When did it become so normal to use so much technology?

[Cube]

I never thought I'd ever be one to say this, but people use technology way too much these days. I'm not judging people who use technology on their own - that's not the issue at all (and would be highly hypocritical for me to complain about that), but people who use it in social situations - and not just occasionally checking your phone (which has now replaced "checking your watch" for awkward silences).

 

I had a family get together today, and almost everyone had a tablet with them. Everything was fine to start with, as it was supposedly going to be a "no computer" day, but soon all this technology crept out, and discussion became into making the technology work and setting up stuff. It was still a good day, and it was nice to see everyone, and I spent most of it playing with my nephew or holding/looking after my nieces (who are just starting to crawl and stand), but I was amazed as to how tablets had become so...normal.

 

Has anyone else encountered situations where, despite being a fan of technology yourself (as I'm sure most of us are), you've thought to yourself "surely this is a bit much"?

[Serebii]

Na, it's not too much. It has become a tool to make us all feel a part of a larger world and to stay connected. It gets us up to date on the goings on. It also serves as a learning tool in helping children's brains develop logical puzzle solving as well as hand-eye co-ordination.

 

Though of course I'd say that. I have to have my phone or laptop with me at all times.

 

It's not too much until this happens

 

 

I honestly don't get no computer days or people trying to cut technology out of their lives somewhat. It is vital to be a part of the world as it is today. Obviously, for kids, you limit the use somewhat, but as adults it's a necessity.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Serebii

[MoogleViper]

I just try to avoid cretins who've forgotten what social interaction is.

[Ashley]

Na, it's not too much. It has become a tool to make us all feel a part of a larger world and to stay connected. It gets us up to date on the goings on. It also serves as a learning tool in helping children's brains develop logical puzzle solving as well as hand-eye co-ordination.

 

Though of course I'd say that. I have to have my phone or laptop with me at all times.

 

I honestly don't get no computer days or people trying to cut technology out of their lives somewhat. It is vital to be a part of the world as it is today. Obviously, for kids, you limit the use somewhat, but as adults it's a necessity.

 

I think what Cube was trying to say wasn't "is technology a problem/too prevalent in society", but rather "are there social situations where we should step away from it".

 

The family get together he mentions is a good example. I know I seldom see mine now, so it nice to actually engage with them when I do.

[Serebii]

I think what Cube was trying to say wasn't "is technology a problem/too prevalent in society", but rather "are there social situations where we should step away from it".

 

The family get together he mentions is a good example. I know I seldom see mine now, so it nice to actually engage with them when I do.

In those situations, it's still handy here and there. "Say, did you hear about _____". Simply bring it up on device.

 

Though I hate tablets, it makes sense for phones. Obviously it's rude to just be sitting staring at it constantly.

[Hero-of-Time]

I totally agree with the no technology days, as I feel people have become far too dependant on just sitting on phones or tablets rather than actually talking to people. It baffles me when people say they can't go without such devices.

 

Last year, one of my brothers took his family on holiday and banned my nieces from taking their tablets and phones with them. They spent a lot more time together and interacting with each other and had one of the best holidays they have had in a long time.

 

I've heard many stories where families are in different rooms in the house and they are either texting each other or posting on each other's Facebook page to communicate. Maybe I'm just too old but for me things like this are crazy. I would much rather spend time with people face to face.

[ChloboShoka]

I told my mum off for telling me to do things, but telling me on facebook when I don't always look on facebook. If she had told me to my face, then I would have known. XD

[gaggle64]

Don't worry, we'll be missing it all when the zombie apocalypse comes and the best technology we have constitutes a barricaded door, a machine rifle and a Molotov cocktail.

[Fierce_LiNk]

If you have to enforce a "no technology" or "no computer day", you've already lost.

 

I use my laptop a lot and I love my phone (it's new, my first smart phone and I'm at the stage where it's still new, wow, such phone, so amaze, etc), but I do have a limit. I don't use my phone when at the dinner table, or mid conversation with someone. I'll have it out if I'm in a waiting area (such as today) or if I'm by myself and I'm killing time.

 

I'd be pretty pissed if I were on a date with somebody and the phone suddenly came out half-way through. Unless it was just for a moment to check something, like a missed call or whatever something important. Otherwise, keep that shit away.

[Jonnas]

I don't think I've seen anyone in my family abusing phones (though I myself may have exaggerated at first, when it was something new and awesome I could just do).

 

The one time where I had to step back and realize how weird it was, hadn't even anything to do with phones: I was talking to my parents on Skype and speaking to my sister on Facebook simultaneously. At one point, I realized they were all in the same house, but in their respective rooms... and then they started using me as their middleman to talk to each other, instead of one side joining the other in the same room.

 

Other than that, the amount of screens in our lives can be a bit overwhelming, there are definitely times where I just have to take a break from every screen.

[Blue Rogue]

I don't like phones, facebook etc replacing face to face communication. I find it weird how reliant some people are on technology to do all their social interaction.

 

I feel more comfortable talking to people in person than over messages. It's less likely I can over think what I want to say. Which happens in messages.

 

I like technology and the perks it gives us. I suppose anyone who visits a gaming forum will give technology a big old thumbs up. I do however see some peoples face to face social skills getting progressively worse.

 

Then again perhaps just me going "Kids these days need to stop with these new fangled Snapchats, whatssappmagigers and talk to each other."

[Jimbob]

I always prefer face to face conversations over chatting over the interweb, but i've been finding myself communicating more and more over the interweb since friends have moved away. Phone use, i try to not use it whilst having a conversation with someone as i find that rude.

[Guy]

I actually feel kinda vulnerable if I can't get online and look something up or contact someone. Being able to do that on my phone is a convenience I enjoy greatly and probably rely on a little too much sometimes.

 

A while back I realised how rude I was being by jumping on my phone when I was out and about with people. I'm a lot more conscious of it these days, but old habits die hard. I still sometimes reach for my phone in social situations and have to stop myself. I'm all for tech and people being connected. It's great. Just try not to be that person who doesn't know when to put your phone down.

[Fused King]

Yes, I always thought this still was quite appropriate for the times.

 

 

The fact that most people do this on a phone with the symbol of an apple out of which a bite has been taken (a bite out of the forbidden fruit, there's no going back now, we're banished from paradise) makes this even more interesting.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

Honestly I find it kind of weird that people consider checking one's phone rude; technology is just an integral part of our lives at this point, so it doesn't really seem weird to me that people check up on their electronic devices.

[Diageo]

Honestly I find it kind of weird that people consider checking one's phone rude; technology is just an integral part of our lives at this point, so it doesn't really seem weird to me that people check up on their electronic devices.

 

People find it rude because it insinuates that the other party is disintered, bored or not listening to you.

 

I think that technology is great and people use it all the time for a reason. The way people communicate is changing and while some people might not like it, it's no reason to incur a technology ban on other people. If you're talking to someone yet they won't stop playing on their phone, well either be more interesting or find friends that do find you interesting. We now have enormous sources of entertainment at our fingertips and it's not technology's fault that people can't keep up.

 

But to answer the question, when did it become normal to use technology, when technology became more useful, more exciting and more engaging than regular everyday activities.

[MoogleViper]

Honestly I find it kind of weird that people consider checking one's phone rude; technology is just an integral part of our lives at this point, so it doesn't really seem weird to me that people check up on their electronic devices.

 

It's got nothing to do with technology, it's just basic manners. If we were talking and I suddenly started reading a book, that would be incredibly rude. This doesn't happen because we're all brought up not to do this, but, for some reason, when it comes to phones people seem to lack these manners.

[Blade]

 

A while back I realised how rude I was being by jumping on my phone when I was out and about with people. I'm a lot more conscious of it these days, but old habits die hard. I still sometimes reach for my phone in social situations and have to stop myself. I'm all for tech and people being connected. It's great. Just try not to be that person who doesn't know when to put your phone down.

 

That is one of my pet hates. There are some people who are just constantly on their phones. Whats the point coming out and doing something if you are just going to be on your phone?

[Daft]

Technology is insidious. It's easy to use to the point that it's thoughtless. It can also be a fantastic tool. So upsides and downsides really.

 

When it comes to things that matter I avoid technology as much as I can. If I'm hanging out with someone it's out of bounds. When I'm watching something on TV I try and stay away from my phone (unless the TV is on for some background noise). I'm so wary of being constantly surrounded by technology that I write on a typewriter and it has made me so much more productive; the first draft of my manuscript is currently at 64 pages and there's not a chance in hell I would have done that on a computer.

 

As a catalyst for socialising, technology is amazing. Easy to chat, share photos, arrange to meet up, you name it. It's a brilliant facilitator.

 

And maybe that's it, technology is amazing at facilitating everyday life but people who live through it - spend their time cultivating an internet persona with no real life to back it up - it's awful. It turns people to zombies and these tech-zombies are blind to other tech-zombies. I've seen people communicate through their phones while next to each other (and not dissimilarly I've sent someone in the same room as me a link to show them something) and it is amazingly Borg-ish.

 

So I have a love/hate relationship with technology but I'm pretty sure personally I've got the right balance for what suits me.

[Diageo]

If two people are having fun messaging each other while being next to each other, what's wrong with that? Why are people so against how other people communicate with their friends?

[MoogleViper]

If two people are having fun messaging each other while being next to each other, what's wrong with that? Why are people so against how other people communicate with their friends?

 

If we went out for a meal, and I had more fun reading a book, or listening to music on my headphones, what's wrong with that?

[Diageo]

Well if we agreed to both do that then nothing. You're insinuating in this situation that I would either not have agreed or not have expected such an outcome which would be a different story altogether. Sometimes it's fun to do individual things while having company.

[Daft]

If two people are having fun messaging each other while being next to each other, what's wrong with that? Why are people so against how other people communicate with their friends?

 

I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with that, it's just kind of surreal.

 

I guess it's the whole 'taking a photo but never actually looking/appreciating' idea.

[Diageo]

Well the act of taking a photo makes you remember something more easily than if you didn't take a photo, even if you never look at it. And who knows, you may look at it in 40 years.

[Sheikah]

 

People find it rude because it insinuates that the other party is disintered, bored or not listening to you.

 

I don't think it insinuates anything...it's the truth. If someone is using their phone in your presence then they're not giving you their full attention. They're looking at a screen and absorbing information such that they're only paying semi attention to you and others.

 

Of course, if you both agree to this situation that you hang out but aren't actually bothered by this, that's another matter, but that situation has never arisen for me. It's always a case of people (such as my sister) texting away when the people around her would rather she didn't (because we're at something like a family meal and we're trying to socialise face-to-face, or I've gone home to visit for a short time).