It seems like in today's world, I would be considered kind of strange. I hate texting. I prefer mixing batter with a spoon or whisk rather than a mixer, and I really like writing by hand. I hand-write almost every paper, story, script or whatever before I even go near a computer. I turn the computer off. I think, first of all, that it keeps me from being distracted. My notebook has no internet, no friends to talk to, no silly cracked.com lists to read. It's just me writing, uninfluenced by spell check or auto-correct.
I think the biggest part of it is that I like seeing my work in my own handwriting before I type it. It feels more personal. The words on that page are entirely mine, written in the way I like to write them and void of any green squiggly lines. I like breaking (some) grammar rules. I like exploring my options and inventing new words without being told by my computer that I'm wrong.
For me, technology cannot make the art. It makes the wrapping paper. It takes what I've made and packages it into a pretty box with a ribbon, but I get to take full credit for the present inside. This is necessary for professional-looking work, which is necessary in the professional world. But technology cannot replace the decisions we make, even the bad ones, that make our art unique and interesting.
I see technology as a double-edged sword. Internet and cell phones allow us to communicate with so many people we probably never would otherwise - we catch up with old friends, keep in contact over large distances, and make new friends without even leaving our houses. However, it becomes a problem when emails, texting and chats replace actually talking to people. I like having conversations. I like physically talking to people and having my sarcasm fully understood and appreciated. I also like drawing with a pencil or painting with an actual paint brush. I like feeding real dogs and real fish, and harvesting real strawberries. I like playing a real guitar (regardless of the fact that I only know one chord).
Here's where my title comes in - I am really incredibly scared of the future. I don't care if the apocalypse comes. I don't care about zombies. I'm scared of spending all of my time zooming around in a little pod because I'm too fat to walk. I'm scared of not speaking to anyone in person. It's great that technology is there, but I don't want to lose the option of ignoring it.
- Lauren Piester
It seems a lot of people are having a problem with technology's effect on the arts. Personally, this is not a huge problem for me. I think a lot of artists fear that this technology can be used as a short cut for people who do not have as much talent, but may have more skill with the technology. As I see it, the technology can only get a person so far in any artistic form.
ReplyDeleteThe example of a writer: A writer might not like Microsoft word, because it readily gives other less-skilled writers spelling/grammar/punctuation corrections, immediate access to synonyms, etc. However, the computer might miss the mistake where "too" is mean to be "two" or their is meant to be "They are."
The example for a musician. Now with Garage Band, you don't need to know how to play an instrument and you can still conduct an orchestra. Something Garage Band can't teach you is how to get up on stage and perform.
My point is, Yeah, it kind of sucks that people can use these short cuts in art, because of technology. However, the true artist will always come up on top. - Zach
I, too, am scared of the future. Not so much because of technology and the arts, because I think it really is something we can all grow from, but because of the lack of personal human connections. I hate bringing my cell phone with me on dates or when I'm spending time with my family, and I am given a lot of crap for it by friends - which I think is completely ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteOn holidays I think its absurd to receive 25 "Merry Christmas" texts from people I barely talk to, while it distracts me from paying attention to my actual family.
I do think we're not the only ones feeling this way about technology interfering with relationships. I know many people who are deleting their facebooks or refusing to get a twitter account (myself included). I could actually see many people in our generation rejecting technology in the future as we see it overtaking our lives. That is really the only hope I have for the future of technology - that we reject it.
Who knows what will happen, but I know I can say for myself that I will continue to leave my phone at home when I go out with my boyfriend, I will not respond to pointless texts and I will continue to not allow my phone to get in the way of any person-to-person conversation I am having.
- Kris Hendon
I definitely share that fear with you. While I of course, use and respect a lot of the technology that we have now and technology that continues to come out, there is that personal control that I can always use to remain human and stay as far away as possible from being a complete and utter robot.
ReplyDeleteEven though that is very difficult in this society, we do have those abilities, like you said, to not use technology and continue the traditions of basic human interaction and personal activities that don't have to keep us so disconnected from being human.
Email and Facebook are great tools for communicating, but I can't even remember half of my friends phone numbers because I always have my cell phone. I always say I'm going to buy an address book, but I never do.
I think the only real thing that can be done to counteract an true "Wall-E" life is to continue to do the simple things that aren't so computerized and emotionless, the things that are left with our true, real and personal touches and keep us interacting with each other the way people have been for decades and decades. If we don't, we can't complain when we really are moving around in pods on a computerized planet full of robots.
-Regina Selma
I really agree with the last statement or concern made, that you are afraid for the option to ignore technology will not be there one day. I think that these sort of things which impersonalize the human experience are defiantly things which can be harmful to humankind if we are not careful.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. It's scary, especially as a photo major, to see where technology will take us and how it will effect the art world. As much as I feel that it has become such a huge tool, it hinders us at the same time. In terms of photography, it's incredibly easy to snap a photo and drag it into any editing program on your computers rather than going into an actual darkroom and creating an image that way.
ReplyDeleteWhile I completely understand and respect the act of hand writing and the intimate relationship and enjoyment that comes with, I believe that it's a preference and is just the way that some peoples brians work. For me, I can't understand how people sit in quiet libraries and study. I have to have my music going, the tv on, ichat running and three other websites open to write a paper and it just works for me. I'm not sure if this is because I'm a lefty or what, but the distractions of technology actually help me to relax, not think so intensely and stress myself out to the point where I'm giving myself anxiety over writing and actually seems to open my mind and allow ideas and thoughts to flow out. I feel that while technology allows us to create pieces of art more easily through the uses of computers and software there will always be a great appreciation for "real" art as well as the desire to create it, and this has been proven just by this post and the responses accompanying it. The same goes for social networks, I don't believe that we will ever get to the point seen in the movie Wall-E, humans love to interact and need that interaction in their lives- it's just in our DNA. Even if we somehow evolved and this basic human need was altered, we all won't be around to see that horrific sight so no need to worry about seeing this happen in your lifetime :)
ReplyDeleteAnastasia Nelson
I agree with your statements about technology and the way it not only changes the way in which we execute our art but also the effect it has on our daily life and socializing. It scares me less in the art sense, I do think a lot of beneficial things have come out of technology regarding artwork and the process. I for one still do everything by hand, from sketching to patterning. I do use a sewing machine to sew my garments because I am not a crazy person. But on the artistic front I say to each his own, because I honestly don't care how others get there end result, I really only care about my process and I know i could never switch to technology to create. The thing that really scares me in terms of technology is the lack of face to face interaction you mentioned as well as the intrusive feeling I get from texts, and social networking devices. I have the experience ( A LOT!!!) with what Kris mentioned earlier about people getting mad when you don't respond to their inane texts. I really hate this and it makes me want to throw my phone in the lake half of the time. I am glad of course that its not just me feeling like the way in which we interact with others is completely changed and chaining. We can all remember a simpler time, when no one had cell phones or internet, and well I mostly just wonder about the kids begin brought up in this tech logically advanced world and to be honest they freak me out and I CAN'T relate. I feel like an old fogy way before my time!
ReplyDelete-Kira
Technology is pretty much my career. I'm always looking to the newest ideas to make better experiences for the world around me. But this idea can only parallel what your history courses in grammar school sought after. If you know the 'whats' and the 'whys' you can understand the new 'hows' needing to happen. Just as if you understand where your technology stems from you can understand how to use it better.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty nerdy about typography. All terms and concepts are centuries old, but we use them today.Leading is actually talking about little pieces of lead that make the space between your lines larger. Good type designers know how the old technology worked, so they can better manipulate the current technology.
This all goes to my point that we need to keep asking the questions of why and push ourselves. Do not let yourself become lazy. Inspire others to do the same. And use technology to make the world better. This is simple and it is up to us.