In this piece, the author explains her discomfort
about the new project currently underway at Google, Project Glass. She worries that it could have a negative
impact on society. She states upfront that she loves her iPhone and her tablet
and that she has no problem in general with technology moving forward, but that
the constant connectedness that would be created by Project Glass makes her
feel like society would stand to lose any spontaneity.
I also have an iPhone, an iPad as well as a
Nook. I love having the ability to look
up something at the drop of a hat.
However, before I bought the phone my husband and I had a serious talk
about how we would use a smartphone in our family. We agreed that in the phone would not be used
in social situations unless there was a specific reason to look up
something. For the most part, both of us
have kept this promise and do not bring out our phones when out with friends or
family. If anything we’ve used it to
spend time together as we will occasionally play games together on the same
phone. So I too will admit that I do not
live in fear of technology overtaking society.
We can make conscious decisions as to how we will act when using different
social networking or tools.
However, while I do find the Project Glass to be
disconcerting. While my husband and I
have made a choice to avoid becoming so entranced by our technology tools, not
everyone makes this same choice. I
constantly see families around a table at a restaurant where no one is talking
to each other. Instead each person is
texting or playing on their own phone.
Having my connection to the Internet literally before my eyes at all
times is just too much.
The author’s fear of a loss of spontaneity wasn’t
something that initially occurred to me, however I do understand her
fears. I do not appreciate the idea of
being constantly monitored or monitoring others. When someone uses yelp or something of the
like tries to “check me in” on Facebook I always deny the request. I do not feel a need for the world to know
where I am at all times. In fact when my
husband and I go on vacation we never publicize this on the internet as I do
not want people to know that our house will be empty for an extended period of
time. Furthermore I frankly do not care to know where my friends are at all
times. I expect they are going about
their lives just as I am.
While I do believe that technology should move
forward and that smartphones have not broken society or anything I do think
that it is each individual’s responsibility to interact with society. This particular advance in technology makes
society connections secondary to the technology itself.
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