questions? :) At work, if I email someone and don't hear back from them within a day, I often go find them in person to demand (ok, not really demand) an answer to what I'd written. It really is amazing how dependent we are on the internet, and what we've come to expect because of it.
I completely agree with your thoughts on what kind of culture the Internet has turned us into. We rely so heavily on this "central brain" of information....it's almost too easy to find anything one wants to find....phone numbers, recipes, addresses, pictures, video, etc. While writing blogs and other online assignments for other classes, I even find myself Googling a word I'm unsure of how to spell...it's like second nature to just open a tab and look it up. The Internet's made our lives so much easier....but is it getting too easy?
ReplyDeleteI think that you made a really good point when you mention that the nature of the relationship with each person has a bearing on the tone and mode of communication. You're right that handwritting a note entails more attention to detail for some people and I do think that it can convey an extra special effort put into it. I guess there's room for both and good points both for and against both as well.
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