Forgot Phone: Anti-Social Effects of Technology?

[Avichal]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OINa46HeWg8
Technology is becoming a very important part of life, it has made communication so easy and we are able to connect to the whole world instantly.
But the video made me think - Technology by providing us more ways to connect to people is actually make us anti-social. That's so strange, isn't it? I would like to hear what you think on this.

 

[danago]

I think that some of the scenes in that video are clearly anti-social (e.g. the bowling alley scene), however many of them involve using technology to record videos and photos, which, in my opinion, does not fall into the category of anti-social.

I have found technology and the social media to improve my social life. Before the days of Facebook, I had a small group of friends that I communicated with regularly, generally via text messaging on my Nokia brick, or MSN chat (yes, I am still young enough to have been raised in the "social technology" era). However, with Facebook, I have been able to keep in contact with a much larger group of people, and I have significantly expanded my offline social circles. Facebook has been a means for me to connect with people who have similar interests, people I never would have made an effort to socialise with otherwise.

As an example, I'll mention a chain of events that recently significantly expanded my social circles. A friend, aware that I am an amateur food blogger and photographer, introduced me (via Facebook) to a like minded friend of hers. We chatted for a while, and then she invited me to a food blogging conference (I wasn't previously aware of its existence). Over the duration of the conference I learned a lot, but more importantly I met so many people with so many similar interests.

Of course my opinion is probably skewed by the fact that I was born in 1990 rather than 1970, but I am a firm believer that social media and technology has improved my social life. Sometimes I feel that there is just so much information being fed to us online that I need to step away and have a break (especially for those of us who try to learn and absorb as much as possible), and scenes like the bowling alley in the video do sadden me, but overall I am appreciative of technology and the social media.

 

[Travis_King]

Yea but the point I think the artist was making is "Put the dang phone away and experience it!"

The guy proposing to his girlfriend, videotaping themselves. That is a perfect example. If he wants to remember it, he should be trying to experience every detail of that moment and giving her and those few minutes his full attention. Not focusing on whether he's got her face in the frame. Same goes for the birthday party, and most of those other scenes.

I use my phone all the time, and I don't deny it's a great resource, I'd be pretty bummed if I had to revert back to a non-smart phone. But when I'm at a concert, I'm there to enjoy the music and take in that experience. I'm not there to capture a crummy video on my ipad (who brings an ipad to a concert?) or spend half the dang time trying to get the bassist in the frame of my pictures. The same goes with going out with friends. It is antisocial to sit around the table with your phones out.

This video isn't about technology or social media being bad. Social media has obviously made some tremendous improvements on how we connect and interact. It's about the fact that after you connect with people, or places, or events, you should put the social media on hold. Enjoy what you are doing and the people you are with.

 

[Evo]

Being older and having lived for decades without computers and cell phones, I don't rely on them. My children, however, were early users of social media, so it has become part of their life. I do not remember seeing my youngest daughter in the past few years without her smart phone in her hand. When she comes over to visit, she'll show me pictures and small videos of people and animals in her life, so that's a positive thing. It's like she's carrying her day to day life around in her hand. But we rarely talk anymore since she has told me she prefers texting. She can text with her thumbs at the speed of light, while I have to hunt and peck on an old fashioned style phone pad. I would never use the features of a smart phone, so refuse to pay the premium fee that's charged to use them.

I don't see anything wrong with heavy use of these devices, but some people have thrown common sense out of the window.

Just the other day, I was in line behind a man at the grocery checkout. The cashier had finished ringing up his food and was waiting for payment, but the man was yakking on his cell phone and not even looking at the cashier. We all waited, and waited, while the guy, who apparently forgot where he was, just kept on yakking. The cashier finally yelled at him to get his attention. Then when I got to pay, the cashier started venting about how that was getting to be a common problem, people can't hold off using their phones long enough to pay for their groceries. When your cell phone prevents you from functioning in society and becomes an inconvenience to others, it's a problem. I've seen the same thing at gas stations, "Hey lady, your car is full, get off the phone and get away from the pump so someone else can get gas".

If the thought of turning off your phone for an hour while not asleep starts withdrawals, you've got a problem. It truly has become an addiction for many people. And it's becoming a social nuisance.

 

[jedishrfu]

One way I've used my phone is to call the store and ask for a clerk because its impossible to find anyone to help you anymore. Its worked in Home Depot and at a repair center I went where I could hear everyone talking in the back but no one heard the doorbell even though I opened and closed it several times. Finally I called and wonder of wonders someone came out to help me.

 

[mesa]

I love the idea of having easy access to friends, family, internet, etc but I believe we are better off without them.

It has been two years (almost to date) that I let mine go. I lost contact with a few 'friends' by no longer being able to text but all my other other relationships have since strengthened. It also now more interesting visiting public places and seeing a world full of people staring at their right hands.

 

[Mark44]

Being older and having lived for decades without computers and cell phones, I don't rely on them. My children, however, were early users of social media, so it has become part of their life. I do not remember seeing my youngest daughter in the past few years without her smart phone in her hand. When she comes over to visit, she'll show me pictures and small videos of people and animals in her life, so that's a positive thing. It's like she's carrying her day to day life around in her hand. But we rarely talk anymore since she has told me she prefers texting. She can text with her thumbs at the speed of light, while I have to hunt and peck on an old fashioned style phone pad.

Typing with two thumbs on a tiny keyboard seems like a step backward to me. I learned to type (on a manual typewriter) back around 1960, and am a pretty good typist, using all of my fingers, and can type almost as fast as I can write. For many years, my work has entailed lots of typing. If I can't have a regular size keyboard, I'm not interested.

I would never use the features of a smart phone, so refuse to pay the premium fee that's charged to use them.

I don't see anything wrong with heavy use of these devices, but some people have thrown common sense out of the window.

Just the other day, I was in line behind a man at the grocery checkout. The cashier had finished ringing up his food and was waiting for payment, but the man was yakking on his cell phone and not even looking at the cashier. We all waited, and waited, while the guy, who apparently forgot where he was, just kept on yakking. The cashier finally yelled at him to get his attention. Then when I got to pay, the cashier started venting about how that was getting to be a common problem, people can't hold off using their phones long enough to pay for their groceries. When your cell phone prevents you from functioning in society and becomes an inconvenience to others, it's a problem. I've seen the same thing at gas stations, "Hey lady, your car is full, get off the phone and get away from the pump so someone else can get gas".

If the thought of turning off your phone for an hour while not asleep starts withdrawals, you've got a problem. It truly has become an addiction for many people. And it's becoming a social nuisance.

Add dangerous to the list, to include people who are texting while they're driving.

 

[SteamKing]

You know you've got a problem when you use your phone to text, chat, or otherwise expand your social circle while sitting on the can.

 

[jtbell]

Add dangerous to the list, to include people who are texting while they're driving.

Or taking pictures of themselves while driving.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/06/tech/mobile/selfies-while-driving/