Many of the hopes and fears brought about in these readings revolve around the idea that the internet will effect how human beings communicate with one another. The negative effects range from a loss of personal identity to the absence of real human relationships. The hopes are largely the opposite of this, that CMC will help bring people together. I understand the fear that text messages and emails are somehow creating less meaningful relationships, but I disagree with that point. In our world, more and more families are finding themselves living in different parts of the country. Without access to text messaging, email or even video chatting services such as Skype or FaceTime, it would be almost impossible to maintain a close bond with family members. I feel like Skype and FaceTime are helping to keep the internet from “slouching towards the ordinary.” Whereas email is very much like traditional letter writing, a FaceTime call is completely different than anything we as a society were able to do a decade ago. In fact, in 2003 most Americans did not even have text messaging. Now, we can call a family member in another country and actually see their face while we talk to them. Its a truly amazing thing! We are finding ways to make communication on the internet a less ordinary experience than it was a decade or even five years ago.
It is important to realize, though, that there is truth to the fear that the internet can rob a person of their privacy. In fact, the internet is becoming the first place new employers look for information on prospective hires. If any trace of that potential employee is found doing something crazy, illegal or morally objective, its likely they will not be hired. And it applies to current employers as well. You have to be extremely careful about what you put out there. Overall, though, the user can be completely in control of what exists about them on the web. It is always a good idea to be aware of what you are sending out into cyberspace. The internet never forgets!
5 thoughts on “We Are Far Past Ordinary”
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I agree with you, my family lives fairly close but I have been able to order things from the UK, interact with people local and distant with fashion boutiques that I would have never found without the internet. I feel that social media is somehow bringing people from all walks of life together as well as breaking barriers and stereotypes.
I do agree that they will keep finding things to improve and introduce to us so that technology can stay fresh and new and not slouch towards ordinary. However, there are many technologies that do. For those things, I think people become so oblivious to their use of them that they tend to allow themselves to send all types of things into cyberspace. I do agree that people should be more careful.
I would venture to say that technology really does make it difficult to have close relationships with people. Although Skype really is a great feature, my argument is that social media has caused people to really mess up their time management. In past decades, people used to take the time to pick up the phone and call their parents across the country. However, people complain that they are just way too busy now- via a status on Facebook. :) All those little moments of Pinterest here and Twitter there really start to add up, and people get so distracted with their online presence and with all of the new information, that they begin to neglect their personal relationships. This is just from what I’ve personally witnessed, and I really want to start strongly limiting my social media usage. For me, it will benefit every single aspect of my life.
I agree that Skype and FaceTime are wonderful for keeping up with family members that live far away. It is so much more satisfying to actually see them while you are talking to them rather than just writing a letter or an email to them. It is also useful for people in the military. It puts their loved ones at ease when they can skype with their families back home to let them know that they are safe. I have heard of a lot of people losing their jobs because of Facebook. I was watching Full Throttle Saloon the other night and one of the bar tenders had made a video diary and put it on Youtube which documented her experience as being a bar tender in Sturgis, South Dakota during the big rally week in August of every year. This bar tender had said a lot of negative things about Full Throttle like that it was unorganized, the other bar tenders were fat and she didn’t like working with them. She also said that all the other employees didnt have any common sense. One of the security guys from Full Throttle ran across this woman’s video and showed it to the owner of Full Throttle, Michael Ballard who is actually from Dyersburg, TN! Michael Ballard was very angry and did not like this woman trashing his ten million dollar bar on the internet. He went and confronted the woman and fired her. He also said he would make sure she never had another job in Sturgis ever again. That is just a prime example that once something is on the internet it is on there forever. You really have to watch what you put on there.
All the tools that the internet gives us, helps us to keep in touch with family members. Skype and FaceTime are two of the probably, most popular.The fears of the internet are prevalant and people nowadays, make good judgment calls on whether or not to believe a certain person online. But to say that relationships are diminishing is outrageous. People stay in contact BECAUSE of internet and technology. Purely.