Tutorial 2 Week 3

Hello again.

Well, what a busy week! I don't like Mondays. A form of Monday-itis perhaps, which half the people I know seem to have. I think though that it is my undeterred hatred for my Monday morning alarm. Yes, we go on and on about how good technology is, but really, what can possibly be worse than the high pitched shrilling scream piercing through my slumber, to rouse me into the day that is Mon.

However, as we all know, technology goes well beyond the simple technology that is an alarm. Take my phone for example. I have learned over the past couple of years that most people are freakishly emotionally attached to their mobiles. Now I must admit, there is rarely a day that I am not carrying my mobile, but I do not consider myself part of the stereotyped society that is "all things technology".

To prove my point, Ill take you through my typical Morning.

I get up, turn on the television, watch the headlines of the news, then switch it off and go turn on the radio. I cook breakfast, maybe message a friend to see what they are doing for the day, answer the phone to respond angrily to telemarketers, get ready for the day, then pack my bag and leave. In my bag I carry my mobile, digital camera, pda, ipod and digital voice recorder.

Ok, so maybe I do rely on technology in a small way... HAHA.

Tell me, who has a fascination with pushing buttons? Now before you roll your eyes and call me Daisy, think about it. When there is a sign that says "wet paint", how many people have the overwhelming desire to touch it to see if it is really wet? I do. If a button says "don't touch", who has a desire to push it? I do. I think it's our inbuilt curiosity that makes us do things that we wouldn’t normally do. Like if there is just a wall, I don't go touch it to see if the paint is wet. Just like if there is a button, I don't immediately go push it to see what it does.. (most of the time anyway.)

Have you ever wondered how many "computer nerds" out there have thousands of online friends. I dislike myspace for this reason. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than seeing someone's personal page with 12345 friends. It just doesn’t make sense to me. They could not possibly have enough time to talk to all of those people, so why add them? Sure they could be interesting to talk to, but I'm sure that meeting people in person makes the world of difference. Expression is one of the main forms of communication. You can't see that through a computer screen. Oh, unless you have WEBCAM. Arrrgh, all of my arguments are being shot here. There seems to be a technology to overrule all my debates! So anyway, that is one example of how technology has influenced our lives. We have a need to prove that we have more "friends" than someone else. They're not friends, but I'm sure if you took a closer look, there would be some perverts amongst them!

Another form of communication technologies is the internet. Now i love the internet, so there really isn't a bad argument that I can say. I use it for email purposes, research and keeping up with the lives of friends (yes, through myspace and now blogger.com!) The only sad thing is that my Grandfather has more knowledge of technology than I do. He bought himself a computer, enlisted in the help of a golfing/fishing buddy, and together they entered into the world wide web. I feel so inferior when I can't fix my computer and I call him up and he says "just click this, then this, then type this" and my somewhat unfixable problem is miraculously cured.

So anyway, I began using technology not to keep up with trends, but to make life easier. So ok, I am keeping up with the times, but who can afford not to in this day and age?

Ok guys, that's it for another week. Be good. Love to all.

~ b