As much as I hate to admit this, my smartphone isn’t even as far as the bedside table at night, its under my pillow. It began in college when I lived away from home for the first time, and drove an unreliable car. However, I didn’t become fully aware that my mobile had literally become an extension of myself until last semester when a reading from Dr.Markman’s course last semester described me as a “cyborg”. Sad, but true. My father grew up in the 50s and 60s in a home with his 8 siblings, parents, grandparents, and aunts. By contrast, I grew up in a home only with my one sibling and parents. This shift is typical of the American communities as Wellman describes in his Wisconsin radio spot, moving from geographically based communities to social networks, and more recently digital networks. I’m very close with my father’s large family, but a good bit of the “work of our relationships” is done online. We Facetime and Skype, text and email constantly. In this way I have ignored the advice of Eric Schmidt from the Baym radio spot, and I actually am living part of my life by the glow of a monitor. And you know what? I’m grateful for it. These technologies have allowed me to have rich and meaningful relationships – remotely. However, I would be lying if I didn’t say that the “technology Sabbath” embraced by one family from the radio spots didn’t sound refreshing to me. What would it be like to be unplugged for a blessed 48 hours? Would the flowers smell sweeter?
I am particularly irritated by the unfounded and overzealous criticisms of CMC so it was refreshing to see this quote in Rainie&Wellman, “Anxieties about the withering of relationships are not new, but began many centuries before the coming of the internet…in past decades, they were tied to industrialization, bureaucratization, urbanization, socialism, and capitalism.” p.117. This reminds us that with every generation and development of new technology, there is something labeled the day’s boogeyman. Quotes like this help us keep things in perspective. Also from this particular article was a reminder that superficial observations of behavior can lead to incorrect assumptions. What at a distance might seem like an addiction to one’s cell phone is actually a manifestation of an extrovert’s online socializing.
The Pew study once again points out the differences that most often fall along gender lines. Not surprisingly, women use calling and texting more often than men and most often for socializing while men use it significantly less and for more utilitarian reasons. And again, safety is brought up as a pro for mobile technology. However, I’ve yet to see any research that shows we are actually safer thanks to our mobile technology, but that doesn’t stop my mild panic attacks when I realize I’ve left my house without my phone.
For those undergrads in the class, you missed a good reading in on Sawchuck and Crow about grandmother’s using technology to connect with their grandchildren long distance. Once again, research contradicts the popular belief that older generations reject technology, here we have an example of the embracing of technology to overcome a hurdle of distance. This is exemplary of the changing dynamics of our society discussed on Wellman’s Wisconsin radio spot which described our society’s change from physically located communities and extended families in the home to digital communities and social networks. I am seeing this very situation play itself out with my mother in law who has asked me to teach her to text and Facetime so that she can interact more frequently with her grandchildren that live in Indiana.
Overall, I think these studies are a good reminder that the changes in our society pre-date our mobile technology. For years we have been morphing into a culture that is more open to moving a long distance from one’s family to pursue work or education, and the mobile technology allows us to maintain relationships across these distances. Of course our relationships and the way we communicate with one another has changed as a result, but the telephone changed relationships in much the same way, and I don’t recall the letter writers of old being up in arms about the changes. It seems to me that often the negative assumptions are, as Baym reminds us, without proof.
I’m not sure I would agree the Sawchuck and Crowe disproves that older generations reject technology. It was a case study of a small sample size of a specific group within a specific country. It was certainly and interesting study, though. The premise that older generations will adapt to new technology if they think it’s the best way to connect to younger generations has more merit as CMC continues to become a normal, integrated aspect of our society. When the technology was in its infancy stage, grandparents were probably more likely to reject it. Now, I think you might see a willingness to adopt on some level. I’d like to see a broader study on this topic.
Tim, I completely agree. I think as it has become a more excepted entity in our culture, and the pros of connecting with family outweigh the cons of learning something new, then they adapt at will.
The age thing is interesting – Pew Internet reported that in April 2012 we finally the half-way mark US adults 65+ using the internet (53%), about 69% have a mobile phone, and about a third use social networking sites. They also not that these gains have been very recent, so it’s possible that we may start to see faster growth in use in this demo in the future. I think the mobile phone data is key here, and that ties in nicely with the Sawchuck & Crow article. Mobile ownership among 65+ was 57% in 2010, so that’s a big jump. I would bet that a lot of that is motivated by the desire to stay connected with younger generations of family.
As a qualitative study, Sawchuck & Crow isn’t necessarily generalizable, but it does give us some nice insight.
I would not agree that the older generation reject technology mainly because many older people are using technology more and as you stated(about your mother -in -law) trying to gain knowledge in order to communicate with the younger generation. As time change and the world become more technology everyone will be using it rather we like it or not.
What would you do if you are living very far away from your family members and freinds? until 5 years ago the only way I was able to communicate with my family is by using the telephone which is very expensive or emails which is boring. But now we have the Facebook and Twitter, Skype where you can see and talk with your beloved. So, I too think that new technologies strengthen my relationships. Regarding the reading that I missed because I’m undergraduate student about the old generations who they are learning to communicate with the new generation;in fact, this is not a new news for me and it won’t surprise me because my mom did the same thing to see my kids and communicate with them. First she learned English, then, she learned how to use the laptop and get into the Facebook to read our posts and see our pictures, and now she is superior on Skype. She did all that just to see me and my kids and keep the good relationships.
I found the positive focus on CMC and the internet refreshing as well. I think society’s immediate response to anything new is to be afraid of it, or to start placing blame on it before any real research has been done. These studies pointed that there are many pros to the internet, and it can have a positive effect on people’s lives. I also agree with Rula’s comment above mine, that these new technologies are helpful to families that live far apart. I have been experiencing some personal hardships over the last week, and even though my family is not here with me, they have been able to call, text and even facetime with them. Its been extremely helpful, and I can’t imagine not having those advancements in my life.
My grandmother has always had a negative view of Facebook and will not have an account. She doesn’t want anyone to talk about her on there or to be a part of any of the drama that goes on. She does know how to use a computer and how to email. She just doesn’t believe in Social Networking. There are some people like that which are very private and don’t want to share everything on the internet. I think that is the problem with my grandmother, she just doesn’t want to put any of her information out there.
Tim, you hit the nail on the head about not being too far away from your cell phone. I am guilty of this bittersweet habit as well. The reason is because I have so much that comes through my phone like emails, texts and other forms of communication. I also check my grades on my phone to keep me posted as well. It is really hard to part ways from my phone because of so many reasons….but I know there are ways to try to eliminate myself as well.