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thats the net affect of almost all technology. It is created to make our lives easier and gets very good at it and we forget how to do the things we once knew how to do. Just think back to the skills the common man had one hundred years ago, two hundred, three hundred. Most of us cant even do the most basic of them. The knowledge of how to do so became irrelevant with new technology.
Ask generations of the past about how Dumb they think all of us are, my god I couldn't even hunt, kill and process my own food or shoe a horse. Heck most probably couldn't even figure out how to ride one.
I still do basic math on a scratch pad while I'm working. Out and about, of course we use the tools available.
IMO, the damage smartphones are specifically doing (outside of privacy issues, which is its own monster) has something to do with attention spans and instant gratification. The shrinks of the world would probably be able to apply some labels to it but despite having the ability to do in depth research on anything, anytime, anywhere, people are growing more and more resistant to information. It's like there's in inverse correlation between having more information available and actually using the available information. We used to spend a half hour going through card catalogs and library shelves and then actually reading something in a book in order to find a single answer to a simple question. Now, people refuse to read past headlines. Yeah, that's a product of people being dumbed down, but it's not smartphones which did that. That happened in the educational institutions and in the homes. The people responsible for ensuring our children were learning what they're supposed to and behaving in a socially acceptable way abandoned their responsibilities as those kids were growing up and now we have generations of adult children who don't know jack and refuse to actually learn. Instant gratification or tantrums ensue. Adult tantrums can be dangerous, as we've seen in recent years.
thats the net affect of almost all technology. It is created to make our lives easier and gets very good at it and we forget how to do the things we once knew how to do. Just think back to the skills the common man had one hundred years ago, two hundred, three hundred. Most of us cant even do the most basic of them. The knowledge of how to do so became irrelevant with new technology.
I still do basic math on a scratch pad while I'm working. Out and about, of course we use the tools available.
IMO, the damage smartphones are specifically doing (outside of privacy issues, which is its own monster) has something to do with attention spans and instant gratification. The shrinks of the world would probably be able to apply some labels to it but despite having the ability to do in depth research on anything, anytime, anywhere, people are growing more and more resistant to information. It's like there's in inverse correlation between having more information available and actually using the available information. We used to spend a half hour going through card catalogs and library shelves and then actually reading something in a book in order to find a single answer to a simple question. Now, people refuse to read past headlines. Yeah, that's a product of people being dumbed down, but it's not smartphones which did that. That happened in the educational institutions and in the homes. The people responsible for ensuring our children were learning what they're supposed to and behaving in a socially acceptable way abandoned their responsibilities as those kids were growing up and now we have generations of adult children who don't know jack and refuse to actually learn. Instant gratification or tantrums ensue. Adult tantrums can be dangerous, as we've seen in recent years.
Very few people see the internet as access to the biggest library you could ever imagine.
I don't have a smart phone. do i miss having one.... no. i don't miss being tethered to a phone because i have to answer a phone call or text immediately when summoned, dependent on it for my schedule, etc. i'm grateful to not have a smart phone impinge on my life anymore. it is annoying that no one believes me when i say i don't even have a cell phone.
i'm considered a dinosaur by many, but i don't think so. i'm a rebel.
Last edited by texan2yankee; 09-24-2022 at 06:53 PM..
That's the way I look at it. I am 70, so can live with or without my phone. I much prefer to have it. It gives me almost instant access to so much information. I love the GPS and that sort of thing. I use it mostly for that rather than staying in contact with others. I rarely get a call. Who wants to talk to this old fart?
I don't think some people, especially older ones appreciate how the skills have transitioned to work with existing technology.
For example, some old-timer (not that I'm a spring chicken) might be shocked that I can't figure out a complex calculus problem with paper and pencil.
Well, I can get to the same solution using software in about 1 minute while they'd be flumoxxed by the software.
So, the next time some old person feels all "this generation is stupid" because they don't do things the way that they do...maybe consider that you're still digging with a shovel while they're using a backhoe.
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