Digital Priority

Living in the digital age drastically affected everyday society in regards to the way that people interact, live their lives, and view the world. Though it has its pro’s and con’s, no single individual would easily be able to go back to the way life was without all the technology surrounding us. People are dependent on technology for every single thing that they do, whether it is setting up a reminder so you make it to work on time, or scrolling through Facebook to waste a couple moments of free time, technology and media influences are significantly impacted in everyday society. Not everyone views this as a bad thing, however, has digital technology become more of a priority rather than a luxury?
Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World highlighted the positives and negatives that the digital era has had on society over time. From the beginning of the internet, which derived in 1965, society has immediately been impacted. The internet being such a new and apprehended concept, everyone was so intrigued by its unfamiliarity. Immediately after its arrival, technology flourished beyond it’s time. Even from the simplest of technologies, society predicted that this would create a spur in the way that people interacted and communicated with each other. The documentary draws viewpoints from various interviewees about their own personal experiences with the digital era.
One chapter in the documentary that really stood out to me was when the family spoke about their daughter who was killed in a car accident. The night of the accident the daughter’s family was not given any information of the victim and her standing about the accident. However, at the same time someone who witnessed the accident took photos and leaked them onto the internet. This resonated with me because there is absolutely no filter on the internet and anything can be posted for anyone to see without any repercussions.
As a young adult I have seen similar situations, obviously not to the same extent, happen on the daily. The digital age has given society the confidence to post and say whatever they want behind a screen. Without the comfort of their phone and laptop, the situation that happened with the family’s daughter never would have happened. No one would have sent that picture out on a newspaper etc. Due to the digital era the line between what is appropriate and what should be kept private has diminished.
In the article by Jean M. Twenge, Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?, she addresses the overbearing thought that the digital era has taken reality out of everyday life. She begins off the article by asking a young girl about a typical day in her life with friends, the girl responds by telling her when she hangs with friends they’re primarily on their devices not interacting. They don’t find this to be strange and sadly, I do not either. It is so accepted in our culture to be attached to our phones and tablets in any given social interaction.
Over this past semester I studied abroad in Europe and I noticed how different their culture is there in regards to their digital devices. Everyone in Europe lives for the moment and is so caught up on enjoying the present time. Granted, technology is extremely prevalent there as well, but it somehow does not feel like the main focus in their everyday lives. At home however, it does. For example, going out to dinner in the States everyone is on their phones and even young children are given tablets at the table so they are distracted and do not cause havoc. Not in all cases this is bad, but seeing how different the culture is abroad puts into perspective the little things we take for granted. Like time with family and friends, and just living in the moment rather than “capturing” the moment.
As technology continues to progress over time, society will continue to grow with it as well. From watching Future Shock, it is evident that the digital era is only continuing to grow and there is no chance of stopping it. We will constantly be waiting for the next big thing. My hope is that eventually down the line us, as individuals, will eventually pull back and be able to differentiate what seems important in the moment and what we can put our phone down for.
