KP Week-End (8/28/2010): Our Fascination w/Gadgets
Are we our Gadgets? That's the question before us as I was working to track down a book by Jaron Lanier titled, "...You are not a Gadget".
The reality, unfortunately, is that we are constantly defined by our gadgets. This is starting to bother me quite a bit. We have to really start thinking about our fascination with Gadgets and our constant aim to be online and wanting to be hip and work to be Digitally native. What are we doing to ourselves as a result of this rush?
Ever since the birth of Apple back in 1977, we seem to have been constantly working to be ever more digitized. Everything seems to be going paperless. We are constantly going online. We are trying out new gadgets and continue to be fascinated by the rise of even newer and newer gadgets. Apple, to its' credit, has reaped great rewards as a result of it. Everyone that I know seems to either have a iphone, want an iphone or wants to have an iPad. There are others who are vying to go after Apple's market. But Apple seems to be beating them to the punch constantly and consistently.
If we are not worried about Gadgets taking over our lives, we should be. We truly are not our gadgets. Gadgets are such that should make our lives easier. They should not be our lives. We should not be judged by their fascination. It drives me nuts when I see my nephews at their iphones constantly texting when in fact they should be visiting and interacting during family outings. It is telling when the film "Grown-Ups" depicts this very fact when the kids tell their Dad, "What are we do if we can't play video games or be texting"?
Ray Kurzweil has envisioned a World whereby gadgets will rule our World. Yet, I also am yearning for the opportunity to want my old brain back!!! Will the Digital Native Generation (and I regard myself as one) listen or not?
The reality, unfortunately, is that we are constantly defined by our gadgets. This is starting to bother me quite a bit. We have to really start thinking about our fascination with Gadgets and our constant aim to be online and wanting to be hip and work to be Digitally native. What are we doing to ourselves as a result of this rush?
Ever since the birth of Apple back in 1977, we seem to have been constantly working to be ever more digitized. Everything seems to be going paperless. We are constantly going online. We are trying out new gadgets and continue to be fascinated by the rise of even newer and newer gadgets. Apple, to its' credit, has reaped great rewards as a result of it. Everyone that I know seems to either have a iphone, want an iphone or wants to have an iPad. There are others who are vying to go after Apple's market. But Apple seems to be beating them to the punch constantly and consistently.
If we are not worried about Gadgets taking over our lives, we should be. We truly are not our gadgets. Gadgets are such that should make our lives easier. They should not be our lives. We should not be judged by their fascination. It drives me nuts when I see my nephews at their iphones constantly texting when in fact they should be visiting and interacting during family outings. It is telling when the film "Grown-Ups" depicts this very fact when the kids tell their Dad, "What are we do if we can't play video games or be texting"?
Ray Kurzweil has envisioned a World whereby gadgets will rule our World. Yet, I also am yearning for the opportunity to want my old brain back!!! Will the Digital Native Generation (and I regard myself as one) listen or not?
Mike Pouraryan
Old Soul
Doctoring The Soul