Life in the Information Age - what is it like for you?

[Skater]

We are currently living in the Information Age, a time in which information is easier to access than ever before and technology is on an enormous rise. Think of the speed in which PCs have evolved (the speed at which they run, etc.) and how many channels we can now receive on a standard television.

I'm collecting opinions from different groups of people on the Information Age. I've got the thoughts of a 64 year old technophobe, but now I'd be grateful if you could help me with providing the views of a younger, technologically astute frame.

This will help me for my A Levels, so please be serious!

 

[PhilD123]

I've got the thoughts of a 64 year old technophobe

I thought you were 16?

 

[sohum]

The dependence on technology is somewhat alarming, for me. The information age has not only brought along fast advancements in technology but has also increased the speed and efficiency of everyday life. If I ever stop and think about it, I become a little wary as to whether we are moving in the correct direction.

I am sure by the time I have kids, books will have become a historical artifact. After all, they don't exactly lend themselves to many of the mantras of the information age. They are not easily accessible and you need an actual human to unleash their full potential.

 

[Will_NA]

Plus, they're not as easily adaptable as internet articles, etc.

Then again, I'm 16, what would I know about life before technology.

EDIT: I'm actually 17...

 

[Deleted member 9102]

Edit: Chris Gayle

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Lots of lazyness. It is so evident in everyday life. Because of how easy the net is, people have started to try and apply that to their everyday life. Just look at school, kids can't finish homework in time because it is 'too much effort' to right a two page answer. They find the dictating of the teacher too fast because they are so used to reading and typing, and they are so used to getting their own way through the net that they feel it is fine to interrupt a class to ask the silliest of questions. They use abbreviated words in their spelling. Looking up a book in the library is too much effort. Everyone's project work is an identical copy-and-paste from Wikipedia or Sparknotes or whatever site pops up on Google first without any thought or effort. It's pathetic.

And the way social circles have changed, it's just stunning really. Everyone says LOL now as a word instead of laughing. Children in grade 7 and 8 are so unused to reading actual books that words like 'Skeptical' and 'Irony' aren't in their dictionaries. It is seriously shocking how many kids are allergic to reading now. In my class even the worst students read for pleasure. In grades 5 years below us, the best students are the very few that read or have a social life outside chatrooms and XBox Live. Now in my class, the 'cool group' is a bunch of kids that play World of Warcraft or another insane game called DOTR, what it stands for I have no idea. All these young grade 7 and 8 kids hate sports. They don't play or follow sports, during PE they sit around and watch others play or play stuff like Table Tennis at the most. I've heard several kids say they actually hate sports.

I don't know if all the kids in the world are like this now, this is a small sample from just my school. But from what I see, I don't like it. If this is our future, it isn't too bright.

 

[Kev]

It's very useful being able to check out something you're not 100% sure about from various sources on the internet

My problem with this is that people now just spend 30 seconds checking something on Wiki and then think they are experts. In the past if you wanted to be expert on something you studied the subject, read books and publications, learnt about the background of the subject you also learned other things along the way instead of just copy and pasting off a webpage.

E-mail and instant messaging are also very convenient things brought by technology

While email can be positive, it can also be negative. Happens a lot in business, you are actually talking to someone face to face (or maybe on the phone) and they say "email me about that" which is basically a nicer way of saying "I'm not going to do anything about that and can't think of a way to put you off, instead I'm going to sit and update my facebook page instead of doing real work".

TV may have 1000's of channels now, but its generally 1000's of channels of trash. Either its poor quality reality shows or repeats of stuff from the past. I certainly think the quality of programming has dropped as the money is shifted towards making more cheaper programmes. We have 24hour rolling news channels, but there isn't enough news to show so instead they pump up nothing stories and whip up hysteria.

Mobile Phones annoy me, as does texting. They are handy if you break down, get lost, are meeting someone in an unfamiliar place, have a family emergency etc but it amazes me to see people at, say a sporting event, texting their friends instead of actually watching whats happening. All this texting and all these phone calls makes me wonder what people actually say to each other when they meet up face to face. Or does that just not happen anymore? I hate the fact that I am always contactable these days, my phone doesnt even have an off button, it's designed that way so business never stops, I get calls and emails via the thing on days when I am not working and replies are expected. Is it possible to go on holiday these days? Also what's with talking on the phone while you are in a queue at the shops, hang up and ring people back!


Having ranted on for a while, I have to admit that I wouldn't want to be without the technologies though.

 

[Animator!]

It's good, and easy, I only say this because I, at nearly 18, have nothing to compare it to. It is the only age in which I have lived, and so it's redundant to get an opinion off someone who only has one side of the story and can only sepculate as to the other.