Generations, Technology, and Me

Isn't it weird? I look back when I was a kid and I played with Barbies and my Barbies had their little pink convertible and I had to manual push that thing around the house. Took my Barbie and her ken through a cruise ride and dressed them up even cut her hair once and a while.  Back then automatic cars and planes were cool and I didn't even have one yet. Now I see little kids playing with I-pods and watching shows and playing games on their mommy and daddy's phone. I am also guilty of the Netflix. I get addicted to one show and I notice that I take my I-pad with me just to get sneaks in of the current show I'm watching every chance that I get. Back then you had a show that was on at a certain time and you didn't dare miss it. Brings me back to Disney channel days and my favorite  movies. I also made sure I was ready to watch my movie at eight pm. I think back to those times and kind of makes me feel old but also very thankful for my I-pad!





http://www.mainemaritimemuseum.org/collection/notes-from-the-orlop/pretty-hairy/

Technology is everywhere now. We use to it to cook food, takes us from point A to point B, entertain our kids, and even educate ourselves. In the past week I started to realize how much of technology was involved in my everyday life. Some of the technology that I relied most on was my hair tools believe it or not. I have many different styles of curling irons and straighteners. Back then women didn't even use electricity to curl their hair they used almost like a hot wand. Then it evolved to rollers that I'm sure your granny still wears to bed. I don't think we should put down on technology because in many ways it is making life more efficient. Another piece of technology that has impacted me was the computer. Without a computer my basic school task would not be completed. The computer also has helped to educate. When I don't understand something in my class or have a hard time grasping the subject I can do additional research to further my education. The computer has also been essential to my keeping in contact with people especially my teachers. I find most of my homework online and can even email my professor with a concern or question.

http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2009/05/the-evolution-of-cell-phone-design-between-1983-2009/

My mom on the other hand found that the cellphone was the greatest technology. "I resisted having a cell phone for the longest time for the simple fact that I didn't want people calling me. However, the cell is also a benefit in emergencies and contacting family members." I believe she truly likes the cell phone to play candy crush. Which is another great perk of the cell phone is the apps you can download. These apps make it even easier to connect with family. Some of the apps that help use to keep in contact and engages are Facebook and twitter and other interesting social media sites. My Mom has taken full advantage of those since my one sister lives in Alabama. It’s more convenient to have news of loved rights right at the palm of your hand. I've also observed that this could decrease actual communication. Why bother calling someone when you can just post on their wall. It truly is amazing how much a phone can do but it can't help but make you wonder... who is watching you?
My sister Megan, who is in her mid-thirties and is a senior manager shopper experience, uses a lot of the technology that dictates what is selling good and how to sell it to you. "For example... in my job... I buy advertising programs that deliver ads to peoples cell phones (mobile ads).  I am able to target these ads based on what you buy at the grocery store.  The company we buy this through - knows your address based on geolocating your phone (your phone is primarily located where you sleep) comparing that address vs. retailer loyalty cards.  That scared me. (But I didn't stop using my phone)." Phones are able to show your location and companies buy this information. I bet you never even paid attention to those ads either. Neither did I. I just put up with the ads for the free app and never bothered upgrading the application. Phones have come a long way since the bulky cell phone. But does this geolocating stop people from using their phone or checking in on Facebook?

https://www.apple.com/support/macbookair/

Some jobs in today’s world even requires a computer.
My mom's co-worker, Tracy, said the typewriter had the most impact on her life. In school this meant that she didn't have to write all her work out on paper by hand anymore. So when the computer came out it had an even bigger impact on Tracy's life. "I've embraced technology- specifically the computer. It allows you to research and obtain vast amounts of information. It also allows you to produce documents and reports more efficiently." The computer has come a long way from 1962. Computers are even coming in touch-screen and automatically fix the incorrectly spelled words. Could this dumb us down fixing our mistakes automatically or is the computer providing information? Maybe it’s a little bit of both. Like the phone the computer offer almost all the same features. You can even access your bank account on the computer. I bet that makes you even more scared to know whose watching what you do on your electronics.
In this decade it feels like technology is on a roller coaster that only goes up and has yet to reach its peak. I think it’s better if we embrace. It could even save our lives one day with the way the medical technology is increasing. Now a days there are even robotic machines that help assist in surgeries. We might not even think about but the blood pressure machines automatically take your blood pressure every so often. It’s crazy to think back when all the medical records were on paper. Now our medical records are at the fingertips of any doctor that we want to have them. Between automatically correcting incorrectly spelled words and saving our lives...what is in store next for us?

Technology, Generations, and Me

Technology has been around since the dawn of man. From simple stone-based tools to the high tech computers that we have today, we have progressively advanced our ability to make our lives easier over the short amount of years our species has been on this earth. In today’s society, technology has influenced us in just about every aspect of our lives. From waking up in the morning to sleeping, but with the passing of days, technology will just continue to advance until what we saw as new will be considered old in just a few years.

                Many people find it repulsive how we apply technology, but I personally feel as though they do not understand the main points as to why we use all of these gadgets in the first place. Every animal has evolved at one point in its life. For example: Birds adopted different beaks for their preferred food type. Certain animals adopted scales or tales, Limbs and camouflage. Humans, I feel, do not evolve as rapidly as other organisms on a biological scale, but technologically, we rapidly improve our lives, living standards, and health. 

                To learn more about how technology influences our lives, I had to first take a look at how much of it I actually use. The list I made was massive, as everything I used was technically considered technology. From a simple light bulb, to my cell phone, technology has impacted my life drastically. For example: My cellphone is probably one of the most influential pieces of technology that I use.  (See Fig. 1)  It is my alarm clock, schedule planner, social media, music player, and more importantly my phone. So many more uses, but it is something we take for granted. Probably the second biggest piece of technology I use is my laptop. It is my backup when I don’t have my phone with me, or if I want to write a paper or two. In the book “the Feed”, computers are installed inside people’s brains. Fortunately or unfortunately, (If you think high usage of technology is bad.) This step on our technological evolution hasn’t fully been achieved yet, but maybe one day we will be able to do such a thing.

                Being the top two on my list, I looked at the others that were their too. My TV, lights, PS3, and car were also on their as well, but not as much as my phone and laptop. When looking at my list though, I began to wonder about the past. We are so used to our technology that we fail to see how past generations were influenced from it. To find out for myself, I interviewed 3 different people: My Grandma, my mother, and my father. The results were pretty shocking for people my age. My grandmother was most interested about my project, and told me stories of how they used to always listen to the radio, and how the quality wasn’t as good as todays radios. She also told me how they didn’t have as many plastics, and everything lasted longer since nothing was really disposable. TV wasn’t really a big thing, but as she got older they started to advance, but when they first came out, not a lot of people she knew really watched it. The phone lines also required operators to direct your calls in a lot of places. (See FIG. 2) This astounded me, and made me even more thankful that I had a cell phone! She wasn’t opposed to technology, but it was confusing to her, and I had to even show her how to use a laptop.

                My mother was raised in New York City, and told me how TV was one of the biggest things when she was little. Radios where awesome too, but what really made music better, were cassette players.  Anyone who was anyone had them, and my grandfather got her one. Another cool gadget at the time was arcades. They were a big hotspot for kids, and everyone went during weekends or after school. My dad was raised in the country. A much more different walk of life than my mother, and technology still clung to the days of my grandmother for him since his mother wasn’t really excited for all the new technological advancements. Still, he didn’t

have to say about what technology he really used because he was always taught to play outside, hunt, fish, and live the old 1950s lifestyle of a Protestant Christian boy. He did tell me when he had an old corvette; he had a cassette player in it, which was the most advanced piece of technology he owned. Being in the military though, he told me how he didn’t have the GPS devices that I use today, but they used maps and compasses. He also told me how the vehicles they used didn’t have all the fancy armor plating or designs. It was more simple and cost effective compared to the pricey vehicles we use today.

                When I was done with my 3 interviews, I thought about everything and noticed a pattern. It wasn’t that technology was changing. (As in newer types where coming out.) Yes, new things did come out, but overall, Technology was evolving. The radios for example changed throughout the years to become more efficient, and then it was transferred to a more reliable form such as phones or laptops, and even car stereos.  Humanity found more efficient ways to make these things, and progressively evolved it to suit the generations and to sell their products more than the competition. Humans need technology to progress. It is our form of evolution. Our ability to think was the start of that, and I feel is a piece of technology itself. From being able to think differently than other species, we were able to construct buildings and create fire. We are the next step in evolution, but an even bigger question would be to ask yourself: How far will our technological advancements go?

Generations, Technology, & Me

Generations, Technology, & Me

      In today's world, as much as one does not want to admit it, there is no escaping technology. It is everywhere we turn. Technology reaches all nooks and crannies of our society. Our homes, cars, community buildings, transportation devices, and even our streets are riddled with technology. Also in our society, people of all ages and all generations not only are using but are embracing the ever growing world of technology. Technology is both good and bad in my opinion. It can make life easier, more comfortable and convenient; it can also make a person lazy, ungrateful, and even ignorant.

I try to limit some sources in technology in my life, as I feel as though our society is somewhat losing touch with reality. It is sometimes overwhelming to see everyone on the street or on campus stuck in their cell phone. Or other times, you realize that everyone in the room is busy on their phone instead of enjoying one another’s company. Our interaction with one another is dwindling. I incorporate a myriad of different technologies in my life habitually, no doubt, but I also try to be mindful of how I spend my time. I use electricity, drive cars, use house hold appliances, watch television, have a smart phone, and a plethora of other technologies just like the rest of us. However, I try to respect my resources. I no longer sit on the couch and watch television for hours, or mindlessly scroll through the news feed on Facebook. I have realized those sort of technological advancements offer me no enrichment whatsoever.

When interviewing my six year old daughter it was very evident that technology to children today is mostly a source of entertainment and fun. Her favorite piece of technology at this juncture in her life is an iPad and she is waiting for the day when they come out with an iPad, LeapPad2, and Nabi all in one “to make a super fun game!” My six year old believes that we could do without home telephones because everyone uses a cell phone. She most definatley embraces technology just about as much as I allow. She says technology is “20% important in my life.” But sometimes videos on Youtube can scare her.

                                                                   

My mother who was born in the early 1960’s is also embracing technology. When she was my age, twenty-seven, her favorite piece of technology was the pager, because it enabled people to get in touch with one another when they were not by a telephone. This was very beneficial at the time. She also is implementing technology by learning to use smartphones and even creating a Facebook account to keep in touch with old friends.  She also embraces it in other ways like I do, such as using the oven, stove, vacuum cleaner, washer and dryer, and other household appliances. She expressed that blue tooth and other wireless devices really blow her mind. The fact that we no longer need wires all over the house is amazing. I most definatley agree with that. She thinks our society could do away with cameras and computers because smart phones pretty much do it all. It was clear that with each generation technology was becoming more about convenience and luxury and less about necessity. The further back in generations we delve, the greater the appreciation for these little wonders that make life easier. But at the same time, they realize that there are more important things in the world.

By the time I interviewed my grandmother, who is in her upper 70’s, it was clear that technology has made leaps and bounds. My Gram exclaimed to me that when she was twenty-seven, she desperately wanted a car, but at that point in her life she could not afford one. Although, as a constellation, she got a vacuum cleaner and a washer. The old ringer style washer from Sears and Roebuck changed her life. She expressed how wonderful it was to have a sweeper and washer in her home. It made life easier for a young house wife and mother of four. She also stated that like the rest of us, she was certainly embracing technology. This is definitely proof that technology has reached everyone in our society, whether you are aware of it or not. She encompasses it by just about every which way she said. Cell phone, using modern appliances in her home, watching television, driving her car, and enjoying all of it. She in no way resists today’s technology. An interesting reply she gave was that she never thought she would be alive to see the day when the United States ventured to the moon in the 1969. That was absolutely astonishing to her.

Today, technology in her life is everything to her. It holds a very important role in her life just like everyone else. At this point, Gram thinks we could do away with the automatic hand dryers in public restrooms. Although more environmentally friendly, I cannot disagree with her. She is waiting for the day that we come up with a hand held device that will tell you where you parked in a parking lot so she does not get lost. That along with more social security benefits.

It is remarkable to hear the different answers based on the different ages. Evidently, technology, although important to us all is used very differently from generation to generation. Hearing my Grandmother’s enthusiasm towards our world of technology resounded with me. I, at times, feel different. While I use technology just as much as the next person, it frightens me at times. Perhaps my generation does not value it as much the older generations, or perhaps I differ from my peers. There are differences of opinions all around. One thing is for sure, our generation and the generations to follow are misusing technology more and more. So that brings me back to my initial point, our world of technology today is a help and a hindrance. It is up to the masses to decide how they want to use it. We know it is definitely not going anywhere, one almost has no choice but to embrace it. But it is up to the individual to use it sparingly and for good, not evil.

Generations, Technology, And Me

     Throughout history, technology has impacted every aspect of life. As the world advances so does the life of technology. What we know as the most advance technology today, might be merely average by the time we ourselves are elder. As shown by past generations we know little of what is to come through the technological world. From a horse and buggy to motor running vehicles. Or a pigeon flying to deliver a message to a cell phone where you can text message a person across the globe. Technology is becoming more advance everyday and most of our lives would be extremely altered if we did not have it. 
      I tried to think back to my earliest memory of technology. I was born in the year nineteen ninety six. The one piece of technology that impacted my life during my childhood was portable CD players. I thought it was amazing that I could listen to Hansen and the Backstreet boys through this pink hello kitty player with ear phones attached. As I grew up technology grew up as well. My family finally got this thing in our home called a "desk top computer". It was a huge white computer with a monitor that weighed more than me. I grew to embrace it. I would sit quietly, watching my mom and older sister do so many things on this computer. From Internet searching, to being able to type on it and print out papers. The technological enhancement has never failed to amaze me. There are a few

things that I think our world could do without though. An example would be escalators. I honestly do not understand why people can not just walk up steps. They are not even handicap explicable. They have no purpose but to make us more lazy. Being an Eighteen year old living in the twenty first century, I have many privileges that generations before did not have access to.
     Going off of my last statement "I have many privileges that generations before did not have access to" I figured I would asked my father, grandfather, and younger brother the same questions that I asked my self.
     My father is forty eight years old. I can honestly say that he does not like technology at all. He has all the basic items to get him through the day. My father's cell phone is a basic Nokia flip phone without a camera, he has one television in his home. The only channels he watches is sports, and the channel USA. He also does not know how to use a computer whatsoever. I asked him what one piece of technology impacted his life as a kid, and he answered "when the cable television came out". Before, he was limited to how much cable television he could watch a day due to his mother not wanting him to stay inside all day. I continued to ask him more questions about technology. He said that the Internet scares him to no end. "The Internet is unlimited and anyone can hack into it and see what you're doing ... I just do not understand". The last question I asked my father was "what technology do you think we could do without?" His answer was cell phones. Which I found surprising since he has one himself. To back up his answer he said that he could get a hold of me if he needed me and if someone needed him they could get in contact with him.
     My grandfather, father of my mother, is seventy eight years old. He, unlike my father, is very "tech savvy". He has definitely embraced technology since he was able to have access to it. The one piece of technology that impacted his life was having a land line telephone with his own line. My grandfather was explaining before house phones they had "party lines". Where you had a certain ring for when you were receiving a phone call, and if you answered sometimes your neighbor would be on the phone. He still says to this day he will never understand fax machines. "I think it's amazing that you put a piece of paper inside a machine, and across the world they pick up a phone dial a number and the paper pops out." 
     My younger brother is nine years old, and his name is Liam. He was born in two thousand four so he pretty much grew up with all the newest pieces of technology. Liam is privileged to be able to get whatever he wants since he is basically the only child, and the only one still living at home. I asked him what the one piece of technology impacted his life. He named about twelve different things. I again asked him to narrow it down to one, he said "Well I like my new play station but I also like my new Xbox." His answered made my realize how technologically attached children his age are. He said he does not remember not having any sort of technology. Even in his elementary school they gave each child a new iPod. So even when he goes to school and we think that he is learning, he is able to sit on his iPad without a care in the world.
     Through all the interviews it made my view on technology change. With each person I interviewed being at least about ten years apart made me realize how much technology has grown. From having party line phones to every person having an iPhone or at least some type of portable cell phone. From having this huge box television with only twelve channels and the picture in black and white to a flat screen television in color with over hundreds of channels, some in high definition. It really makes me think what my children are going to have in the future, and if I am going to look back and say "That iPhone five was such a dinosaur of a phone." 
     

Generations,Technology, and Me

  For this assignment I will be conducting 3 separate interviews from different generations just to see how far and how relevant technology has become over the years. Along with that I will get insight on how people from different generations have dealt with/adapted to the now fast changing technology.   I will also try to track how many hours during a day is shared with some sort of technology. I’m sure to reveal things we tend to disregard simply because we are so used to some things that it no longer stands out to us. Here is just a few things I think we disregard lights, handicap entrance on doors, elevators, car alarms and so much more. As we gain information I’m almost sure you will be shocked at the growth and just how predominate technology has become.

Washboard

    The first interview I conducted was with my grandmother who was born over 60years ago in 1931. She spent time discussing how things were in the 40's and 50s what a different day and age it was. There was no line of communication besides a land line which at the time was not cordless and it also had no 3-way calling caller ID or anything. She also said for a good part of her childhood there was no television at all until her teens at some point came a television but with no color and limited stations. One thing that stood out the most to me was she had no washer machine for most of her childhood. They washed clothes on a wash board and they hung them outside to dry, she said "It was very hard on your arms and back". She also added that the stove was a wood burning stove. Meaning you had to get fire wood and put it inside of a compartment under the oven and light the wood on fire to heat the stove. That sounds a bit extreme but I'm sure it makes it a lot easier to appreciate the modern day stove. Last but not least the iron had to be heated on the stove before you could use it to press/iron your clothes.

     To conclude this interview with my grandmother I asked her a couple more questions. The first question was How did she adapt/embrace the growth of technology? she responded saying " It was difficult at first learning to operate and adjust but after getting used to it she couldn't picture life without it". The second question was what piece of technology could she do without? her answer was "Nothing". She made that clear that coming from an age where everything require so much labor she loved every bit of technology until this day she even has a smart phone and a tablet at 80+ years old. So I think its safe to say technology plays a huge part in her life at this point.

Beeper

     The second interview I chose to interview my mother. She was born in the 1960s so her insight would come from the 70s and the 80s. I’m sure you will notice during this interview that she was able to get a little more detailed than the first interview. I think it happened that way because she experienced more technology from the start but you can be the judge. During her time period there was no computers initially they only had type writers. Which may sound just as convenient but you could not make a single mistake with out having to restart there was no delete button. Also during her time growing up there was a burst of technology with a "beeper". She said when she got her a beeper it meant the world to her. It finally gave people a way to contact you anywhere you were. The only downside was you had to then find a pay phone or a location with a phone to actually be able to talk to the person who was trying to get in touch with you (cells phones weren't as common until later on). Then I went on to ask a few specific questions like what piece of technology did she resist initially? Her answer was smartphones after having a beeper and a "standard" cell phone she thought it would be hard to adapt to a touch screen/high tech cellular device. Eventually she made the switch but it took some time. I went on to ask her what piece of technology amazed her? She thought and said she was very amazed by the automatic start button on certain cars. She thought that the whole concept was great for reasons like not having to sit in a freezing cold car or extremely hot car, allowing your engine to warm up before you drove off etc. Last I asked her was there anything she didn't like and she said yes " That damn Automated phone service" I laughed and asked why she said because it takes too long and the automated machine can't always answer the questions you have so then you still have to talk to a "human "so it just waste even more time.

Nintendo

     After that interview I had to do one more. That last interview would be myself and while I could probably give even more details it was even harder because I was born into a lot of technology. I was born in the 90s so my time frame will be late 90s and 2000s. The first thing I thought about was a Nintendo that had to be the 1st game I played and loved as a kid. After that it was a new gaming system every other year. Another thing I remember was a walkie-talkie me and my friends all had them before we could get cellular phones. Once we got cell phones they went out of style for us. The first cell phone I had was pretty basic and had one good game called snake on it. Looking back now that phone was pretty bad compared to my current phone which is a smart phone (iPhone 5). The smart phone itself had to be the major piece of technology of my era. The power of finding out any information is in the palm of my hands what a great

Iphone5

invention except when its freezing or malfunctioning then it can be a problem but overall sad to say I don't know what I would do without it now. I don't think I ever resisted technology because it was something I grew up with yes things got better but it was never hard to adjust from one gadget to the next. I don't think there is anything I can do without I'm so used to technology I couldn't really picture things being gone. After interviewing myself I really noticed how much of a part technology has played throughout my entire life. At every age I can remember throughout my life there was some kind of new device of some sort being made pretty cool.

     After doing the three interviews I realized how far technology has come and how much it is used in everyday life. Now days we spend at least 12hrs a day using some type of technology. Whether it be on the tablet/computer, cell phone, watching tv, listening to music, using self checkout, being awaken by an alarm clock etc. Its not many moments at all that we are not using technology outside when we are sleeping. Another thing I noticed was while we all could think of some type of technology that we love but none of us really talked about thing we encounter everyday like red light cameras, automatic doors, projector screens in class rooms, online banking/ bill paying, motion censored alarm systems, etc. That leads me to believe that technology plays such a huge part now days that its easy to over look something’s almost as if its suppose to be that way we will notice a new phone but not a new auto paper towel dispenser. Which also says technology is everywhere in many shapes and forms and we rely on it for almost everything so if technology was to disappear the world would never be the same. 

I hope this blog left you thinking about not only how far technology has come but how much further will technology go? 

 

 

 

Generations, Technology and Me - Example #1 Blog

                Technology is everywhere. It’s in our homes, in shopping centers, in schools. We are surrounded by technology. It is the car we drive from place to place, it is phone that’s always in our pocket, it is the automated bathroom that flushes the toilet, turns the water on and off, puts soap and paper towels in our hands without us doing a thing besides move. Everything we do, checking out items, turning lights on in a room, sharpening pencils, can and usually involves technology. It affects us every day and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives and for the future generations beyond us.

                Most don’t usually take a step back and really look at what all we use technology for. Some people may be really surprised (or disgusted) at how much it actually is implicated in our daily lives. From the very beginning of our days, we are awoken by an alarm clock, walk down to the fridge that keeps our milk cool, pull clean dishes out of the dishwasher and eat our breakfast. That’s just the beginning of most Americans’ mornings. If we didn’t have technology, our lives would be extremely altered. 

                After trying to keep track of my technology use, I realized that I don’t really do anything without having technology incorporated into what I’m doing. At home, during spring break, I tried to monitor how much I use technology in my normal routine because I obviously am constantly using lights and my laptop for schoolwork. I was blown away by the numbers after really looking at how much I use of what. The TV (though I did figure I’d be using it more since I was on break) was on a lot of the time, even for background noise. I used it for music, to watch shows and movies, and to play video games. Same with the computer.  I did use my laptop for school a good bit over break, but I also spent a lot of time on social media sites, shopping sites, games, and for Netflix. My phone use was impossible to measure because I’m constantly on it to look things up quick, check my email, text and call friends and family, update social networks, and listen to music. In fact, I didn’t realize how much I used my phone for music until I was conscience of it. I play my music for a good portion of my day: I listen to it while I make breakfast, shower, get ready, drive, and study. I also use it to wake up and fall asleep, and to add background noise for when I’m hanging out with friends. Even when I was playing a game on the computer or playing a video game, I had to have my music on. I never realized how huge music is in my life, and how I can’t get it unless I use some sort of technology (phone, ipad, computer, CD player, stero, radio).

                All these realizations made me wonder two things: how did people live before without all this technology and how much do I rely on it in my own life?

                I decided to tackle one question at a time, so I first focused on how technology has grown and become more potent in our society over time. To do this, I talked to a few people. The people I talked to was my mom, my grandma, and my neighbor. All of them are a variety of ages which helped give me a better picture of the timeline of the growing use of technology. A lot of them had a lot to say about the different questions I asked and their participation really showed how each generation’s views vary. It was cool to see some pattern and consistency in my answers, like when I asked the question of what was some influential technology that they really utilized when they were my age. They all used technology that involved their music listening experience. My grandma, the oldest generation, seemed excited to tell me about the transistor radio. She said it really made listening to music easier and more portable, because before they used tube radios. “They were pretty large and heavy, which really confined listening to it, wherever your radio was”, she had told me over the phone when I asked her to describe to me what a tube radio was.  My mom, the second oldest generation, had told me that walkmans were a big thing because you could really just plug in your headphones and take your music anywhere, which was an awesome concept at the time. Then my neighbor, the youngest generation I interviewed, told me about CD players coming out in the early 90’s when she was my age. She said that it was cool to switch from cassettes to CDs, and that CDs were much easier to store than cassettes which made it convenient and smart to switch over.

However, the similarities became rarer throughout the rest of the interview. I began to ask questions about how they perceive technology and how readily they are to embrace new forms of it. Each generation had very different views. My grandma, who just got a cell phone a couple years ago (not by choice) has yet to have used a computer even. She said that she was very much against the expanding technology, which she makes plainly obvious. She really didn’t see a use for it since people were able to do without before and feels that it is what leads to a lot of problems with communication and human-to-human interaction. Then, when I interviewed my mom, she admitted that she usually is against new technology but she is willing to try it when really pushed or pressured to do so. And then, once she has it, she can’t live without it. She then admits that sometimes she wishes she didn’t try and take up the new technology just because she feels dependent on things like her phone, computer, and even her DVR.  Finally, I asked the question to my neighbor who says she’s actually always excited to try the “latest stuff”.  She is always the first to get the new android phone, tablet, and she is always the first to try the latest thing (such as blue ray).

After the interviews were conducted, I started to feel like there might be a bigger pattern among the generations. I could easily say that I feel like I’m the same as my neighbor in how I embrace new technologies. It makes me wonder if people’s attitudes toward technology is mostly affected by the generation that they are born in. The more we are grown up around it, the more we get used to it and see technological advances as a good thing. I think we tend to get allow the idea of technology to overshadow with the potential negative effects. I really feel like future generations are going to become more accepting and more attached growing technology. I’m nervous that they will become more dependent than we are now, which we can’t deny that we are. In the novel, ‘The Feed’, people became so dependent on their feeds that they lost the ability to be creative and think for their selves, they didn’t become as educated, they lacked social skills, and they basically needed the feed for everything that they did.

I fear that that could be in the near future someday while at the same time I’m not scared enough to give up things such as my phone or computer now, which makes me more nervous. I’ve realized how much I depend on my technology for everything I do. I need a car to drive to work, I need a phone for media and communication, I need an alarm clock to wake me up each morning. If I had to give up half of the technology and electronics that we have now, I honestly don’t know if I would be able to really too much. I recognize that I’m fully dependent on it all and I’m nervous that future generations will be even worse.

**This essay was written by a student in FYS 102 - Are We Cyborgs? - Spring 2013