Thursday, May 19, 2005
Technology-wise
As I am typing this blog now, we should be fully aware of the troubles it took for developers to churn out this innovative idea for us. Now, as we all know, we are living in a world surrounded by highly-digitised equipments, and how does that affect us? Of cos it benefits the majority, especially the younger generation, since they are all trained in operating IT products now, and even the elderly have started to enrol for computer lessons now, in order not to be eliminated, especially among their childrens and grandchildrens.
No doubt the wide varieties of technology makes things more convenient for us, like communicating with frenz thru emails/online chat messengers/sms, instead of punching numbers into telephones to get across to the other party. Even things like credit cards, something that doesn't serve as a basic necessity years ago, have evolved into a plastic that is compulsory for online shopping, booking of tickets, and other similar transactions. For the purpose of this, ppl have flocked to banks and have become interested in roadshows, all for the sole reason of shopping within the confines of their own homes, and with a few clicks of the mouse, to have their products delivered to their doorstep.
What we have not realised is the social and emotional impact on us folks. With more communication channels being opened, we don't just depend on telephones sitting in a corner of our homes anymore, and some of us may not even realise that the telephone being neglected in ur house have attracted tonnes of dust and may not even be functional already. With the handphones sms service, we will text out frenz abt meeting times, silly anecdotes, and the usual greetings. This is thought to be of more convenience rather than calling up frenz, and with the search feature in our handphones, we don't even need a tangible address bk to hold our frenz contacts, as all is visible within a few presses of the keypads. Therefore, ppl have forgotten what their frenz numbers are, instead of just pulling it out from the back of their mind like when we were still in sec schs, when the usage of handphones aren't into trend yet. Without a handphone, life is like hell now.
As for the internet, another form communication also comes from there - the chat messengers, like icq, msn or yahoo. Again, instead of calling, ppl will just chat online, for hours, to gossip, talk abt their life happenings and everything under the roof. This may be known as fully utilizing the internet, so as to make every cent worth paying for monthly. But what we may not know is that we are so used to chatting by tapping the keyboard and pushing the keypads that we have lost our communication skills gradually.There may be a minority of ppl out there who are shy by nature, and this form of communication may help them to convey what feelings that they have difficulty conveying when in a face to face situation. But by shunning their flaw, it will not cure them of their social problem. All the more they should go out, face ppl and speak up if they are shy. If you are imperfect, try to cure the flaw(s) that will eventually lead you to perfection.
All the above mentioned makes us more lazy too. Instead of going out to shop, some ppl prefer to enjoy their life at hm, surfing the net while doing online shopping simultaneously.Instead of having a nice afternoon out sipping coffee and gossiping abt each other's life, ppl have also turned to chat messengers for mass chats, where everybody will meet up online at a certain hour, instead of meeting up outside separately as not everybody will be free, judging by the hectic lifestyle of sporeans now.
It's true that all of these technologies will do us good, but maybe we should be thrown back into the basics, to experience the definition of a "real life", a life without so much as dependence on technology.
Fingers dancing ended on 5/19/2005 03:08:00 PM
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