This was the question posed to us in class.
I think yes. With our generation in specific the generation of technology, people are worrying that we are losing our face-to-face skills. There are people my age who would rather Facebook someone or email them instead of meeting with them in person. I think that's partly because of how comfortable we are with technology and the internet. There are also vocabulary changes. For example, when we text we may say "jk", "lol" or "ttyl". These stand for phrases, such as "just kidding", "laugh out loud" and "talk to you later". There are some people I know that use these in regular speech. I think it's acceptable in a digital sphere, but not in verbal communication. It's one of those things that began online and worked it's way into other digital platforms, such as cell phones, and may continue to work it's way elsewhere. It's acceptable in a digital world because it saves time, it's more technical, and it's the norm. However, when you're talking with someone offline, it's just as easy to say the words as opposed to the letters.
I also think that being in a digital sphere, we have become used to things happening quickly and without pause. When we're communicating, we may feel rushed or wonder why someone else is taking so long to get their point across. We're used to efficiency, though not always correctness. When we communicate, we've been molded by the digital sphere to expect certain things, such as a rapid response or accessibility to more information. I was watching a tv show the other day and one character asked of another, what is this? The second character said, "I thought Google eliminated the need to ask questions". This was interesting to me because with this day and age, we do rely on Google for a lot of information. Will this eliminate our ability to ask questions in conversations? Will I eventually feel embarrassed to ask what something is or for more clarification, or will I pretend to know and look it up later?
I the same tv show, a character mentioned something about Instagram. The second character said something along the lines of: "twitter is stupid and Instagram is Twitter for people who can't read". This made me wonder if digital rhetoric is affecting us in different ways. This character may feel that social media is stupid, but what if I use it for profesional connections and research? Then it will affect us differently.
Those are my thoughts.
Other authors have pondered similar questions about if google is making us stupid. It is clear even from our discussion this morning about the differences in mental processing when typing versus physically writing what we think. There is a change taking place, but what is that change? Some definitely define it as making us "worse" at critical contemplation. We are expected to use so many processes or digital mechanics, but does that make us stupid? Is this different than what occurs in physical space or even in pre/no-Internet spaces?
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your explanation of our generation becoming used to things happening quickly, especially when you explain that, "We're used to efficiency, though not always correctness." I think this can get tied to Ong's concept of our preoccupation with hermeneutics, and the urgency to interpret and understand something- which can distantly be related to Wendy's questioning of the change we are going through when communicating...We're going through a change that involves the transformation of traditional forms of communication and information into...well, into new and "improved" (efficient but not always correct--but can be corrected for us (think of our auto-correct!!)) and faster communication and information systems.
ReplyDeleteAt times, well almost every time I post, I mention how this creeps me out, bur really, it worries me. If we are beginning to form these new ways in which we communicate at inhumanly speeds and are consuming inhumanly amounts of information, that are only possible with our advancing technologies, how much can our bodies and minds take?..I mean we are only human. How many identities do we need to have online when there's only one of us? In how many different situations and environments do we have to defend who we are..when we could possibly be several different forms of ourselves. Are we going to be able to handle it all? I can't imagine I'm the only one struggling to continue to update my twitter, facebook, instagram, linkedIn, digital rhetorics blog, web design blog, etc. I guess it's only a matter of time before we come up with something that will aid in us that aspect of our advanced lives as well.
so maybe we need to be selective about what technologies we use. fe, we do not have cable television. Yes, I know, that is....well...unusual, but we started it while I was in grad school to save money and then realized that we could stream things commercial free if we really wanted them.
ReplyDeleteSo then becomes the big question-what technologies do you want to use and why?