That's for sure. I can email call and text anyone I work with from almost anywhere. It allows me more freedom but I am now available 24/7 so there is a trade off. I can stay on top of news, weather and everything I care to know about in a flash. It's a personal assistant in my pocket and I love it.
I get the downsides, and there are certainly times where being connected at all times can be a hassle, but to me, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
My entire music library at my fingertips, turn-by-turn directions, restaurant ideas, being able to get a hold of someone at a moments notice...all are a big advantage to me.
I certainly do miss some aspects of my youth before smartphones existed just from the standpoint of things seeming more simple and not knowing so much about what everyone else is doing at all times.
It was nice when I used to see people around and actually have to catch up with them in person because people weren't quite posting their every move on social media/the internet yet.
But overall, smartphones are a huge positive. The technology is helpful and there are some undeniably great aspects about the functionality we have at our fingertips now.
I'm 33, and so I've sort of experienced life on both sides of the coin.
I never even had a cell phone in high school. So, throughout that time, all of my plans were made by actually calling my friends on a landline phone or talking to them on AIM/AOL.
I got my first cell when I went away to school in 2002 - it was one of those Nokia phones with snake on it.
I didn't start really using text messages until I was 21 or so.
I understand why people lament over the "old days" when we weren't SO connected, but for me, the good really outweighs the bad by a pretty fair margin.
I'm never lost.
I traveled a lot last year for work in cities I'd never been before, and having google maps means I never got lost down a dark alleyway.
I was in a foreign country for a week where I couldn't speak the language, and had no trouble getting from the airport, to my hotel, to the conference, to my restaurants... all on public trans.
Without a smartphone, that would be impossible.
Strong points are family communication, logistics, access to information, handling emergencies. I was worried about impacts on my teenage kids but haven't seen any negative effects. I'd say it enhances my work and hobbies and is neutral regarding relationships.
On one hand I enjoy having one and it makes my life better.
But others having one makes my life worse. Just yesterday I go to dinner and my niece is on hers the entire time i'm there. And its not a surprise bc her parents get on their phones in the middle of conversations. It drives me crazy.
Then you have the morons trying to use their phones and drive at the same time. The best is when I notice the driver in front of me w their head down at a stop light, it turns green and the guy behind me beeps, guy in front raises his head and then gives me the finger. . . nice.
Know where my kid and wife are at all times. Directions and traffic alerts, text, phone and email all in one place, banking apps, airline apps, a book available to read anywhere I am, calendar. Can't see the downside.
- I have my own personal TV for sports whenever and wherever I want
- Access to information (websites, podcasts, etc.) is easy and tailored to my tastes
- Driving directions and real time traffic information (I feel like this is an underreported and underappreciated application)
- Communicating is easier and faster
- Access to work at all times makes life easier
I'm sure I'm missing a lot of other positives. I'm 39 years old, and can remember what life was like before this technological revolution. Everything is way, way, way better now if you ask me.
Overall better, and I was really late to the smartphone game Â
got my first iPhone 18 months ago and I'm 35. The biggest drawback is that I do find myself surfing the web randomly during family time, and my wife calls me on it. I have to be more disciplined about that. Otherwise, there are so many positives that come from it.
Sidebar: One thing that I missed out on which I would like to have experienced is what ‘dating’ (if you can call it that) is like with Tinder and some of the newer social platforms.
I was already married by the time this became ubiquitous. I’m still very happily married and wouldn’t change a thing, but some of the stories my single friends tell are hysterical. I feel like I can’t relate and I’ll always be curious as to what the experience is like or what kind of stories I’d have had.
But I'll say this. If I am in a situation where I am able to turn my phone completely off and leave it away from me (rare, because I don't usually want to be disconnected like that from my wife and/or the kids, most days), boy does that feel good! (And strange.) So I guess that would fit into a negative category.
and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.
Easier and more convenient, but modern cellphones (personal computers) are extremely addictive and no doubt fuel the insatiable social media beast that doesn’t really make anyone happy. I’ve had to delete Facebook several times because I can feel myself getting sucked in, wasting my time and getting preoccupied living my life through a tiny fucking screen. I’ve taken to reading actual books on my train commute and am much happier than when I’m swiping through social media nonsense.
On one hand I enjoy having one and it makes my life better.
But others having one makes my life worse. Just yesterday I go to dinner and my niece is on hers the entire time i'm there. And its not a surprise bc her parents get on their phones in the middle of conversations. It drives me crazy.
Then you have the morons trying to use their phones and drive at the same time. The best is when I notice the driver in front of me w their head down at a stop light, it turns green and the guy behind me beeps, guy in front raises his head and then gives me the finger. . . nice.
Now get off my lawn.
Exactly. For me its great the way others use it drives me nuts.
they didn't exist. My last job absolutely took advantage of it. I was on-call every hour of every day. If businesses didn't use it to abuse their power, maybe I would feel differently, but that's just how I feel.
I think I'm the only person I know that owns one and doesn't carry it around very often. Days go by and I never touch it or look to see if I missed any calls or messages. When I'm traveling I use it the most but other than that meh.
One thing that sucks is that anonymity is pretty much gone now. That doesn't hurt me directly as much as I'm older and don't need a whole lot of privacy, but I feel bad for my grandchildren who are going to have their every move (for better or worse) documented forever online. I'm glad my worst moves weren't all being recorded all the time and posted everywhere.
I live now in a smaller town, but it's amazing how much I see get posted that is just terribly depressing. People airing out grievances with neighbors, former lovers, friends, etc. divides the community and creates negative opinions all around me.
I imagine in a large city you might still feel a good sense of anonymity but that's a false sense. In the city you're being recorded all the time and you never know by whom. I can't imagine the trouble this could cause for someone who acts poorly in a bar, for example.
There's a ton of utility that I absolutely love, but it's not all roses.
in every conceivable way - I am more organized, entertained, productive, educated and efficient because of all the applications available on such devices.
I'm also grateful that I have some time to prepare for how to manage my kids' use of smartphones, as I have read the horror stories and see the issues with mental health, addiction and depression.
How can you say worse? It is truly amazing what these phones can do sometimes.
Anyone who doesn't like using a GPS on their phone and would rather stick to using a map is just being an old stubborn fool.
Old people that bitch about them but then want me to use it for their expense are the worst lol Being able to check the 10 day forecast, BBI, pay my credit card bill with barely doing anything, gathering savings from the Walmart savings catcher and watching YouTube videos is all you need in life.
The Walmart savings catcher is one of the best inventions ever. I just walk up to the self check out Sign-in on my phone and scan. No receipt. No worries with credit card chip reading errors. Send receipt on phone and 23 cents back on Mountain Dew.
How can you say worse? It is truly amazing what these phones can do sometimes.
Anyone who doesn't like using a GPS on their phone and would rather stick to using a map is just being an old stubborn fool.
Old people that bitch about them but then want me to use it for their expense are the worst lol Being able to check the 10 day forecast, BBI, pay my credit card bill with barely doing anything, gathering savings from the Walmart savings catcher and watching YouTube videos is all you need in life.
The Walmart savings catcher is one of the best inventions ever. I just walk up to the self check out Sign-in on my phone and scan. No receipt. No worries with credit card chip reading errors. Send receipt on phone and 23 cents back on Mountain Dew.
i think there are legitimate downsides to how some people use phones - particularly addiction and diminished real social interaction. then there is FOMO on social media and not being able to sleep because people leave on their sound notifications. I'm sure marriages have been ruined by what one spouse discovered on their other spouse's phone, whether a cheating text, something they left open on their web browser that they shouldn't. and jobs have been lost based on drunken posts to social media apps.
a positive. Working in sales and being on the road it helps with directions, finding places eat, hotels, etc.
My biggest negative is my wife is on it a good amount at home. Gets annoying to have to rewind shows or repeat what I said b/c shes too busy scrolling through instagram.
We have a 1 year old and its amazing how he has gravitated to it.
True about the marriages and well, getting laid is easier than ever.
One cool thing about social media is how it can be a benefit to locate a missing child. Of course there will be a negative impact (there is with anything) but as arc stated, we are a part of that young age group who is yet old enough To live in a world without smart phones and remember it very well.
I'll take the phone era. I remember in 2004 or so I'd always be dying to know the Giants stats for the games. Now I could just whip my phone out instead of waiting until I got home or listening to info on the radio.
Theoretically, it should make the world better by allowing us to communicate. But the opposite seems to have happened.
It has made celebrity culture much bigger. Half the “news’ items are about what celebrities said or did. De Niro goes on Trump rant!! Meanwhile most Americans are woefully ignorant about other countries and foreign policy, even though as citizens our votes have a huge impact on global politics because of Americas position in the world.
Again, theoretically smart phones give you more access to info about the world but people seem more uninformed than ever.
I like the convenience. So I would not want to give it up. But I can’t say it has made people better or the world a better place. I think it is actually an addictive time waster
One thing that sucks is that anonymity is pretty much gone now. That doesn't hurt me directly as much as I'm older and don't need a whole lot of privacy, but I feel bad for my grandchildren who are going to have their every move (for better or worse) documented forever online. I'm glad my worst moves weren't all being recorded all the time and posted everywhere.
I live now in a smaller town, but it's amazing how much I see get posted that is just terribly depressing. People airing out grievances with neighbors, former lovers, friends, etc. divides the community and creates negative opinions all around me.
I imagine in a large city you might still feel a good sense of anonymity but that's a false sense. In the city you're being recorded all the time and you never know by whom. I can't imagine the trouble this could cause for someone who acts poorly in a bar, for example.
There's a ton of utility that I absolutely love, but it's not all roses.
In a weird way, I agree with you and disagree at the same time.
My senior year of high school (2004-2005) was at the very beginning of this social media boom we live in. I remember working at my job (grocery store) and some unknown girl about my age does a double take the second she spotted me. She looks over at me, smiles and points and tells me that I am her myspace friend. I never experienced more a creepy feeling in my life up until that point. It didn't help much that she wasn't attractive but you get the point.
I do think it sucks that the kids from day one of birth have been born into social media but I guess the positive thing is - you get to share that sort of thing ( along with photos of birthdays, sporting events, graduation new pets etc) to people who aren't there. There is no need to mail the pictures anymore, no need to get them developed in the first place and no need to call anyone on the phone, lol.
As I'm getting older, one of the concepts that I do appreciate about social media is those kids who went through high school during the Facebook years -that are younger than me - have a lot of their memories still posted on social media by way of the school's Facebook page. Or even if the kid was in a sport - that page's photos are still uploaded and are there just in case they want to revisit their youth. I'm a sucker for nostalgia sometimes but it kind of sucks because a lot of it from that time was me who did the heavy lifting. I always had to bring a throw away camera or a digital one just in case. If it wasn't for me, there would be nothing.
Crazy how 15 years go by and everyone else is a sucker too for old school pictures.
Instead of buying a yearbook at the end of the year, just upload everything online. Why pay for that? When I watched the senior video for my cousin when he graduated high school, we just went on YouTube and watched it. I remember saying to myself "back in my day" we had to buy the shitty school produced one if we wanted to see it. I got to thinking that's brilliant, why the fuck would I pay for that when you can just upload it to the internet for free?
Oh yeah, YouTube was barely 2 months old when I graduated high school in June of 2005.
I just like having stuff there and ready for me. I know what it is like to take a photo and not see it right away, and instead having to wait for photos to develop. Or I don't have to sift through a pile of 20-25 minidiscs recorded with a Sony Minicam to find what I want when I can just quickly find it on my phone, recorded in a better quality as well. (I cant believe those awful things were once worth $900).
On the flip side to what you said, you could also say social media is used for good, such as: someone helping a Facebook friend locate their neighbors dog?
In a weird way, I agree with you and disagree at the same time.
My senior year of high school (2004-2005) was at the very beginning of this social media boom we live in. I remember working at my job (grocery store) and some unknown girl about my age does a double take the second she spotted me. She looks over at me, smiles and points and tells me that I am her myspace friend. I never experienced more a creepy feeling in my life up until that point. It didn't help much that she wasn't attractive but you get the point.
I do think it sucks that the kids from day one of birth have been born into social media but I guess the positive thing is - you get to share that sort of thing ( along with photos of birthdays, sporting events, graduation new pets etc) to people who aren't there. There is no need to mail the pictures anymore, no need to get them developed in the first place and no need to call anyone on the phone, lol.
As I'm getting older, one of the concepts that I do appreciate about social media is those kids who went through high school during the Facebook years -that are younger than me - have a lot of their memories still posted on social media by way of the school's Facebook page. Or even if the kid was in a sport - that page's photos are still uploaded and are there just in case they want to revisit their youth. I'm a sucker for nostalgia sometimes but it kind of sucks because a lot of it from that time was me who did the heavy lifting. I always had to bring a throw away camera or a digital one just in case. If it wasn't for me, there would be nothing.
Crazy how 15 years go by and everyone else is a sucker too for old school pictures.
Instead of buying a yearbook at the end of the year, just upload everything online. Why pay for that? When I watched the senior video for my cousin when he graduated high school, we just went on YouTube and watched it. I remember saying to myself "back in my day" we had to buy the shitty school produced one if we wanted to see it. I got to thinking that's brilliant, why the fuck would I pay for that when you can just upload it to the internet for free?
Oh yeah, YouTube was barely 2 months old when I graduated high school in June of 2005.
I just like having stuff there and ready for me. I know what it is like to take a photo and not see it right away, and instead having to wait for photos to develop. Or I don't have to sift through a pile of 20-25 minidiscs recorded with a Sony Minicam to find what I want when I can just quickly find it on my phone, recorded in a better quality as well. (I cant believe those awful things were once worth $900).
On the flip side to what you said, you could also say social media is used for good, such as: someone helping a Facebook friend locate their neighbors dog?
Yep - there's tons to like.
Here's something that initially was a concern for many but has since been forgotten by most. Eavesdropping.
Smartphones have both cameras and microphones which can (and do) listen in on every action, generally only with permission. There are however ways to get those cameras and mikes to listen and record without revealing to the user that it is happening. They aren't widespread and there hasn't been much discussion about it yet, but eventually I think we will hear about how much more of this is going on than we currently acknowledge.
Privacy and anonymity may not be a major concern at this point, but they are definitely a drawback of smartphones imo.
or the equivalent of thousands of years of free porn to include any and every fucked up fetish imaginable?
Definite net positive.
Although it absolutely has changed the way my company operates- it makes it so much easier to micromanage every aspect of the operation. So there's a trade off.
You have a device which replaced many singular things you had in the past. GPS, camera, music, camcorder, calculator, TV, printed event tickets, etc. As an older guy, 59, I find the smartphone to be a truly amazing device. On the other hand, I find it a bit sad to see groups of kids walking to school, all looking down at their phones and not talking to each other.
for it for virtually every single reason posted here already. However, I can also do without it. Like if I am running late for work and forget to take my phone, I can get through the shift quite easily.
Then there is the vast VAST majority of the people that I work with who literally on the verge of having a breakdown because their phone isn't with them. Both male and females have a similar reaction, although, not to be sexist, the girls tend to be much worse off if it isn't with them. There was one girl who literally almost got fired because she started lashing out at people for being on their phones during down time when, coincidentally, she was waiting for a replacement the next day. Another one had to leave the floor for about 45 mins because she was so distraught about not having her phone with her...sobbing in a stairwell because she thought her boyfriend would get mad at her because she wasnt responding to her messages. Except that I usually saw her on Instagram and Snapchat more than anything else. Me? I am usually here. Lol.
and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.
That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.
It's been interesting reading the responses..... Â
I think the revelations of the past few months, that the designers of applications like Facebook, etc.... are deliberately writing algorithms designed to make the application addicting should raise eyebrows. Is that all that different from the tobacco industry?
Also, two of Apple's biggest investors have asked out of concern to study the effects on children and adolescents, should also raise eyebrows.
text the kids. They will not answer a call and will not return one even if a message is left. But they respond almost immediately when you text. I had worn out the keys on my flip phone, so needed a new phone.
Now I enjoy the fact I can look up a product I'm looking to buy when I'm at the store; look up weather and radar immediately; pass time while sitting in a waiting room; answer the boss when she calls; almost always can get directions while traveling, etc.
Have they improved my life, probably no. Do they make decision making easier, yes. I really enjoy the ability to text. Better than calling as you can leave a message at anytime and the other person can answer when they have the time.
As an IT consultant, it makes it much more difficult to avoid stress Â
and being pulled into problems I'm not responsible for consistently, which gets super old and draining. Otherwise, a net positive for productivity across the board.
and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.
That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.
Could we not say the same thing about TV and before that, radio?
I think my thoughts pretty much fall like this.... Â
My entire music library at my fingertips, turn-by-turn directions, restaurant ideas, being able to get a hold of someone at a moments notice...all are a big advantage to me.
I certainly do miss some aspects of my youth before smartphones existed just from the standpoint of things seeming more simple and not knowing so much about what everyone else is doing at all times.
It was nice when I used to see people around and actually have to catch up with them in person because people weren't quite posting their every move on social media/the internet yet.
But overall, smartphones are a huge positive. The technology is helpful and there are some undeniably great aspects about the functionality we have at our fingertips now.
I'm 33, and so I've sort of experienced life on both sides of the coin.
I never even had a cell phone in high school. So, throughout that time, all of my plans were made by actually calling my friends on a landline phone or talking to them on AIM/AOL.
I got my first cell when I went away to school in 2002 - it was one of those Nokia phones with snake on it.
I didn't start really using text messages until I was 21 or so.
I understand why people lament over the "old days" when we weren't SO connected, but for me, the good really outweighs the bad by a pretty fair margin.
I traveled a lot last year for work in cities I'd never been before, and having google maps means I never got lost down a dark alleyway.
I was in a foreign country for a week where I couldn't speak the language, and had no trouble getting from the airport, to my hotel, to the conference, to my restaurants... all on public trans.
Without a smartphone, that would be impossible.
no need for a separate camera, flashlight, map system, it makes booking and checking into flights a snap, etc, etc etc...
now, all the other stuff people use and abuse it for (i.e., social media) can be a bit annoying but that isn't the smartphone's fault.
you'd have to be a psychopath to not appreciate that.
In the olden days people would walk into the bathroom and try and discretely bring a magazine or newspaper.
it's like driving cars vs horse and buggies.
But others having one makes my life worse. Just yesterday I go to dinner and my niece is on hers the entire time i'm there. And its not a surprise bc her parents get on their phones in the middle of conversations. It drives me crazy.
Then you have the morons trying to use their phones and drive at the same time. The best is when I notice the driver in front of me w their head down at a stop light, it turns green and the guy behind me beeps, guy in front raises his head and then gives me the finger. . . nice.
Now get off my lawn.
- Access to information (websites, podcasts, etc.) is easy and tailored to my tastes
- Driving directions and real time traffic information (I feel like this is an underreported and underappreciated application)
- Communicating is easier and faster
- Access to work at all times makes life easier
I'm sure I'm missing a lot of other positives. I'm 39 years old, and can remember what life was like before this technological revolution. Everything is way, way, way better now if you ask me.
I was already married by the time this became ubiquitous. I’m still very happily married and wouldn’t change a thing, but some of the stories my single friends tell are hysterical. I feel like I can’t relate and I’ll always be curious as to what the experience is like or what kind of stories I’d have had.
Ditto. I've never owned a cellphone.
Personally, smartphones have made my life better.......most things right at your fingertips.
But others having one makes my life worse. Just yesterday I go to dinner and my niece is on hers the entire time i'm there. And its not a surprise bc her parents get on their phones in the middle of conversations. It drives me crazy.
Then you have the morons trying to use their phones and drive at the same time. The best is when I notice the driver in front of me w their head down at a stop light, it turns green and the guy behind me beeps, guy in front raises his head and then gives me the finger. . . nice.
Now get off my lawn.
Exactly. For me its great the way others use it drives me nuts.
I live now in a smaller town, but it's amazing how much I see get posted that is just terribly depressing. People airing out grievances with neighbors, former lovers, friends, etc. divides the community and creates negative opinions all around me.
I imagine in a large city you might still feel a good sense of anonymity but that's a false sense. In the city you're being recorded all the time and you never know by whom. I can't imagine the trouble this could cause for someone who acts poorly in a bar, for example.
There's a ton of utility that I absolutely love, but it's not all roses.
I'm also grateful that I have some time to prepare for how to manage my kids' use of smartphones, as I have read the horror stories and see the issues with mental health, addiction and depression.
Anyone who doesn't like using a GPS on their phone and would rather stick to using a map is just being an old stubborn fool.
Old people that bitch about them but then want me to use it for their expense are the worst lol Being able to check the 10 day forecast, BBI, pay my credit card bill with barely doing anything, gathering savings from the Walmart savings catcher and watching YouTube videos is all you need in life.
The Walmart savings catcher is one of the best inventions ever. I just walk up to the self check out Sign-in on my phone and scan. No receipt. No worries with credit card chip reading errors. Send receipt on phone and 23 cents back on Mountain Dew.
Anyone who doesn't like using a GPS on their phone and would rather stick to using a map is just being an old stubborn fool.
Old people that bitch about them but then want me to use it for their expense are the worst lol Being able to check the 10 day forecast, BBI, pay my credit card bill with barely doing anything, gathering savings from the Walmart savings catcher and watching YouTube videos is all you need in life.
The Walmart savings catcher is one of the best inventions ever. I just walk up to the self check out Sign-in on my phone and scan. No receipt. No worries with credit card chip reading errors. Send receipt on phone and 23 cents back on Mountain Dew.
My biggest negative is my wife is on it a good amount at home. Gets annoying to have to rewind shows or repeat what I said b/c shes too busy scrolling through instagram.
We have a 1 year old and its amazing how he has gravitated to it.
One cool thing about social media is how it can be a benefit to locate a missing child. Of course there will be a negative impact (there is with anything) but as arc stated, we are a part of that young age group who is yet old enough To live in a world without smart phones and remember it very well.
I'll take the phone era. I remember in 2004 or so I'd always be dying to know the Giants stats for the games. Now I could just whip my phone out instead of waiting until I got home or listening to info on the radio.
It has made celebrity culture much bigger. Half the “news’ items are about what celebrities said or did. De Niro goes on Trump rant!! Meanwhile most Americans are woefully ignorant about other countries and foreign policy, even though as citizens our votes have a huge impact on global politics because of Americas position in the world.
Again, theoretically smart phones give you more access to info about the world but people seem more uninformed than ever.
I like the convenience. So I would not want to give it up. But I can’t say it has made people better or the world a better place. I think it is actually an addictive time waster
I live now in a smaller town, but it's amazing how much I see get posted that is just terribly depressing. People airing out grievances with neighbors, former lovers, friends, etc. divides the community and creates negative opinions all around me.
I imagine in a large city you might still feel a good sense of anonymity but that's a false sense. In the city you're being recorded all the time and you never know by whom. I can't imagine the trouble this could cause for someone who acts poorly in a bar, for example.
There's a ton of utility that I absolutely love, but it's not all roses.
In a weird way, I agree with you and disagree at the same time.
My senior year of high school (2004-2005) was at the very beginning of this social media boom we live in. I remember working at my job (grocery store) and some unknown girl about my age does a double take the second she spotted me. She looks over at me, smiles and points and tells me that I am her myspace friend. I never experienced more a creepy feeling in my life up until that point. It didn't help much that she wasn't attractive but you get the point.
I do think it sucks that the kids from day one of birth have been born into social media but I guess the positive thing is - you get to share that sort of thing ( along with photos of birthdays, sporting events, graduation new pets etc) to people who aren't there. There is no need to mail the pictures anymore, no need to get them developed in the first place and no need to call anyone on the phone, lol.
As I'm getting older, one of the concepts that I do appreciate about social media is those kids who went through high school during the Facebook years -that are younger than me - have a lot of their memories still posted on social media by way of the school's Facebook page. Or even if the kid was in a sport - that page's photos are still uploaded and are there just in case they want to revisit their youth. I'm a sucker for nostalgia sometimes but it kind of sucks because a lot of it from that time was me who did the heavy lifting. I always had to bring a throw away camera or a digital one just in case. If it wasn't for me, there would be nothing.
Crazy how 15 years go by and everyone else is a sucker too for old school pictures.
Instead of buying a yearbook at the end of the year, just upload everything online. Why pay for that? When I watched the senior video for my cousin when he graduated high school, we just went on YouTube and watched it. I remember saying to myself "back in my day" we had to buy the shitty school produced one if we wanted to see it. I got to thinking that's brilliant, why the fuck would I pay for that when you can just upload it to the internet for free?
Oh yeah, YouTube was barely 2 months old when I graduated high school in June of 2005.
I just like having stuff there and ready for me. I know what it is like to take a photo and not see it right away, and instead having to wait for photos to develop. Or I don't have to sift through a pile of 20-25 minidiscs recorded with a Sony Minicam to find what I want when I can just quickly find it on my phone, recorded in a better quality as well. (I cant believe those awful things were once worth $900).
On the flip side to what you said, you could also say social media is used for good, such as: someone helping a Facebook friend locate their neighbors dog?
In a weird way, I agree with you and disagree at the same time.
My senior year of high school (2004-2005) was at the very beginning of this social media boom we live in. I remember working at my job (grocery store) and some unknown girl about my age does a double take the second she spotted me. She looks over at me, smiles and points and tells me that I am her myspace friend. I never experienced more a creepy feeling in my life up until that point. It didn't help much that she wasn't attractive but you get the point.
I do think it sucks that the kids from day one of birth have been born into social media but I guess the positive thing is - you get to share that sort of thing ( along with photos of birthdays, sporting events, graduation new pets etc) to people who aren't there. There is no need to mail the pictures anymore, no need to get them developed in the first place and no need to call anyone on the phone, lol.
As I'm getting older, one of the concepts that I do appreciate about social media is those kids who went through high school during the Facebook years -that are younger than me - have a lot of their memories still posted on social media by way of the school's Facebook page. Or even if the kid was in a sport - that page's photos are still uploaded and are there just in case they want to revisit their youth. I'm a sucker for nostalgia sometimes but it kind of sucks because a lot of it from that time was me who did the heavy lifting. I always had to bring a throw away camera or a digital one just in case. If it wasn't for me, there would be nothing.
Crazy how 15 years go by and everyone else is a sucker too for old school pictures.
Instead of buying a yearbook at the end of the year, just upload everything online. Why pay for that? When I watched the senior video for my cousin when he graduated high school, we just went on YouTube and watched it. I remember saying to myself "back in my day" we had to buy the shitty school produced one if we wanted to see it. I got to thinking that's brilliant, why the fuck would I pay for that when you can just upload it to the internet for free?
Oh yeah, YouTube was barely 2 months old when I graduated high school in June of 2005.
I just like having stuff there and ready for me. I know what it is like to take a photo and not see it right away, and instead having to wait for photos to develop. Or I don't have to sift through a pile of 20-25 minidiscs recorded with a Sony Minicam to find what I want when I can just quickly find it on my phone, recorded in a better quality as well. (I cant believe those awful things were once worth $900).
On the flip side to what you said, you could also say social media is used for good, such as: someone helping a Facebook friend locate their neighbors dog?
Yep - there's tons to like.
Here's something that initially was a concern for many but has since been forgotten by most. Eavesdropping.
Smartphones have both cameras and microphones which can (and do) listen in on every action, generally only with permission. There are however ways to get those cameras and mikes to listen and record without revealing to the user that it is happening. They aren't widespread and there hasn't been much discussion about it yet, but eventually I think we will hear about how much more of this is going on than we currently acknowledge.
Privacy and anonymity may not be a major concern at this point, but they are definitely a drawback of smartphones imo.
Googling reviews, maps, buying tickets, companionship etc.
Smartphone = ultimate travel companion
In everyday life it's also better overall, but not by a whole lot imo.
Only real pros are speed and connectivity which are key.
Cons are bad for the brain and basically a drug that should be used in moderation like any other drug / substance / habit
But honestly, I like being one of the 30 or 40 remaining people under 60 who doesn't spend his life staring at his phone.
Definite net positive.
Although it absolutely has changed the way my company operates- it makes it so much easier to micromanage every aspect of the operation. So there's a trade off.
Then there is the vast VAST majority of the people that I work with who literally on the verge of having a breakdown because their phone isn't with them. Both male and females have a similar reaction, although, not to be sexist, the girls tend to be much worse off if it isn't with them. There was one girl who literally almost got fired because she started lashing out at people for being on their phones during down time when, coincidentally, she was waiting for a replacement the next day. Another one had to leave the floor for about 45 mins because she was so distraught about not having her phone with her...sobbing in a stairwell because she thought her boyfriend would get mad at her because she wasnt responding to her messages. Except that I usually saw her on Instagram and Snapchat more than anything else. Me? I am usually here. Lol.
That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.
Also, two of Apple's biggest investors have asked out of concern to study the effects on children and adolescents, should also raise eyebrows.
Now I enjoy the fact I can look up a product I'm looking to buy when I'm at the store; look up weather and radar immediately; pass time while sitting in a waiting room; answer the boss when she calls; almost always can get directions while traveling, etc.
Have they improved my life, probably no. Do they make decision making easier, yes. I really enjoy the ability to text. Better than calling as you can leave a message at anytime and the other person can answer when they have the time.
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and I don't like their dependence on these phones. I have personally seen the addiction increase from my oldest to youngest and how different my kids growing up experience has changed from when I did. Now its all group chats, instagram etc and kids don't hang out like we used to do. I have read articles that teenage sex is down because kids don't date anymore and kids are actually pushing off getting their drivers license because they are in touch with everyone virtually.
That is the scary part of smartphones, their affect on young people and increasing addiction to these things, teenagers are lost without them.
Could we not say the same thing about TV and before that, radio?
Socially? Far, far worse.