Contemplation is the word Applen uses a lot in his article and for good reason. It’s something that we don’t do often anymore and that’s due to the major influence of technology. But I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s dial back to the content of Applen’s piece. One person Applen brings up is Marshall McLuhan whom I know very little of other than his “medium is the message” tagline. When reading further into McLuhan’s meaning, I started to appreciate his insightful contribution. The idea that new messages from new mediums don’t have to be literal while still being a drastic affect to our culture(s) was eye-opening for me.
That lightbulb example really helped me out understanding this deeper message. Another aspect brought from McLuhan is how there are downsides to new messages- such as cellphones. The mental concept of giving someone a phone number means you’re always available with just a button tap is an example of these “drawbacks” he mentions. This brings me to my next issue that’s brought up by Applen.
Man and Tech
Our relationship with technology- what was once a strong connection has now become a major setback for (possibly) future users. The whole purpose of technology was to advance our research and expand connections around the world. We have achieved that, but now everyone has become so invested into the internet that we ignore everything else. Nowadays, nearly everyone doesn’t really read the content of a website or post when in compared to old-fashioned books, and this is why:
Like Google and Jeopardy, technologies that grant us easy access to facts or concepts do not necessarily help us solve real and difficult problems.
Applen 2013
I’m a strong believer that we should value the content that’s being read through a computer or phone, regardless of the complexity of the message. That’s why I strongly urge you to read through Amanda Reu’s blog post. I love their funny title because it brings a deeper meaning to it. Plus, the author brings up some good pointers on how blogging is an amazing messenger.
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