...aside from being the bar where Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese encountered the first Terminator in the year 1984, refers to an underlying theme in nearly all of James Cameron's movies, which is man vs. machine, and how very often the things we create to make our lives better end up dominating us. Sometimes I wonder about this often myself.
I think about all the hours I burn up on Facebook, or MySpace, or writing these little rants here. Would I be better served if I gave up these things altogether? Are there worse habits? Is my writing entirely organic, expressing things that I would if I just sat here with a pen and a pad, or do I only scribe this shit because the technology exists? I mean, it's fair to say that technology does influence a very real portion of my life. I have a cell phone and an iPod that I basically never, ever leave the house without. I think as far as the iPod is concerned, it's simply an extension of the same Discman or Walkman that I have been leaving home with since about the time I was 13 years old. I have always adored music, and have always gravitated towards the best possible technology available to experience music. The fact that I can hold my entire music collection in a package that's about as large as an old cassette tape still blows my mind.
It is my absolute favorite piece of gear I own.
My phone is a whole 'nother ball of wax. I have taken to text messaging in a major way...and sometimes I really can't stand it. I feel as if I have fallen into the trap of substituting texting for real human conversations, even those that would have otherwise taken place on the phone. I mean, partially it's an adaptive thing, attending college and socializing with people that age has opened me up to that whole thing...but I don't know that it is such a good thing.
Let alone when I'm drunk and resort to texting. Bad times.
Sometimes I think I need a really, really long vacation from technology. I just wanna abandon it. Get up, go drive off somewhere, leave it behind. Is that even possible anymore? On this continent or any other?
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A rolling study of people, music, cinema, and the misadventures of a single college student.
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About Me
- James IV
- Tucson, Arizona, United States
- A student at the University Of Arizona, I am a recovering political science major, currently pursuing a major in media arts. I am working on a screenplay and stand-up material, hoping to cut my teeth at open mic night at Laff's this summer. I studied Japanese in Nagoya, Japan in the summer of 2008 and can't wait to go back.
3 comments:
It's an interesting dilemma. I think about this too, sometimes. For example, on Friday morning all the computers were down for almost an hour at work. Patron's couldn't use the internet, we couldn't check email, etc. It was extremely relaxing, and closer to what I imagine libraries used to be like.
But let me play devil's advocate for a moment. We face the same kinds of issues with every new technology, at least in terms of the art world. When societies become literate, for example, our memory capacity takes a nosedive because we can just write it all down. Literacy has fundamentally changed the fabric of society and how we transmit knowledge to future generations. Does that make it bad, or inhuman? And you know, it goes the other way too. I've heard many people report that when they write an email they feel confident and simply type what they think, but when they sit down to write a letter by hand they suddenly freeze up, feel more vulnerable and feel like whatever they write will be permanent.
We are curious creatures.
Well, if it weren't for blogs, most guys wouldn't be writing their memoirs. Think about it... how many dudes write diarie... excuse me, JOURNALS? I don't know about you, but the only time I wrote a journal was when I was forced to back in grade school. Having an actual audience who can read it from anywhere in the world, not to mention that typing a blog is much faster than writing a journal entry (at least for me).
I don't think a blog is a waste of time if it helps you personally. To vent frustrations, to rationalize your feelings, etc. I think a blog can help a person stay sane sometimes. Don't dismiss it as a waste of time.
As for text messaging, well... I would call rather than text if it actually wasn't so expensive out here in Japan. If I lived in the US again, I'd rather be calling. ESPECIALLY if the person lives in the same town. There's no excuse to drop a text when you can drop a line just as easily.
I don't mind the technology jump. Just gotta know when to use it without becoming too lazy IMO.
@Ms. Angie- There's a huge kernel of truth there. Every society has had to contend with some new wrinkle and what it means to their ability to relate. I also agree that when I usually take a pen to a pad for an actual letter anymore...it's usually because I have something very serious or heartfelt to get across. So it's almost like the old form has evolved into the ultra-formal.
@Ed- I actually used to write journals and whatnot...but then again, I've had the writing bug for a very long time. I suppose like anything else, it just needs to be practiced in moderation.
Something I've never been good at.
:)
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