BLOG 1: How Plugged In Are We?
Technology is apart of our everyday life and everything we do involves some sort of technology. Watching TV, playing video games, using our smartphones, etc are all factors from technology. Technology has impacted many things that we do on a day to day basis. When it come to communications, it has really changed the way we communicate and has changed the way communicators do their jobs. Even though it is so prevalent today, technology wasn't always the next best thing for people. I remember times when we couldn't text or send pictures via our phones. We couldn't search the web as quickly as we can today or when we barely had enough energy to keep getting up and turning the knob on the tv to find a channel that actually worked. Yes, technology made improvements to those things and made it much simpler to perform any task, however, it still has left some holes to be fixed. I think because of how dependent we are on our phones and how we expect information at the speed of light, we forget what is really important sometimes and we forget how to actually communicate and listen to someone. Many days there are times where I find myself too preoccupied with what is on the screen in front of me that I totally ignore the person I am with. It is scary to see how “zoned” out we become and how quickly we can lose all sense of reality. Understanding the strengths, the weaknesses and the potential of technology is and will be important now and in the future.
With the advancements of technology such as phones, tablets, laptops, etc people have been able to enhance their ability for communication and for journalists and others to do their job. Because of how quickly information can be shared in today's society, it is imperative for communicators to understand what they are trying to say and how they need to present it. With platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and just the internet itself, allow for communicators to spread news quickly. Today, in contrast to the past, we have tools such as email compared to handwritten letters. Email is Email let us send documents to any part of the globe within seconds, making telegrams and even ordinary letters mostly obsolete. The Internet has thus increased the speed of communications manifold, and reduced the costs drastically (Nayab, 2014).
The internet and social media have made the role of communication easier and more efficient. By being able to log on from anywhere at anytime and connect with someone around the globe in a matter of minutes, shows how technology has changed the way we interact. It seems that no longer are people sitting down and chatting anymore, instead they always seem to just be plugged in to whatever is in front of them. Without technology, it almost feels as though communicators have to work double. Technology makes it easier to navigate around different platforms, it makes it easier to reach out to others and allows for stories and information to spread rapidly with a click of a button. Technology is who we are today. It is constant change, it is a sense of reality and it provides us with joy and happiness when we need it.
Technology has impacted many things that we do on a day to day basis. When it come to communications, it has really changed the way we communicate and has changed the way communicators do their jobs. The advancements of technology such as phones, tablets, laptops, etc have enhanced the ability for communicators to do their job. Because of how quickly information can be shared in today's society, it is imperative for communicators to understand what they are trying to say and how they need to present it. With platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and just the internet itself, allow for communicators to spread news quickly. Today, in contrast to the past, we have tools such as email compared to handwritten letters. Email is Email let us send documents to any part of the globe within seconds, making telegrams and even ordinary letters mostly obsolete. The Internet has thus increased the speed of communications manifold, and reduced the costs drastically (Nayab, 2014).
The internet and social media have made the role of communication easier and more efficient. By being able to log on from anywhere at anytime and connect with someone around the globe in a matter of minutes, shows how technology has changed the way we interact. It seems that no longer are people sitting down and chatting anymore, instead they always seem to just be plugged in to whatever is in front of them. Without technology, it almost feels as though communicators have to work double. Technology makes it easier to navigate around different platforms, it makes it easier to reach out to others and allows for stories and information to spread rapidly with a click of a button. Technology is who we are today. It is constant change, it is a sense of reality and it provides us with joy and happiness when we need it.
Nayab, N. (2014, October 24). How Has Technology Changed Communication? Retrieved from http://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/79052-exploring-how-technology-has-changed-communication/
BLOG 2: Social Media in Regards to Communication
We know that technology has had a drastic impact on how we communicate and in my eyes the biggest factor contributing to that impact is that of social media. With top Social Networks like Facebook And YouTube both exceeding a billion monthly active users it has completely redefined the way we build and maintain relationships. Further it has found its way into our offices, living rooms and even at our dinner tables; it has even become our preferred way of meeting people for intimate relationships (Newman, 2014). Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram have all transformed the way we view information and they have all created a platform where everyone can share anything they want, whenever they want. Social media is everywhere and there is no escaping it. Without social media, most of the information we receive today, we wouldn't actually look for. People wouldn't know as much about each other or about what is going on in the world today if it was TWEETED everywhere. We have the capability to stay connected to a world or people and information at the click of a button and it is about time we understand what social media is and how we can benefit.
With how our culture is today, people tend to forget that communication existed prior to mobile devices. Far too often, you see people with their head in their phone, rather than paying attention to the person they are sitting or standing across from. It is like we cannot take our eyes off of our phone in case we missed a tweet or a text. When did talking and enjoying company become such a burden?` Internet-based social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook allow people to communicate with friends, family, colleagues and even complete strangers in an online forum. These sites allow people to share information and photos with others, regardless of the physical miles that otherwise may have prevented them from doing so (Orth, n.d). It is crazy to think how quickly technology has advanced over the years. Before social media, we were extremely limited in our means to interact with others and we were limited largely to the people that we knew in-person. There were things we (those my age and older) had to deal with that millennials do not have to – your significant other’s parent answering the phone when you called, waiting for a letter in the mail, waiting a week to get your pictures that you sent off to be developed, and so on (Edwards, 2015). To understand more about how Social media impacts communication go to http://millennialceo.com/social-media/social-media-changed-communicate/
Edwards, M. (2015, March 17). How Social Media Has Changed How We Communicate - Millennial CEO. Retrieved from http://millennialceo.com/social-media/social-media-changed-communicate/
Newman, D. (2014, May 13). 4 Technology Trends Disrupting How We Communicate - Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2014/05/13/4-technology-trends-disrupting-how-we-communicate/
Orth, M. (n.d.). Technology & How We Communicate | Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/technology-communicate-27322.html
BLOG 3: The Role of Cell Phones In Regards To Communication
Technology is everywhere and is always improving. Cell phones are becoming personal assistants and computers are becoming libraries. People no longer physically talk about their emotions, they don't ask questions and they don't generally speak face to face. Instead, people always seem to be interested in what their phone is showing them. What people lose, when they are always using technology is that emotional aspect of face to face communication. That ability to understand and catalogue emotions is more important than ever since the advent of the Internet, social media and texting. When Marc Brackett was growing up, there was no Facebook for venting, no emoji catalog to illustrate his feelings, no online community to listen. But in an age with more methods than ever to talk online, researchers are now studying whether this is changing the way people communicate (Johnson, 2014). It wouldn't be fair to say that technology has no bearing on our lives and that without technology people wouldn't be as smart as they are today.
Because of how easy it is to connect online and to connect with other people using all sources of technology, people are really becoming weaker when it comes to how they communicate. Researchers are finding that people communicate more often with family and friends because of technology, but the quality of that communication may be weaker. Kids who spend more time engaging with a screen than with other kids or adults can struggle to understand emotion, create strong relationships or become more dependent on others (Johnson, 2014). The impact that technology is having on people, is causing people to become less responsible and less driven, instead, it is creating a platform where people can speak freely, speak in slang and basically say what they want without any repercussions. Technology advancements are always great, however, with each advancement there is always a negative. My opinion, because of how easy it is to fall into the social media trap, people are becoming less cognizant of what is going on around them and are having difficulties separating reality and fantasy (the electronic world we are obsessed with) and instead they just seem to think they live a life that they don't.
Johnson, C. (2014, August 29). Face time vs. screen time: The technological impact on communication | Deseret News National. Retrieved from http://national.deseretnews.com/article/2235/face-time-vs-screen-time-the-technological-impact-on-communication.html
BLOG 4: Technology and Everything Else
Technology and everything else
Do you remember when you could go to a restaurant and have a conversation with the person you are sitting with? Not anymore, thanks in large part to advancements in technology. Take a glance around a restaurant and you’ll be hard-pressed to find people who don’t have their heads down using their cell phones to text, Tweet, or update their Facebook statuses—all while sharing a meal with others at their table.(Keller, 2013). We are so consumed with what is going on in our “cyber” lives that we sometimes forget to look at what is going on in our real lives. Our culture has been changed and some may say for the good while others may say for the worse. According to Paul Booth, PhD, an assistant professor of media and cinema studies in the College of Communication at DePaul University in Chicago, social media certainly affects how we engage with one another across all venues and ages. “There has been a shift in the way we communicate; rather than face-to-face interaction, we’re tending to prefer mediated communication,” he says. “We’d rather e-mail than meet; we’d rather text than talk on the phone.” (Keller, 2013). Communicating via e-mail
or text is easier than face to face. Technology has allowed for people to hide behind devices, it has created platforms where free speech is expected and it creates opportunities for people to interact with others all around the world. Because of this, we expect to have everything at the touch of our finger and we don't want to wait for it. People fear that the current generations are not utilizing their brains as much and that we are relying too much on our devices. We’re becoming more focused on quick fun — such as a game of Angry Birds on the iPhone — than on reading books or magazines. Researchers found the rapid pace of technology can lead to more nimble thinking, but that “trends are leading to a future in which most people are shallow consumers of information. A lot of things that are really valuable take time,” Worthy said. “But immediate gratification is the default response. It’s difficult to overcome those urges and be patient and wait for things to come over time” (Muther, 2013). Without technology, we wouldn't have the ability to take online courses, we wouldn't be able to communicate with family as well as we do and we wouldn't be able to stay informed and up to date with everything that is going on in the world. Technology really has played a huge role in our lives and it has drastically changed the way we talk, the way we write, and the way in which we receive information. We don't want to wait for the news, we want the news NOW!.
Keller, M. (2013, June). Social Media and Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/051313p10.shtml
Muther, C. (2013, February 2). The growing culture of impatience, where instant gratification makes us crave more instant gratification - The Boston Globe. Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2013/02/01/the-growing-culture-impatience-where-instant-gratification-makes-crave-more-instant-gratification/q8tWDNGeJB2mm45fQxtTQP/story.html
BLOG 5: Just Google It
If you have never heard the words “Just Google It” then you must have been living under a rock. Ever since I can remember people have told me to GOOGLE it. Google has made itself into the top search engine on the internet and has allowed for people to find anything they are looking for and more. Before search engines like Google, we had libraries and books, we had encyclopedias and personal stories. Today, we have an online database that houses anything we are looking for and provides us that information in a mere few seconds. If Google isnt an example of how Technology has changed us, then I don't know what is. Social media has transformed how we communicate, it has changed how we view news and it has created a sense of urgency for everyone in today’s world. The internet has changed how we research and it has created a platform where we can find anything at anytime without hesitation. Prior to Google and social media, research was done manually. We would spend hours filling through books for any information in regards to what we are writing. We would need to jot notes down and highlight and physically find the information we needed. Today, however, with Google, nothing is off limits. We are living in an accelerated culture. Information moves at a rapid pace, and we are inundated with a daily deluge of content. The marrying of social media, digital and mobile technologies has facilitated this acceleration. In a tremendously short period of time, social media has transformed the way in which we live, work and play. Consider that the average mobile user checks his or her phone more than 100 times a day, and Facebook 14 times a day. The directive “Just Google it” has become part of the lexicon (Kruh, 2014). Everyone has a smart phone today, everyone has the internet and everyone is always “plugged” in. We read and get our news from our devices or platforms, we text or message to communicate and we browse, share or like to make a point and tell someone that we agree. Social media is everywhere, it impacts everyone and it really has changed the way that we live. It has altered the way we engage and communicate ideas. It has significantly redefined our relationships with people and communities, both local and abroad, and has forever changed the way we do business. These changes are not evolutionary, but revolutionary. People need to move with this transformation, not avoid it. Today’s technologies will soon be out of date, and will have evolved into something new tomorrow (Kruh, 2014). Because of the how much information a platform like google can store and because no topic is off limits, Google seems to be the main “hub” for people when trying to learn and figure something out. Search engines, social media outlets and the internet have created a culture shift of how our information and our news is recdeived today. Before these things, we used to have to write everything out, we used to have to go to libraries to search for information and we used to have to take notes and document things. Once that information was received, we wrote a rough draft, then we would make edits and write it again. With social media and with the internet, there is no need for multiple drafts. Social media allows you to write what you want when you want without ever having to make changes. We can quickly delete, erase and revise in a matter of seconds with online platforms. Because the internet allows us to copy and past, it has made research and finding relevant information to highlight and use in a writing piece, easier to find and use. The internet has made it easier to search for anything of your choice in a matter of seconds.
The phrase “Just Google It” has been used for a long time as I remember when I was in school years ago, when we asked a question our teachers would say that we could always Google it. We can learn, discover and create anything we want with Google and Google is known throughout the world. When someone has a question, they say Google it, when a news story breaks and you want more info, they say Google it. Technology has allowed Google to thrive and it has impacted the way we receive news and information and it has changed the way we communicate.
Kruh, W. (2014, June 29). Social media have changed how we communicate ideas - The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/social-media-have-changed-how-we-communicate-ideas/article19385666/
BLOG 6: Technologies Impact on Society and Culture
Throughout the theme of these blogs we have talked about how technology has made changes to the way we communicate. We have mentioned that social media has created platforms for us to interact with people all around the world and it has allowed us to say what we want, when we want and to who we want without any real repercussion. In a sense, social media has allowed us all to be tough guys at times and it has helped people create persona’s of the people they want to be compared to the people they are. When I think about technology and everything that comes with, I tend to find myself missing the old days. I miss pen and pencils, I miss paper and creating a masterpiece, mainly I miss having ideas and being able to write myself through it. I am someone who has always enjoyed writing. I remember writing rough draft after rough draft in middle school only to re-write it again in Pen to make it professional. The ability to manual see my changes and to create a story really resonated with me. I liked to physically write because it kept me engaged and made me cognizant of everything I was creating. Today, technology has greatly impacted the way we write as it has changed the concepts and the structure in which we were accustomed to. With the internet, the ease with which we delete or expand, cut and paste, add or subtract might have resulted in the loss of thought and introspection that previous generations of writers put into their work. The act of putting pen to paper requires thought — hence all the writing and discussion of the fear of a blank page. Even writing in pencil is far more of a commitment to the work than simply tapping away at your keyboard (Fetzer. 2014). We used to spend loads of hours researching, preparing, sharpening, writing and rewriting, double checking and even erasing, just to make sure what we wrote was perfect.
Gone are the days where I would write the name and title of each song on a cd in order to create my very own Mix Tape. I used to label movies and games and I also organized my cd's in alphabetical order, however, today, we can search for and download any song that we please. We can create playlists in a matter of minutes and have the songs downloaded instantly. We have programs that will do all the labeling for your and will put everything in order how you like it.
Technology has taken away the manual labor aspect of everything, but it has allowed for more content and quicker turnaround times. The biggest difference today is that we punch keys on the keyboard, string sentences together and can quickly delete or revise and even fact check in a matter of minutes. Platforms such as social media have impacted the written word as well I feel as though we are venturing into a world where full sentences are going by the wayside and being replaced with hashtags and character limits. Everything you read on the internet today ,consists of some sort of abbreviation or a snip it of an actual story. People don't seem to be taking the time to really put an effort into what is being written and are instead quickly just writing what they feel as quickly as possible. Written words already hold a dominant place in our society. They are the primary way we generate, communicate and store ideas. Look at our laws (the Constitution), moral code (the Bible) and culture (books, lyrics, movies, newspapers, plays, television). But the landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Writing is being reshaped in four exciting ways. More people are writing more frequently and in more formats. There are more than 2 billion email users; 180 million blogs; 400 million daily tweets; and 8.6 trillion SMS annual text messages (Budig & Heap, 2013). Because technology allows for so many different platforms, writing is becoming easier. Texting has allowed for shortcuts such as spelling and acronyms, email has altered the path of memo’s and ideas and blogging has opened opportunities for people to speak their mind without ever having to really answer any questions. Stories, articles, news updates, etc can all be received in a matter of minutes due to the speed of the internet, whereas years ago, we didn't receive updates until days later because everything had to be hand written. Without technology, I fear that writing and how we communicate would be stale and there wouldn’t be as many creative ideas or platforms to incorporate our thoughts.
To see how Texting affects teens and everyone today, go to: http://www.medicaldaily.com/can-texting-ruin-childs-grammar-and-spelling-impact-learning-write-cell-phone-288950
Budig, G., & Heaps, A. (2013, August 7). Are we in the middle of a writing revolution? Column. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/08/07/writing-revolution-digital-technology-column/2621353/
Fetzer, D. (2014, August 20). How Technology Affects the Way We Write | LitReactor. Retrieved from https://litreactor.com/columns/how-technology-affects-the-way-we-write
BLOG 7: Conclusion
When it comes to how technology impacts mass media, we need to really look at the strengths and weaknesses of each platforms and decide what it is that can be improved vs what can be enhanced. Technology has allowed for communication to be greater, it has created avenues for people to connect all across the world at the same time and it has really given people the opportunity to say what they want, when they want and how they want. Even though there have been many great enhancements with technology, there have been some pitfalls as well. Platforms like Twitter, really limit how much you can say and require you to think about what you're going to write as you only have 140 characters. Facebook is usually convoluted with advertisements and people's political views, while everything else is just sharing or photos or ideas. It seems that with these advancements that we have made with technology, the more problems we need to fix. Because of how we are so transfixed on getting our message out and receiving information as quick as possible, I fear that technology is overcoming us. I think Twitter should start creating separate pages where actual journalists and writers can write more than 140 characters in regards to specific stories and updates. I think people should be allowed “extra” characters based off severity and quality of tweeting habits. With Facebook, I feel that you should have to create an interest platform, and that you shouldn't be allowed to post political views and/or what you ate for dinner. You should have the option with Facebook to be allowed to dislike something and to go “Incognito” like with Google Chrome so that you can browse without anyone ever knowing you are on. Technology could be enhanced to accommodate more of the interest that people have and could be used to improve what is lacking in our platforms and our communication, instead of always trying to create different ways of doing something.
Technology is apart of our everyday life and everything we do involves some sort of technology. Watching TV, playing video games, using our smartphones, etc are all factors from technology. Technology has impacted many things that we do on a day to day basis. When it come to communications, it has really changed the way we communicate and has changed the way communicators do their jobs. Even though it is so prevalent today, technology wasn't always the next best thing for people. I remember times when we couldn't text or send pictures via our phones. We couldn't search the web as quickly as we can today or when we barely had enough energy to keep getting up and turning the knob on the tv to find a channel that actually worked. Yes, technology made improvements to those things and made it much simpler to perform any task, however, it still has left some holes to be fixed. I think because of how dependent we are on our phones and how we expect information at the speed of light, we forget what is really important sometimes and we forget how to actually communicate and listen to someone. Many days there are times where I find myself too preoccupied with what is on the screen in front of me that I totally ignore the person I am with. It is scary to see how “zoned” out we become and how quickly we can lose all sense of reality. Understanding the strengths, the weaknesses and the potential of technology is and will be important now and in the future.
With the advancements of technology such as phones, tablets, laptops, etc people have been able to enhance their ability for communication and for journalists and others to do their job. Because of how quickly information can be shared in today's society, it is imperative for communicators to understand what they are trying to say and how they need to present it. With platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and just the internet itself, allow for communicators to spread news quickly. Today, in contrast to the past, we have tools such as email compared to handwritten letters. Email is Email let us send documents to any part of the globe within seconds, making telegrams and even ordinary letters mostly obsolete. The Internet has thus increased the speed of communications manifold, and reduced the costs drastically (Nayab, 2014).
The internet and social media have made the role of communication easier and more efficient. By being able to log on from anywhere at anytime and connect with someone around the globe in a matter of minutes, shows how technology has changed the way we interact. It seems that no longer are people sitting down and chatting anymore, instead they always seem to just be plugged in to whatever is in front of them. Without technology, it almost feels as though communicators have to work double. Technology makes it easier to navigate around different platforms, it makes it easier to reach out to others and allows for stories and information to spread rapidly with a click of a button. Technology is who we are today. It is constant change, it is a sense of reality and it provides us with joy and happiness when we need it.
Technology has impacted many things that we do on a day to day basis. When it come to communications, it has really changed the way we communicate and has changed the way communicators do their jobs. The advancements of technology such as phones, tablets, laptops, etc have enhanced the ability for communicators to do their job. Because of how quickly information can be shared in today's society, it is imperative for communicators to understand what they are trying to say and how they need to present it. With platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and just the internet itself, allow for communicators to spread news quickly. Today, in contrast to the past, we have tools such as email compared to handwritten letters. Email is Email let us send documents to any part of the globe within seconds, making telegrams and even ordinary letters mostly obsolete. The Internet has thus increased the speed of communications manifold, and reduced the costs drastically (Nayab, 2014).
The internet and social media have made the role of communication easier and more efficient. By being able to log on from anywhere at anytime and connect with someone around the globe in a matter of minutes, shows how technology has changed the way we interact. It seems that no longer are people sitting down and chatting anymore, instead they always seem to just be plugged in to whatever is in front of them. Without technology, it almost feels as though communicators have to work double. Technology makes it easier to navigate around different platforms, it makes it easier to reach out to others and allows for stories and information to spread rapidly with a click of a button. Technology is who we are today. It is constant change, it is a sense of reality and it provides us with joy and happiness when we need it.
Nayab, N. (2014, October 24). How Has Technology Changed Communication? Retrieved from http://www.brighthubpm.com/methods-strategies/79052-exploring-how-technology-has-changed-communication/
BLOG 2: Social Media in Regards to Communication
We know that technology has had a drastic impact on how we communicate and in my eyes the biggest factor contributing to that impact is that of social media. With top Social Networks like Facebook And YouTube both exceeding a billion monthly active users it has completely redefined the way we build and maintain relationships. Further it has found its way into our offices, living rooms and even at our dinner tables; it has even become our preferred way of meeting people for intimate relationships (Newman, 2014). Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram have all transformed the way we view information and they have all created a platform where everyone can share anything they want, whenever they want. Social media is everywhere and there is no escaping it. Without social media, most of the information we receive today, we wouldn't actually look for. People wouldn't know as much about each other or about what is going on in the world today if it was TWEETED everywhere. We have the capability to stay connected to a world or people and information at the click of a button and it is about time we understand what social media is and how we can benefit.
With how our culture is today, people tend to forget that communication existed prior to mobile devices. Far too often, you see people with their head in their phone, rather than paying attention to the person they are sitting or standing across from. It is like we cannot take our eyes off of our phone in case we missed a tweet or a text. When did talking and enjoying company become such a burden?` Internet-based social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook allow people to communicate with friends, family, colleagues and even complete strangers in an online forum. These sites allow people to share information and photos with others, regardless of the physical miles that otherwise may have prevented them from doing so (Orth, n.d). It is crazy to think how quickly technology has advanced over the years. Before social media, we were extremely limited in our means to interact with others and we were limited largely to the people that we knew in-person. There were things we (those my age and older) had to deal with that millennials do not have to – your significant other’s parent answering the phone when you called, waiting for a letter in the mail, waiting a week to get your pictures that you sent off to be developed, and so on (Edwards, 2015). To understand more about how Social media impacts communication go to http://millennialceo.com/social-media/social-media-changed-communicate/
Edwards, M. (2015, March 17). How Social Media Has Changed How We Communicate - Millennial CEO. Retrieved from http://millennialceo.com/social-media/social-media-changed-communicate/
Newman, D. (2014, May 13). 4 Technology Trends Disrupting How We Communicate - Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2014/05/13/4-technology-trends-disrupting-how-we-communicate/
Orth, M. (n.d.). Technology & How We Communicate | Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/technology-communicate-27322.html
BLOG 3: The Role of Cell Phones In Regards To Communication
Technology is everywhere and is always improving. Cell phones are becoming personal assistants and computers are becoming libraries. People no longer physically talk about their emotions, they don't ask questions and they don't generally speak face to face. Instead, people always seem to be interested in what their phone is showing them. What people lose, when they are always using technology is that emotional aspect of face to face communication. That ability to understand and catalogue emotions is more important than ever since the advent of the Internet, social media and texting. When Marc Brackett was growing up, there was no Facebook for venting, no emoji catalog to illustrate his feelings, no online community to listen. But in an age with more methods than ever to talk online, researchers are now studying whether this is changing the way people communicate (Johnson, 2014). It wouldn't be fair to say that technology has no bearing on our lives and that without technology people wouldn't be as smart as they are today.
Because of how easy it is to connect online and to connect with other people using all sources of technology, people are really becoming weaker when it comes to how they communicate. Researchers are finding that people communicate more often with family and friends because of technology, but the quality of that communication may be weaker. Kids who spend more time engaging with a screen than with other kids or adults can struggle to understand emotion, create strong relationships or become more dependent on others (Johnson, 2014). The impact that technology is having on people, is causing people to become less responsible and less driven, instead, it is creating a platform where people can speak freely, speak in slang and basically say what they want without any repercussions. Technology advancements are always great, however, with each advancement there is always a negative. My opinion, because of how easy it is to fall into the social media trap, people are becoming less cognizant of what is going on around them and are having difficulties separating reality and fantasy (the electronic world we are obsessed with) and instead they just seem to think they live a life that they don't.
Johnson, C. (2014, August 29). Face time vs. screen time: The technological impact on communication | Deseret News National. Retrieved from http://national.deseretnews.com/article/2235/face-time-vs-screen-time-the-technological-impact-on-communication.html
BLOG 4: Technology and Everything Else
Technology and everything else
Do you remember when you could go to a restaurant and have a conversation with the person you are sitting with? Not anymore, thanks in large part to advancements in technology. Take a glance around a restaurant and you’ll be hard-pressed to find people who don’t have their heads down using their cell phones to text, Tweet, or update their Facebook statuses—all while sharing a meal with others at their table.(Keller, 2013). We are so consumed with what is going on in our “cyber” lives that we sometimes forget to look at what is going on in our real lives. Our culture has been changed and some may say for the good while others may say for the worse. According to Paul Booth, PhD, an assistant professor of media and cinema studies in the College of Communication at DePaul University in Chicago, social media certainly affects how we engage with one another across all venues and ages. “There has been a shift in the way we communicate; rather than face-to-face interaction, we’re tending to prefer mediated communication,” he says. “We’d rather e-mail than meet; we’d rather text than talk on the phone.” (Keller, 2013). Communicating via e-mail
or text is easier than face to face. Technology has allowed for people to hide behind devices, it has created platforms where free speech is expected and it creates opportunities for people to interact with others all around the world. Because of this, we expect to have everything at the touch of our finger and we don't want to wait for it. People fear that the current generations are not utilizing their brains as much and that we are relying too much on our devices. We’re becoming more focused on quick fun — such as a game of Angry Birds on the iPhone — than on reading books or magazines. Researchers found the rapid pace of technology can lead to more nimble thinking, but that “trends are leading to a future in which most people are shallow consumers of information. A lot of things that are really valuable take time,” Worthy said. “But immediate gratification is the default response. It’s difficult to overcome those urges and be patient and wait for things to come over time” (Muther, 2013). Without technology, we wouldn't have the ability to take online courses, we wouldn't be able to communicate with family as well as we do and we wouldn't be able to stay informed and up to date with everything that is going on in the world. Technology really has played a huge role in our lives and it has drastically changed the way we talk, the way we write, and the way in which we receive information. We don't want to wait for the news, we want the news NOW!. Keller, M. (2013, June). Social Media and Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/051313p10.shtml
Muther, C. (2013, February 2). The growing culture of impatience, where instant gratification makes us crave more instant gratification - The Boston Globe. Retrieved from https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2013/02/01/the-growing-culture-impatience-where-instant-gratification-makes-crave-more-instant-gratification/q8tWDNGeJB2mm45fQxtTQP/story.html
BLOG 5: Just Google It
If you have never heard the words “Just Google It” then you must have been living under a rock. Ever since I can remember people have told me to GOOGLE it. Google has made itself into the top search engine on the internet and has allowed for people to find anything they are looking for and more. Before search engines like Google, we had libraries and books, we had encyclopedias and personal stories. Today, we have an online database that houses anything we are looking for and provides us that information in a mere few seconds. If Google isnt an example of how Technology has changed us, then I don't know what is. Social media has transformed how we communicate, it has changed how we view news and it has created a sense of urgency for everyone in today’s world. The internet has changed how we research and it has created a platform where we can find anything at anytime without hesitation. Prior to Google and social media, research was done manually. We would spend hours filling through books for any information in regards to what we are writing. We would need to jot notes down and highlight and physically find the information we needed. Today, however, with Google, nothing is off limits. We are living in an accelerated culture. Information moves at a rapid pace, and we are inundated with a daily deluge of content. The marrying of social media, digital and mobile technologies has facilitated this acceleration. In a tremendously short period of time, social media has transformed the way in which we live, work and play. Consider that the average mobile user checks his or her phone more than 100 times a day, and Facebook 14 times a day. The directive “Just Google it” has become part of the lexicon (Kruh, 2014). Everyone has a smart phone today, everyone has the internet and everyone is always “plugged” in. We read and get our news from our devices or platforms, we text or message to communicate and we browse, share or like to make a point and tell someone that we agree. Social media is everywhere, it impacts everyone and it really has changed the way that we live. It has altered the way we engage and communicate ideas. It has significantly redefined our relationships with people and communities, both local and abroad, and has forever changed the way we do business. These changes are not evolutionary, but revolutionary. People need to move with this transformation, not avoid it. Today’s technologies will soon be out of date, and will have evolved into something new tomorrow (Kruh, 2014). Because of the how much information a platform like google can store and because no topic is off limits, Google seems to be the main “hub” for people when trying to learn and figure something out. Search engines, social media outlets and the internet have created a culture shift of how our information and our news is recdeived today. Before these things, we used to have to write everything out, we used to have to go to libraries to search for information and we used to have to take notes and document things. Once that information was received, we wrote a rough draft, then we would make edits and write it again. With social media and with the internet, there is no need for multiple drafts. Social media allows you to write what you want when you want without ever having to make changes. We can quickly delete, erase and revise in a matter of seconds with online platforms. Because the internet allows us to copy and past, it has made research and finding relevant information to highlight and use in a writing piece, easier to find and use. The internet has made it easier to search for anything of your choice in a matter of seconds.
The phrase “Just Google It” has been used for a long time as I remember when I was in school years ago, when we asked a question our teachers would say that we could always Google it. We can learn, discover and create anything we want with Google and Google is known throughout the world. When someone has a question, they say Google it, when a news story breaks and you want more info, they say Google it. Technology has allowed Google to thrive and it has impacted the way we receive news and information and it has changed the way we communicate.
Kruh, W. (2014, June 29). Social media have changed how we communicate ideas - The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/social-media-have-changed-how-we-communicate-ideas/article19385666/
BLOG 6: Technologies Impact on Society and Culture
Throughout the theme of these blogs we have talked about how technology has made changes to the way we communicate. We have mentioned that social media has created platforms for us to interact with people all around the world and it has allowed us to say what we want, when we want and to who we want without any real repercussion. In a sense, social media has allowed us all to be tough guys at times and it has helped people create persona’s of the people they want to be compared to the people they are. When I think about technology and everything that comes with, I tend to find myself missing the old days. I miss pen and pencils, I miss paper and creating a masterpiece, mainly I miss having ideas and being able to write myself through it. I am someone who has always enjoyed writing. I remember writing rough draft after rough draft in middle school only to re-write it again in Pen to make it professional. The ability to manual see my changes and to create a story really resonated with me. I liked to physically write because it kept me engaged and made me cognizant of everything I was creating. Today, technology has greatly impacted the way we write as it has changed the concepts and the structure in which we were accustomed to. With the internet, the ease with which we delete or expand, cut and paste, add or subtract might have resulted in the loss of thought and introspection that previous generations of writers put into their work. The act of putting pen to paper requires thought — hence all the writing and discussion of the fear of a blank page. Even writing in pencil is far more of a commitment to the work than simply tapping away at your keyboard (Fetzer. 2014). We used to spend loads of hours researching, preparing, sharpening, writing and rewriting, double checking and even erasing, just to make sure what we wrote was perfect.
Gone are the days where I would write the name and title of each song on a cd in order to create my very own Mix Tape. I used to label movies and games and I also organized my cd's in alphabetical order, however, today, we can search for and download any song that we please. We can create playlists in a matter of minutes and have the songs downloaded instantly. We have programs that will do all the labeling for your and will put everything in order how you like it.
Technology has taken away the manual labor aspect of everything, but it has allowed for more content and quicker turnaround times. The biggest difference today is that we punch keys on the keyboard, string sentences together and can quickly delete or revise and even fact check in a matter of minutes. Platforms such as social media have impacted the written word as well I feel as though we are venturing into a world where full sentences are going by the wayside and being replaced with hashtags and character limits. Everything you read on the internet today ,consists of some sort of abbreviation or a snip it of an actual story. People don't seem to be taking the time to really put an effort into what is being written and are instead quickly just writing what they feel as quickly as possible. Written words already hold a dominant place in our society. They are the primary way we generate, communicate and store ideas. Look at our laws (the Constitution), moral code (the Bible) and culture (books, lyrics, movies, newspapers, plays, television). But the landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. Writing is being reshaped in four exciting ways. More people are writing more frequently and in more formats. There are more than 2 billion email users; 180 million blogs; 400 million daily tweets; and 8.6 trillion SMS annual text messages (Budig & Heap, 2013). Because technology allows for so many different platforms, writing is becoming easier. Texting has allowed for shortcuts such as spelling and acronyms, email has altered the path of memo’s and ideas and blogging has opened opportunities for people to speak their mind without ever having to really answer any questions. Stories, articles, news updates, etc can all be received in a matter of minutes due to the speed of the internet, whereas years ago, we didn't receive updates until days later because everything had to be hand written. Without technology, I fear that writing and how we communicate would be stale and there wouldn’t be as many creative ideas or platforms to incorporate our thoughts. To see how Texting affects teens and everyone today, go to: http://www.medicaldaily.com/can-texting-ruin-childs-grammar-and-spelling-impact-learning-write-cell-phone-288950
Budig, G., & Heaps, A. (2013, August 7). Are we in the middle of a writing revolution? Column. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/08/07/writing-revolution-digital-technology-column/2621353/
Fetzer, D. (2014, August 20). How Technology Affects the Way We Write | LitReactor. Retrieved from https://litreactor.com/columns/how-technology-affects-the-way-we-write
BLOG 7: Conclusion
When it comes to how technology impacts mass media, we need to really look at the strengths and weaknesses of each platforms and decide what it is that can be improved vs what can be enhanced. Technology has allowed for communication to be greater, it has created avenues for people to connect all across the world at the same time and it has really given people the opportunity to say what they want, when they want and how they want. Even though there have been many great enhancements with technology, there have been some pitfalls as well. Platforms like Twitter, really limit how much you can say and require you to think about what you're going to write as you only have 140 characters. Facebook is usually convoluted with advertisements and people's political views, while everything else is just sharing or photos or ideas. It seems that with these advancements that we have made with technology, the more problems we need to fix. Because of how we are so transfixed on getting our message out and receiving information as quick as possible, I fear that technology is overcoming us. I think Twitter should start creating separate pages where actual journalists and writers can write more than 140 characters in regards to specific stories and updates. I think people should be allowed “extra” characters based off severity and quality of tweeting habits. With Facebook, I feel that you should have to create an interest platform, and that you shouldn't be allowed to post political views and/or what you ate for dinner. You should have the option with Facebook to be allowed to dislike something and to go “Incognito” like with Google Chrome so that you can browse without anyone ever knowing you are on. Technology could be enhanced to accommodate more of the interest that people have and could be used to improve what is lacking in our platforms and our communication, instead of always trying to create different ways of doing something.
