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I sit in front of my computer screen, while alternately checking my Instagram news feed on my cell phone, and half listening to Doughnut Showdown on the TV in front of me. I am immersed in my technology, an everyday occurrence; I look longingly out at the bright crisp day just on the other side of my window.
I have not always been this dependant though, my generation seems to have grown up alongside the development of commonly used information technology. I remember when I was in elementary school, Facebook was just becoming a publicly used platform, and you had to be 18 years old to sign up (obviously we all just changed the year we were born on the sign up page). MySpace and MSN Messenger (which has since been shut down) were still really cool ways to chat with your friends after school or to secretly try to gain attention from your crush (by setting your status to busy with a link to your favourite Panic at the Disco song). This all being done from the comfort of your friendly shared home computer located in the rec room of your house. I can't speak for my friends at the time, but my parents were very strict with my use of technology. Growing up, I never had a television in my room, I wasn't allowed a cell phone, if I wanted an Mp3 player I had to buy it myself, and use of the family computer was monitored. I wasn't even allowed to watch shows like Family Guy or Much Video Countdown just in case there was some vulgar content. This control over my media consumption I can't really explain, especially because my mom would 'allow' me to watch Sex and the City with her on occasion, but it is very likely associated with the lack of awareness of this new technology.
My dad once said that as long as he lives, he will never have a computer in his house. He now very regularly updates his Facebook profile page and actively develops his website. The incorporation of information technology into my family home* progressed steadily. I was finally allowed a cell phone once I entered high school (even though I had been begging for years) and I paid for it completely myself. Meanwhile my sister turned 8 this year, she has both a personal Ipod and an Ipad, which have the capability to act as a phone when in close proximity to WiFi. She is ever more immersed in technology than I ever was when I was younger, but this mutual incorporation builds a shared social capital**. We can now both equally relate to, and discuss, the different levels of candy crush and the buy in progressions that are most useful to our level in the game. This conversion*** of information between my sister and I, who live hundreds of thousands of miles away, is now made possible, and easy.
The drastic increase in the use of communication technology has allowed for my sister and I to stay closer then ever before possible, but has our usage gone to far? A recently published article in the Inquirer has reviewed the damage of too much screen time on young peoples vision.
I have not always been this dependant though, my generation seems to have grown up alongside the development of commonly used information technology. I remember when I was in elementary school, Facebook was just becoming a publicly used platform, and you had to be 18 years old to sign up (obviously we all just changed the year we were born on the sign up page). MySpace and MSN Messenger (which has since been shut down) were still really cool ways to chat with your friends after school or to secretly try to gain attention from your crush (by setting your status to busy with a link to your favourite Panic at the Disco song). This all being done from the comfort of your friendly shared home computer located in the rec room of your house. I can't speak for my friends at the time, but my parents were very strict with my use of technology. Growing up, I never had a television in my room, I wasn't allowed a cell phone, if I wanted an Mp3 player I had to buy it myself, and use of the family computer was monitored. I wasn't even allowed to watch shows like Family Guy or Much Video Countdown just in case there was some vulgar content. This control over my media consumption I can't really explain, especially because my mom would 'allow' me to watch Sex and the City with her on occasion, but it is very likely associated with the lack of awareness of this new technology.
My dad once said that as long as he lives, he will never have a computer in his house. He now very regularly updates his Facebook profile page and actively develops his website. The incorporation of information technology into my family home* progressed steadily. I was finally allowed a cell phone once I entered high school (even though I had been begging for years) and I paid for it completely myself. Meanwhile my sister turned 8 this year, she has both a personal Ipod and an Ipad, which have the capability to act as a phone when in close proximity to WiFi. She is ever more immersed in technology than I ever was when I was younger, but this mutual incorporation builds a shared social capital**. We can now both equally relate to, and discuss, the different levels of candy crush and the buy in progressions that are most useful to our level in the game. This conversion*** of information between my sister and I, who live hundreds of thousands of miles away, is now made possible, and easy.
The drastic increase in the use of communication technology has allowed for my sister and I to stay closer then ever before possible, but has our usage gone to far? A recently published article in the Inquirer has reviewed the damage of too much screen time on young peoples vision.
"More and more people in their 20s and 30s are reporting vision trouble with symptoms similar to presbyopia, an eye condition involving difficulty focusing on nearby objects that naturally comes with age. Likely resulting from the proliferation of gadgets like smartphones, the symptoms are being dubbed “smartphone-induced presbyopia” — a modern ailment that underscores the need to refrain from excessive eye strain."
Just to leave you with one final thought:
*My family moved to Nova Scotia three years ago.
**Social Capital: how much an individual knows about a form of media.
***Conversion: When information is carried by a communication technology and becomes a part of everyday social interaction and builds social capital outside of the home.
**Social Capital: how much an individual knows about a form of media.
***Conversion: When information is carried by a communication technology and becomes a part of everyday social interaction and builds social capital outside of the home.