Here's the link to the video: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08lm6c2/breakfast-13042017
Skip to around 2:54:00 (or 8:55 by the BBC's clock in the bottom right hand corner).
I mentioned that if I don't keep up with the news I feel like I'm out of the loop. I don't feel the same when it comes to social media, but it made me think about how many people cannot live without their phones for one reason or another. One of the news presenters mentioned that we stream 1 billion pieces of music every month! Isn't that crazy! So I decided to dig a bit deeper. Looking into the usage growth of social media, smartphones and how having all of this in the palm of our hands affects us.
- 7 in 10 people in the UK now own a smart phone.
- It is estimated 2.3 billion people own a smart phone in the World.
- 65% of adults now use social networking sites – a nearly tenfold jump in the past decade
"By the end of this current year, 1.4 billion smartphones will be in use: 798 million of them will run Android, 294 million will run Apple’s iOS, and 45 million will run Windows Phone, according to a new study by ABI Research. With the world population at 7 billion that will mean one phone for every five people in the world."
Technology and the performing arts! I'm not necessarily a techno-phob but more traditional. Someone once asked me 'what's the first thing you do when you wake up?' (expecting me to say pick up my phone) and I simply replied with 'make a brew!' much to their surprise. I've talked about the more negative sides of technology throughout my blog but in this instance it can be positive! Improvements with sound, light, projection, equipment and much more all help with the smooth running of shows, productions, training etc. Working as part of a theatre tech crew, I can experience first hand how these developments can help - but are these always reliable? In a word, no. Technology isn't invincible, but then nor are we so we have to allow for technology faults; just as we would human error in preparation for a show.
It's quite astounding to see the rate at which this online world has grown. There have been many studies on this over the years and I'm sure there will be more to come. Perhaps we should have a technology detox once in a while. I love the feel of a newspaper in my hands, not just a plasma screen. This is such a broad subject that has stemmed from one little snippet I overheard on my way out the door. I probably wouldn't have taken notice of any of this before I started this course, its nice to see and feel like all this learning is finding its way into my everyday life.
Techno Me
I can't believe how technology
Is destroying us as a humans
It has simply ruined our true journey
Of a good life on earth everywhere
All heads bowed but not in prayer
Staring at their new found life
That they now live within
A hand held device.
I think back to when I was a kid
Before things like this existed
Life back then was a different life,
Friends truly existed, in flesh and blood,
Not on a screen sending smiley face hugs.
Time seemed slower, now is almost over,
There's really nothing we can do,
They control our lives with the new,
iPhone, Android, and Tablets too,
Yeah we know each other,
But only on screen,
Our voices come through in text,
It is not the same as human flesh
Is destroying us as a humans
It has simply ruined our true journey
Of a good life on earth everywhere
All heads bowed but not in prayer
Staring at their new found life
That they now live within
A hand held device.
I think back to when I was a kid
Before things like this existed
Life back then was a different life,
Friends truly existed, in flesh and blood,
Not on a screen sending smiley face hugs.
Time seemed slower, now is almost over,
There's really nothing we can do,
They control our lives with the new,
iPhone, Android, and Tablets too,
Yeah we know each other,
But only on screen,
Our voices come through in text,
It is not the same as human flesh
by Lori Callahan
References
Hi Jess
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the poem as nearly everyone thinks we are constantly checking our phones and laptops. I drive a lot and it is not possible, safe or legal to do so. I do check messages when I arrive at my destination and "mentally file" the ones I can do later. It is important to be "in the loop" but not get ourselves tied up in it.