One topic that I found particularly interesting in the reading for this week is found under "Mood Disorders" on pages 3-7 in "Culture Jam". This is when the postmodern family decides to take a camping trip and it seems as if everyone is lost, almost to the point where they are going through the stages of grief (p. 4, paragraph 2). Why is this? Why is it when technology and electronics are removed from our everyday lives we are all of a sudden depressed and lost in the world? Do we for some reason believe that electronics are a part of us and who we are that when they are gone we have lost ourselves? When thinking about these questions it really makes me wonder how I would personally react if electronics were removed from my every day life. How would you react? I, myself, love to go camping and hunting and enjoy the outdoors for the weekend but could I honestly do this for a longer period of time?
In further discussion, it seems that boredom and sadness result in more "electronic time" such as TV time or more time listening to our i pods or texting friends. Have we truly lost a sense of our natural world? As mentioned in class, when was the last time you saw the sunset? I could not even tell you when it was for me. I feel that the pressure from the media to have new electronics because they are popular causes us to become completely obsessed with owning and operating new technology. We always want the best of everything when we can settle for what we have. This strong media influence may have something to do with why we feel so dependent on technology that we actually identify ourselves with it. I feel like it is important to spend a little more time in nature by actually paying attention to what is surrounding us.
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12 years ago
I agree with your questions, like how much do electronics run our lives and have we lost ourselves. I would say most people rely heavily on them. I too go camping every year and I love to do it, but you make a good point...how long could you actually do it. I know I miss having service on my cell phone just for the one week I'm gone! I'd say a lot of people wouldn't know what to do with themselves without electronics and technology. And with the materialistic things people have in life...they always want bigger and better than what they have. If a new model of something comes out people want it, even though what they have is sufficient. The things people have will never be enough. We always crave more.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you are saying and it scares me to a point because I feel that if people had their technology taken away there would be even more people with psychological disorders than there already are. I overheard a girl in one of my classes talking about how she left her cell phone charger at home and her cell phone died and she seemed really upset about this, which if you think about it really isn't that big of a deal because she could borrow a phone or use email. People just want to have everything and anything they can. I heard another girl talking about how she wants the new iPad when she already has a computer and a phone, I just don't understand the need for everything.
ReplyDeleteI think Summer's idea of people developing even more psychological disorders when faced with the loss of technology is a really interesting one to think about! How many of us would lose the ability to function "normally"? It wasn't so long ago that we had to use pay phones to call others if we were away from home...look how far we've come!
ReplyDeleteI understand exactly where you're coming from Tiff! Espically with the electronic boredom part! There are times when I just feel like I have to watch Tv, or listen to my Ipod, but yet, there are other times when I'm bored, I go outside. Whenever it gets warmer outside, I actually go for a walk on our christmas tree farm right around sunset time just to watch the sunset. Yes, I know it's strange to hear that but, I think there needs to be more people like this and less electronically dependent!!
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