Connectivity, Reading/Writing, and the Cyber Age
I own a cell phone. And a desktop computer. And I carry this old laptop around to all the coffee shops and bars in whose noise I try to drown out the mean little voices of writerly anxiety so I can just get my fucking homework done. At work I use a touch screen ordering system to get my drinks from the bar and artichoke dip from the kitchen. I check my horoscope online (as well as those of the men I’m interested in—blushing with shameJ,) stay in touch with friends via email, and use my college’s online services to register for classes. I do a great deal of my research for class via the electronic databases Eastern Michigan maintains, I have a blog, I’ve tried to get my poetry published at online literary magazines. With the help of a very patient friend, I even filed my federal taxes online this year. The internet and wireless technology make my life easier to move through quickly. I am grateful.
But somewhat ashamed. In the same way that I feel guilty every time I drive the old pollution-mobile a mile and a half to work, using all this high-speed information technology feels like being seduced away from my principles by the lure of ease. I believe in slowness. I love speed. It’s a difficulty. I am not the only person struggling with the conflict between the speed modern life demands and that at which actual life happens. Women’s magazines are full of tips on organizing the kitchen, the carpool, the craft supplies, so that more time can be found for the important things in life—hanging out with the kids, spending time with parents, maybe even having sex with partners. Advertising companies pitch scads of products as time-savers, from meals-in-a-bag to blocks of cleanser that clean the toilet with every flush. All my friends complain about not having enough time to get everything done. My girlfriend who is working on her PHD and Master’s degrees at the same time doesn’t have enough time to see her lover and spend time with her mother in the nursing home. My other dear girlfriend with two [fabulous] kids, a husband [that’s out of this world,] a house, two cars, and two jobs doesn’t have enough time for anything. Most of my men friends don’t have enough time to work their jobs, take care of their bodies, support their ladyfriends in whatever way and still know what they’re feeling from moment to moment.
Jenna Wortham’s “Turn Off the Phone (And the Tension)”, most definitely brings the question, “what am I doing?” to mind. This article explains Wortham’s deep opinion on electronic use, and its affects on today’s society. Wortham’s article mentions the idea of going “screenless”, which is removing yourself from your phone or any other device to reconnect with what you’ve been missing in the world. I agree that this strategy is beneficial to those that are attached to their screens. Even though going “screenless” is a work in progress for those that that are completely attached, it is a positive way to view the world in the moment instead of having to capture it for someone else to see,
The French Revolution had a major impact on the Haitian Revolution. Starting in 1789, the French people, from the rich to the poor, rose up against their government and forced change in their political and social systems. In Haiti, there were also many different groups of people, including slave owners, poor whites, free and achieved "colored people," and slaves, all with conflicting interests. Oppressed groups fought, notably the free "colored people" and the slaves, both peacefully and violently, against their government and the laws restricting fundamental human rights and liberties. The Haitian revolutionaries benefited greatly from the Enlightenment ideas of progress and freedom in France, causing them to cause a rebellion and eventually
The Trail of Tears was a hard battled journey for the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee were driven to move west. They had to compromise and sign treaties, which drove them out of their land by the U.S. government. This was unfair to the Cherokees; the white settlers wanted the land for gold. Trail of tears is historically monumental because it shows the U.S. government cruelty to the Native Americans. It was unfair rights because they basically stole Cherokees land to satisfy their hunger for gold.
The pace of life correlates with our endeavor to achieve success and upward social mobility. Every day we put up a fight against the clock as we try to fulfill our daily responsibilities and effectively run all our errands. Rushing to complete an irrational
With all of the technological advances there are more things smartphones, computers, etc. can do. More things to distract us from what we need to do. In the article “Growing Up Digital, Wired for Distraction” Matt Richtel builds his argument by using the anecdotes of a few specific high school students and teachers. Richtel also understands his audience because he develops the article in a way where readers are introduced to the topic of digital media’s effect on students with sufficient and reliable information.
The way we define who we are is a direct result of what we know. "Literacy reflects contradictions and complexities in how we understand ourselves and construct roles for ourselves through language in that world. X." Since the arrival of the Feed in ____, emphasis on the individual has become less central in our lives. This lack of focus has led to relationships that are left vulnerable and weakened. In this section we will be considering the impact of the decline in literacy on the "Social Self." In basic terms, the Social Self is defined as how an individual interacts with the social world presented to him/her and how he/she approaches the formation of relationships.
...helle Hackman, a sophomore in high school, realized that her friends, rather than engaging in a conversation, were “more inclined to text each other” (Huffington Post). Michelle also became aware that over forty percent of people were suffering from anxiety when they were separated from the phones. This clearly shows that we are connected to the technology that we use, but we are also suffering from the use of technology. We spend more than half of our entire day using some sort of technology, whether that is a computer, phone, television, or radio. Technology is becoming a prevalent part of our lives, and we cannot live without it. Technology has become our family, and part of us.
Would that be possible to stay away from our technology’s devices for just a day? The answer for this question will bring a lot of negative answers, and of course if we ask this question in a survey, “NO” will be the winner of this survey. Talking about the use of technology reminded me one of the sources from my annotated bibliography by Amy Petersen, who is the Theatre and Media Arts Department Chair and Associate Professor in the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University. In her article which she wrote about the overuse of tech in our daily life and its affects, she said “If you would have told me a few years ago that I would feel completely lost without a cell phone, I never would have believed you. Now my iPhone is almost always within reach. My children likely believe that my most important possession is my MacBook Air, which is usually open and on whenever I am in the house. (“Jensen” par. 3)” Yes technology, internet, and cell phone became our best friends, and most of us can’t live without them.
Technology has changed our world dramatically over the last several decades. Several generations before us did not have air conditioning, telephones, television much less internet. However, today we have access to all of this and more. Technological advances have not only made changes in how we communicate, but also in how everyday tasks are done. The New York Times explains how social media affects children’s behavior and academics, and how the concept of dating has been altered while Louis C. K. explains how the 21st century takes little things for granted and YouTube channel charstarlineTV shows how daily activities can no longer be done without the use of cellphones.
Though being exposed to technologies like computers from an early age may have given us the ability to do things more efficiently, technology has also made us less dependent on ourselves. Claudia Wallis, editor for Time, in her article makes known in The Multitasking Generation, “That level of multiprocessing and interpersonal connectivity is now so commonplace that it’s easy to forget how quickly it came about. Fifteen years ago, most home computers weren’t even linked to the Internet” (63). There are many things that students are able to do on their computer that their parents aren't even aware of or that the parents couldn’t do themselves. My parents always tell of how looking through the library’s card catalog and searching for the books they needed only to find out that they have been taken out. Computers have allowed us to do many things faster for example, write much faster than a typewriter or pen and paper and correct typing errors without starting over. The computers and technology we now have makes it easier to almost anything and with technology so easily at your fingertips it o...
Knight, W. Franklin, “The Haitian Revolution” The University of Chicago press The American Historical Review, vol. 105, No. 1 (Feb., 2000. )
Some may argue that technology helps us not feel lonely because technology is the way to escape reality for a bit and the internet can reconnect with our friends and family from around the world. We can save time by “shopping” online and communicate quickly by “email than postal mail” (Franzen 428). We can also communicate via webcam, especially for college students away from their family. It’s a way to reconnect with our love ones and stay in contact with our friends. We want to be “able to share our lives with others” and technology “allows us to do that with music, videos, pictures, and texts” (Arnett 477-479).
Editorial director of BBGeeks.com, Rae Hoffman explains from her life, “Because Hoffman is able to be reached for work purposes at any time . . . she can participate in activities with her family that she might otherwise have to miss out on. She can spend time with her children and attend school functions because she does not have to be at the office as often. . .”. Hoffman is among the many people who believe that smartphones bring more advantages than disadvantages to their life. While it may be true that smart phones bring great advantages to people’s lives, the lack of communication skills, major decline in face-to-face conversation, and shallow impersonal relationships are great risks that will can change people’s lives for the
Since the Internet was created it has always had an effect on education. After military establishments Universities were the first real contributors to the Internet's structure. The Internet has vastly improved education. There are so many ways that education and the Internet are connected these days. Almost every textbook has a corresponding Internet sight including the one for this course. [http://www.scsite.com/dc2002/
“Disconnected” the documentary of college students who volunteered for one month without a computer put it best, “What’s the point, you`ll never have to go computer-less in the real world.” Asking myself to go without social media, is like asking me not to eat for a day. The idea is impossible. Social media keeps me involved in the world around me. Facebook for friends and family life updates and videos for DIY, Instagram for photos of food and cars, Twitter to keep the highlights short and simple, and Snap Chat to make sure my friends are seeing everything I am doing throughout the day.