So once again I open with a question. Is it all about laziness?
What? I hear you ask. The social-networking phenomenon comes my reply.
I was having some thoughts while lunching, so here comes another purely personal opinion theory post. I promise the academic posts will come soon.
But back to my point. Social networking sites. MySpace and Facebook. Laziness I tell you. That's why we love them. The academic arguments often focus on the new media aspects, creative and participatory nature of these platforms, but this is not what has caused their worldwide success. NO. Sure we love what we can do on these things but more on that later.
Everyone craves the attention and interaction of friendship, in some form or another. And in modern times we have the classical face-to-face, mobile, email, telephony and many, many other means of communication. But why use these when we can simply stay in the one place and accomplish it all. Humans at essence are lazy, and this boils down to economics (not the monetary, but the time based economics). The computer, it's the multi delivery platform. Who needs to move from that one magic spot in front of the widescreen flat panel monitor, when here you have it all at your fingertips, literally? Why order takeout over the phone, online ordering and delivery eliminates being put on hold and annoying message repetition and confusion? Why go find the mp3 player, or switch on the radio, when it streams directly and your hard drive holds some 200GB of song which can play for weeks without repeating a single song, not even once? Why watch TV at the times set by the station? Just YouTube it, or stream you favourite program over the net.
Anyway to come to my main point why SMS your friends (that's somewhere in the vicinity of 20cents your spending right there), or calling them (either on the mobile, or the landline - more money and time)? Why webcam them, putting up with the lag and embarrassment?
WE DON'T! No need to anymore, the social networking site has covered it all. We can keep our butt firmly planted in the highback leather chair that is our throne infront of the portal. With a simple click we are part of our friends lives. Don't really feel like talking? Don't worry, send a pre-programmed message, emoticon, picture or anything. Forget having to exert yourself. Update your status and let them know how you feel and what's going on in your head. All the while we can multitask, do the homework, book some flights, listen to a new album (from iTunes of course) and watch lasts nights episode of the current popular TV series. We haven't even moved from our desk, or wherever we so happen to be with our laptop. And do our friends care, NOPE. They are happy you used that small amount of effort to contact them, and when they could be bothered they'll get back to you. A beautiful relationship, don't you think? And don't forget we do still have face-to-face contact whenever we want, so the love is definitely not lost. But as busy individuals, laziness prevails.
Any why? Time poverty, that why. Who has enough time*?. But I also ask you this. If I gave you 10 words to associate with social networking sites, what would those words be? I'm willing to almost guarantee that 'youth' and perhaps 'student/university' fit into these words, if not explicitly then at least via association with one of your choice words. That's right we are the lazy-busy generation. An oxymoronic mix of time guided individuals. We need ways to stay in touch.
* See my theories on time in "Brendam's Theorem of Consideration"
Sure, the new ways we can communicate on these things are all amazing and cool, but in the end they are just a bright and shiny new toy. What really grabs us, what their drawing card is, is their ease of use and time saving capabilities. We can expose ourselves, or who we want to be, and interact when the time suits us and when we could actually be bothered. And then even if we couldn't be bothered why not do a generic "Hi, how are you?" and 'send to all'. There everyone is happy. I just hope the happiness prevails.
I hope this did not come across overly pessimistic, for that was not my intention. It was just a crazy thought that popped into my head and I wanted to express it. (Therefore I have completely ignored my own theory on laziness). I took time out to complete this. But nonetheless I think laziness fuels our addiction. And soon the cliche interview reply will be "Don't call us, we'll MySpace you".
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3 comments:
I'd comment, but meh.
Wow Brendam you sure went to a lot of effort for a non scholarly blog! Kudos to you. I agree somewhat on the layness thing...except i think my lazyness goes even further. I do think that being able to keep in touch with friends sitting at home in your pj's staring at a screen is inherently lazy and that perhaps in another life i would have got my butt off this chair and gone to see you. But see here's where my layness goes one step further...i am quite happy to keep tabs on my friends lives from my laptop but i am SO lazy that i find it an effort to actually engage with my friends on myspace and facebook. Half the time i read that i have a comment and then i just click out of it and move on...only realising hours later that perhaps i should put some effort into responding. I'm still living in the age where if i really want to speak to someone i always reach for the phone...not the laptop. Maybe because in that sense i am communicating on my own terms not because i feel a sense of obligation to send a sheep to someone or poke them...which quite clearly i have no inclination to do in the first place.
On the bright side you could consider me a truly great friend cus i'd rather see you in person or spend 25c texting you than reply to your myspace comment :)
When you mention that the computer combined with the internet becomes a multi platform device, my initial reaction was “oh yeah that’s right.”, as using the computer for multiple purposes has, like most people my age, become a common activity. I remember seeing a news broadcast years ago on a man who lived off the internet for a month. The aim of this challenge was to see if he support himself financially, socially and physically ( e.g. food) without leaving the house. In the end he did survive and found his fiancés in which he proposed to when they first met face to face the day he finished. At the time this seemed a ‘big deal’ and some what impossible but in the end he proved that the internet can provide you with everything even a wife. The computer is ultimately the prime example of what convergence is.
In saying this it will never be completely utilise by the public because of requirement of taking the time to learn how to use the internet. And thus rather learning how to order groceries on line, people would still rather go shopping even tho it might take more time. So in referring back to your main point- laziness prevails!
Leaving on a random note I found this interesting forum somewhat tires in with the computer and food theme. I just found it and had the need to share it with someone because of its level of stupidity. Enjoy!
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