Is satellite Internet causing an over dependence on technology?
In the recent Roland Emmerich movie "2012," there is a scene that sticks out more than any other. No, it is not the constant action sequences of the world ending, with John Cusack and Amanda Peet flying in planes or driving cars, out running volcanic ash clouds and collapsing buildings. It is the scene near the beginning - before all of the destruction and devastation - where Cusack takes his two kids up to Yellowstone to go camping.
The trip was meant for the family to spend quality time together, but before all of them go to bed, it is easily seen that that is anything but the case. The son is texting his stepfather, complaining of how boring the trip is; the father (Cusack) is using his laptop and exploring the Web with satellite Internet. So, what happened to exploring the great outdoors and connecting with the family?
About 10 years ago, this type of scenario would never have occurred. People would go camping and would have left their cell phones and laptops at home, would have cut themselves off from the world to actually see the world and to spend time with their family. Since the recent rise and popularity of wireless connections and satellite broadband, this part in the movie now provides an accurate depiction of American society, a society over dependent and over obsessed with modern technology.
It is neither surprising nor something that people should be concerned about; it is just a simple observation. The world runs at an incredible pace these days and people need to stay connected. Whereas a few years ago a business transaction would take one to two weeks to be implemented, presently it takes between a few hours to a few days, depending on the significance of the deal.
People demanded to stay connected all the time, so companies developed satellite Internet broadband and other similar technologies to provide the service. No longer would people have to wait until they found a computer with a landline to connect to the Internet. Now, they could bring their laptop with them and connect from anywhere they pleased.
Sure, some situations call for immediate connectivity, especially with regards to business matters. The majority of situations, however, do not require immediate responses. Presently, people are just connecting because they can. Office workers are checking their personal email three to four times a day just to see if they received a new message. In class, students are using the University Wi-Fi or satellite Internet to browse their friends' photos on Facebook and twitter status updates instead of listening to the lecture. Even parents are constantly checking the weather and their bank statement while on vacation with their children in such places as the Rocky Mountains or the national parks of Arizona. Society is simply addicted to modern technology.
People, unfortunately, do not even realize it. They live their lives, constantly connected, and cannot remember what it was like to actually look up a phone number in a yellow book or write a letter. They can barely remember doing research for a term paper in the library.
As said before, this is not a problem; it is simply an observation. Satellite Internet and other technologies are great societal advances. Staying connected with each other is really important, and not only for business. In dire situations, such as natural disasters, people are able to stay connected and access help and information if they need it.
There comes a time, however, when people need to step back and disconnect for a little while. To stop constantly logging on in order to get some real peace and quiet. Because society is over dependent on technology, and if the movies have shown anything, it is that technology could potentially turn on its creator. So, it might be a good idea if everyone just stopped connecting, just for a little bit, and enjoyed the other beauties that this world has to offer.
The trip was meant for the family to spend quality time together, but before all of them go to bed, it is easily seen that that is anything but the case. The son is texting his stepfather, complaining of how boring the trip is; the father (Cusack) is using his laptop and exploring the Web with satellite Internet. So, what happened to exploring the great outdoors and connecting with the family?
About 10 years ago, this type of scenario would never have occurred. People would go camping and would have left their cell phones and laptops at home, would have cut themselves off from the world to actually see the world and to spend time with their family. Since the recent rise and popularity of wireless connections and satellite broadband, this part in the movie now provides an accurate depiction of American society, a society over dependent and over obsessed with modern technology.
It is neither surprising nor something that people should be concerned about; it is just a simple observation. The world runs at an incredible pace these days and people need to stay connected. Whereas a few years ago a business transaction would take one to two weeks to be implemented, presently it takes between a few hours to a few days, depending on the significance of the deal.
People demanded to stay connected all the time, so companies developed satellite Internet broadband and other similar technologies to provide the service. No longer would people have to wait until they found a computer with a landline to connect to the Internet. Now, they could bring their laptop with them and connect from anywhere they pleased.
Sure, some situations call for immediate connectivity, especially with regards to business matters. The majority of situations, however, do not require immediate responses. Presently, people are just connecting because they can. Office workers are checking their personal email three to four times a day just to see if they received a new message. In class, students are using the University Wi-Fi or satellite Internet to browse their friends' photos on Facebook and twitter status updates instead of listening to the lecture. Even parents are constantly checking the weather and their bank statement while on vacation with their children in such places as the Rocky Mountains or the national parks of Arizona. Society is simply addicted to modern technology.
People, unfortunately, do not even realize it. They live their lives, constantly connected, and cannot remember what it was like to actually look up a phone number in a yellow book or write a letter. They can barely remember doing research for a term paper in the library.
As said before, this is not a problem; it is simply an observation. Satellite Internet and other technologies are great societal advances. Staying connected with each other is really important, and not only for business. In dire situations, such as natural disasters, people are able to stay connected and access help and information if they need it.
There comes a time, however, when people need to step back and disconnect for a little while. To stop constantly logging on in order to get some real peace and quiet. Because society is over dependent on technology, and if the movies have shown anything, it is that technology could potentially turn on its creator. So, it might be a good idea if everyone just stopped connecting, just for a little bit, and enjoyed the other beauties that this world has to offer.