In the modern world, there are many things that someone from the past would find unfathomable: Computers, HD TV’s, and cell-phones to name a few. Of course this is a great thing; from being able to be connected with people around the world, to talking to someone within 10 seconds of having an idea you wanted to share, to even looking something up on the internet that you want to know in an instant. However, I feel as though all of these technologies and advancements have serious downsides.
I was watching a comedy special online of a comic named Louis C.K.. He was talking about how people nowadays have absolutely no patience when it comes to technology. A story he told was about a flight he was on, where they introduced a new technology allowing travelers to be on the internet while flying. Unfortunately for them, the service stopped working and the crew announced it to the passengers. The person next too Louis C.K. apparently started complaining about how terrible it was that they couldn't have the internet anymore. His response was to say "How can you be mad about something you didn't even know existed 2 hours ago?!".
You can see this part of his routine here.
All of this technology and high speed internet is creating a serious problem of expecting to be instantly gratified. In our culture, if something isn't almost instant, it is considered slow and people will complain about it. Seeing that comedy routine really made me realize how unreasonable it is too be expecting things to be so fast, when in most cases we cant even start to explain how they work. I wouldn't be able to tell you about how a cell phone sends my voice through thin air into space and back to someone else's phone, however I expect it too work, and to work fast. Unfortunately this phenomenon is something that I often take part in. I often find my self getting easily frustrated when my internet connection gets to be a bit slow, or even when a video I'm watching on YouTube begins a buffer. From now on I hope to change that. If I ever find myself getting frustrated by something like this, I just need to remember that it needs to go to space and back, and that’s a long ways away.
P.S. You should definitely watch the rest of that comedy routine. Louis C.K. is hilarious.
I really like this post! It's so true that we get really frustrated with technology when we should actually be thinking about how amazing it is that it exists. Great job!
ReplyDeleteTOUCHDOWNNNNN! This post was quite philosophical and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, Louis C.K. is my favorite comedian, and I love that "Everything is amazing and no one is happy" bit. I also agree that while technology has enriched human life and made it easier to connect with other people in many ways, it has serious limits and downsides. I've noticed that when I have no access to the internet, I seem to spend a lot more actual high-quality time with other people. At the same time, the internet allows me to be in daily communication with people I love very much who are too far away to see more than once or twice a year.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I'm really glad I don't have a smart phone and I never want to get one. I can't stand being available every moment of the day, and the temptation is too strong to check my email or facebook constantly, or google something every time I'm curious. I prefer having some limits on my "plugged in" time.
Great first post!
If you're interested in a longer and even more hilarious version of the above Louis C.K. bit, watch this.
ReplyDeleteI agree Louis C.K. is very funny, and what an enlightening post. It is a phenomenon that is especially epidemic in this country I believe.
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