Interviews and Surveys

Interviewing my Mom:

Me: How many hours would you say you spend using digital devices?

Mom: Well in my job, I have to use the computer almost the whole time, so around 8 or 9 hours a day. People used to walk over to each others office and talk about what was going on, but now everyone e-mails each other. It gets tiring for me because so many hours in front of the computer, I get a headache. But when your boss and your co-workers are e-mailing you, you have to respond. I don't really have a choice.

Me: Is there any other digital device you use besides the computer? And how much time do you spend on it?

Mom: Oh yes, I forgot of my cell phone. This is the only other one. I only use it for phone calls, and they only go on for a couple minutes.

Me: Do you think that we (me & my sister) spend too much time using digital devices?

Mom: Mmh...yes I do. Your sister, she gets so attached to the TV now and that worries me. I think it makes her more nervous...I think this is the word I'm not sure...(describes it to me in Greek...the word is not exactly nervous, but more like agitated). And you, I trust you. Your 17 and know how to make your own choice. Compared to other kids, they are addicted but I don't think it's an addiction for you.

Me: Thank you.

Interviewing Strangers:

Me: (explaining about the class)

Stranger one: Ok, no problem.

Me: How many hours would you say you spend using digital devices?

Stranger One: Eh, about 4 or 5. That's time on the TV and time on my phone.

Me: Do you think this is too much time? Have you ever considered disconnecting for a while?

Stranger One: I don't think it's too bad. Disconnecting? Nah, I don't think I could do that. I need my cell phone man.

Me: Thanks for your time.

Me: (explaining about the class)

Stranger Two: Sure thing.

Me: How many hours would you say you spend using digital devices?

Stranger Two: I hate all those gadgets! I do admit though, I have a cell phone, a TV and a computer, even if they are all the simplest models out there. I would say collectively about an hour to two hours on a bad day. Even though I have 'em I don't use 'em a lot.

Me: What would you say are companies motives for pushing technology so hard? Does the government also have a motive for it?

Stranger Two: Yes! They both have motives. I think companies do it for the money, and the government does it to suppress any adversion there might be. I think they don't want folks to get riled up while they pull their shady tactics. They want us to be too caught up in fantasyland while they screw with the real world.

Me: Thank you for your time.

Interviewing my Best Friend:

Me: How many hours would you say you spend using digital devices?

Kat: Wow, a lot. Like I'm always plugged in somehow. I need music to survive, so my ipod is a must. I use my phone constantly to stay in touch with people, and the computer is just a must in college. Like, it would be completely impossible to get any work done without it. So I think I'm always using it in some way, like 24/7.

Me: Do you feel that there is a separation between the digital self and the physical self? Is one authentic and the other inauthentic, or fabricated?

Kat: Yea, there's a separation. When your talking to someone in person, it's much harder to control your initial reaction to things. When you use digital things you can control every piece of what you put out there, you kinda create the ideal you. For the authentic & inauthentic thing...umm I mean it really depends on the person. Most are more authentic in person than on a screen, but some may be authentic on both, others in neither.

Me: Thanks!

Video Project

Video Project from e s on Vimeo.

After watching my video, I noticed that even though I'm not doing anything else, I don't really look absorbed or particularly interested in what I'm doing. This is how I felt when I was recording it, because I had a long day, and I just wanted some time to myself. But towards the end of the video, when conversations started to get more interesting I couldn't help but be pulled in more, and even after the video ended, I kept texting (although not exclusively like in the video).

I wouldn't want my sister or future child to spend a lot of time doing this kind of stuff, because even though there are both positive and negative effects, I think that the negatives are more pronounced and significant. Already though, I notice my sister has become attached to the TV and it bothers me because I was never like that when I was little. But when my sister comes home from school, she always asks me if she can watch TV and I tell her after she does her homework. So after she finishes, I let her put it on but then after about an hour I tell her to turn it off and she starts shouting and screaming "NO! NO!" and I try to explain to her why I don't want her to watch it. It works and she eventually turns it off but not after 20 min of screaming and crying and kicking.

As for ideas like the Wii, I do think it is supposed to make the contrast less stark, but at the same time, I do think that it's less harmful than other digital devices. Even though it's better to exercise outside, or playing the real sport, at least with the Wii people can still move around and play with other actual people.

Comments On Other People's First Thoughts (HW #4)

Ali Jo,

I liked how even though you weren't inspired to write, you wrote out your thought process. I think it turned out very well, and was honest and insightful. One of the lines that stuck out to me is when you say "When I walk into your class in the morning, I am at first empowered by the floral 'fight technological oppression' sign, only to be confused and disheartened when I find that the neon blue tape connects it to the back of a fancy computer". It's a great, detailed observation, yet it also says something deeper about our attempts to "fight" or get away from how digitalized our world has become.

I feel your struggle to listen and to nurture your own thoughts, and I agree with you when

you say that the relationship between man and his screen is a complex one. I also think your

feeling of hopelessness is shared by many of us who want to stop aimlessly roaming the web or

watching a TV show we don't particularly care for. It's as though we are involuntarily

dependent on technology to cure our boredom and dissatisfaction with the present moment.

I also like your added thoughts, and the idea of the detachment of our physical being and

our digital identity. I also brought this up in my post, but I think the idea of the authentic

self is also complicated, because even in our physical, daily lives many people do not present

themselves honestly, or attempt to blend in with the crowd. By doing so and muting their own

voices so that others may not discover them, perhaps there is a point were it becomes silent

even to them. If the person does manage to keep a sense of who they really are though, I would

argue that it is possible for them to feel more comfortable expressing it in the digital world

were they have their screen to shield them.

To be honest, I think all of your ideas were well developed, so I guess the only suggestion

would be to maybe have more conversations with other people, such as the one with Ian

that lead to your expanded thoughts.

Your post did get me thinking about when we are going to try and be digital free for a few

days. I wonder what will take the place of the digital stuff. Also, it made me think about how

I've been getting sick of AIM and decided not to go on it anymore. For me, that seemed pretty

radical, but then, just like the blue tape was attached to a fancy computer, I'm still incredibly

attached to texting and listening to music on my ipod so even this bold move really amounts

to no significant detachment.

Good job, I look forward to reading more from you as your thoughts develop!

_________________________________________________________________

Russell,

I really liked the format of your post. I think talking about the tabs you had open on your

computer was a smart and innovative way to approach the assignment. Also, it gave a look into

your natural, daily life.

I agree with your idea of facebook and how it has redefined the word "friend". The majority

of people who are facebook friends are probably people who you don't share a real bond with,

yet they can have an up close and personal look into all the details of your life...your

relationship status, your status updates, and pictures. Since this is the case, and

the friends you do share a bond with you also text and IM with, what is the real motive behind

having a facebook?

I can connect with your thoughts on fantasy football, and the idea of not being able to do

something in real life and instead doing it digitally. When I was younger, around 9 or 10 years

old I used to play those fashion games on the web (embarrassing to admit) where you can

dress the model up in whatever you want. In reality, I didn't have a closet full of trendy,

cute cloths to play around with, but there was something satisfying in pretending.

I think all of your thoughts were well developed, the only suggestion I would have is to

maybe have done another tab or idea that you had. But really, you did a great job as it is.

Your post did get me thinking about my own life though, because I used to have a facebook

as well. Then one day, I just decided to up and delete it. I, like you, had many facebook "friends"

but as to how many I actually talked to was much, much fewer. I just felt that for me it had

become pointless because of that, and because when I looked at the idea of a profile page, it

seems like a form of self advertisement. Is the "about me" section more than just a

proclamation of "I'm cool! Be friends with me!"? Is the profile pic more than just a way to show

others how attractive you can be when posing at that angle, in that lighting, with those effects?

Although recently I have seen people who leave the about me blank, and who just put a candid

shot as their profile pic so I guess that it is avoidable.

Good job on your post, I look forward to reading more of them!

First Thoughts About Digitalization (HW #3)

When I think about digitization, I think about how it affects people's relationships with others, and how it affects people's perception of themselves, their values etc. Here are some of those thoughts:

- The faster our technology becomes, the more impatient we grow. Society values instant results, and when they are not delivered people will deem it inconvenient or will look to something else. This is dangerous because when people demand that as soon as a question or an idea comes to mind, that an answer be presented, it can devalue the process of thinking simply because it is not convenient enough. In a culture were the value of solitary thinking is minimal to non existent, it's people are bound to grow "dumber" (less observant, inquisitive, analytical, independent).

- With so many facets of digital expression, how important can the digital "feeds" we put out there really be? Is it crucial and vital to update your twitter, myspace, facebook, and AIM away message? I would argue that it's simply an explosion of random meaningless chatter that allows people to create a universe, and put themselves at the center of it. Because what, really, is the motive for tweeting every 10 min? It might be harsh, but most people probably could care less about the blow by blow details of your life. But by being presented with the question that sites like twitter present ("what are you doing now?") people feel compelled to answer. Soon it becomes an addicting habit that allows the person to feel as though they are leading an important and interesting life, and owe it to their "friends" or "fans" to keep them posted at all times, lest they miss a key moment such as "chiilin' in the crib watching family guy".

-Where does reality begin? End? I think it's hard to draw a clear line at this point, because so many things in the virtual world affect physical and in-person reality. If you text someone telling them you like them, it can affect your face to face contact with them even though you have never said anything to them in person. This whole concept is weird, because it allows people to say things they would never say to someone face to face, yet have the in-person experience as though they did. There are even people who announce to their spouse that they are filing for divorce by changing their facebook status from "married" to single". What does this amount to? I think less social skills that will ultimately put our generation at a disadvantage to forming a true human to human relationship, because we will be so at loss and uneasy.

-With all these digital devices, networks and sites, where do you go? Where does your authentic self fit in to all this media, if at all?

-Digital representation devices are highly addictive. It's easy to fall into the trap of needing to be plugged in at all times; a willing or unwilling addict.

-Social networking can at times seem like a form of self advertisement. The about me section, profile pic, and other details of your page are deliberately selected by you in order to present the image you want others to see.

-There are TVs everywhere, even in cars. This shows how dependent we are on technology; we can't even go for a 30 min drive without plugging our kids in front of TV sets. It's as though the TV has replaced pacifiers for getting kids to stop being restless.

- As of now, the digital world and the "actual" world co-exist (although often overlapping), but possibly in the near future they will be inseparable, intertwined. It kind of reminds me about what we learned a few years back in humanities, the "industrial revolution" and how that put many people out of work because human labor was no longer needed. I think a "digital revolution" could very well happen, and we may not need certain jobs anymore because computers will take their place.