Tuesday, September 7, 2010
A Morphing World
People change. People change the world. Then, people change. History is painted by those who have discovered new technologies and improved societies, thereby changing the people within those societies. As people's lives have changed, needs have multiplied. As these needs have changed, so too did the means of satisfying them. It is intriguing to live in a time of technological advancement. Never before have the needs our time been so vast and diverse. Never before have markets been so vivid and boundless. We have morphed into a cyber society where our needs can be met at a single click of a mouse. We find ourselves satisfying needs that even kings of old could not dream of. Yet, we live in a time where we feel the need to keep up with time. Can we keep up with ourselves?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is pre-cyberpunk philosophical inquiry! Let me explain:
ReplyDeleteOur society is increasingly connected. We value the relationships, skills, and simplicities our technology allows us. As our gadgets get closer to our hearts, there is a glaring difference between what is occurring in our lives as we think it and as we feel it.
As We Think It...
A year-long relationship can end via text. A person can talk to a million people online and not know how to talk to people offline. We can read thousands of wikipedia articles but never learn anything that applies (one of my foibles).
As We Feel It...
Our five senses combine single channels of sensation to bring us experiences. When we only use one or two of those senses, we miss parts that complete the experiences we have. Think of how you feel when you listen to music in headphones. Now, think of that same music at a live concert. The truth is, we can't recreate a number of true experiences through technology.
I think that the more we embrace technology, the more dense our use of time becomes. We can do more than before. But is what we're doing fulfilling us?
Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, no. I find that blogging and keeping up with old friends can be wonderful in the right doses. I derive satisfaction from skills that only apply to the computer. But I can't stand days where I only stare at the screen, working at even the most interesting thing.
What is cyberpunk? What does that have to do with anything? http://www.slideshare.net/ChitChat/black-ice-mirrorshades-an-introduction-to-cyberpunk
(I'd take a look at the first few slides and the Philosophy section).
It is literature that, albeit in a very unique way, addresses the questions of the dawn of the digital age. I've read a couple of works in the genre. If you've seen the Matrix, you've taken a mainstream dose of cyberpunk.
As technology increases, so will our questions, (some of them have already been posed by the cyberpunk cadre, others need to be addressed by our generation). The biggest questions for me are:
What makes us human? What fulfills us as humans? Will our technology add to our experiences, make our lives easier, and bring our dreams closer OR will it distract us from life, cheapen our existences, and steal even our humanity?
Now, it seems like you've just started this blog. Maybe it's for a class, maybe it's going to turn into a marriage blog in a month :P Either way, it would be sad to see it go the way of so many other blogs (and historical sites)-- unvisited, and subsequently, unkept.
If you need something to write about, I would propose this:
Graphic design is a historied field, one that is dynamic and always outpacing itself technologically. However, graphic design consists of a fairly simple task (from a broad standpoint --don't tell me to re-do that layout in inDesign): manipulate the sense of sight. As you know, hearing someone on the phone can be fulfilling. The tone of their voice, the content of their speech, the cadence of their words-- all these things combine to enliven and enrich the sense of sound to the point that it approaches the experience of actually talking with someone.
How will YOU, as a graphic designer, present information, interest, and beauty so that your audience experiences something through and is fulfilled by your work?
If you can answer that, you're bound to be great at what you do!
I think the topic is very cool, so I wrote a lot.
Ciao,
Corey
P.S. You should design a layout for your blog!