A long long time ago, a young fellow named Jeremy was trying to call his buddy Howie to see if he wanted to hang out. As he dialed his phone that was connected to a CORD (OMG) on the wall (OMGx2), he heard a strange noise. He did not panic. He did not know what Howie was doing and that was OK. He carried on with his life.
Fast forward 25 years...A teacher looks around his computer class and it's as if everyone has developed severe abdominal cramps. Students are hunched over with necks looking toward the floor. Why? He sees that many are texting and/or reading text messages. He realizes this is a phenomenon not limited only to his classes, or even his school. THEY ARE ALL HYPERCONNECTED!
The use of SMS (tech language for texting) has skyrocketed. He thought he had seen and heard it all until he heard of "twitter". Check it out.
(By the way, some of you are Hyperactive and Hyperconnected, but that's a different story for a different time)
Also, make sure you read this article. "Kill Your Blog!"
ASSIGNMENT FOR TODAY (1-7-09)
It seems mobile technology has made all of us 'connectivity addicts'. Is it really so important that we know that our friend is doing laundry? My theory is that we are spending a lot of time isolated by technology (on line, texting, emailing, surfing, etc) and the trend of hyper-connectivity is a way to bring us together or make us feel closer, more connected to friends and loved ones.
Please develop a response to this post in the comments. ( 25 points ) If you would like full credit, please make it well thought, and it should be about three or four paragraphs. Think it out before you write!
Consider these questions when commenting:
How is how you stay connected different from previous generations? (Think way back)
How much information is too much information?
How can professionals / companies use social networking technology? Should they?
What are the positive aspects of being 'hyper-connected'?
What are the negative aspects of being 'hyper-connected'?
Include any sources you used for your comment.
25 comments:
The whole blogging craze is a little bit different for me. I never got into myspace as much as the next guy and the only way i am really connected is through my cellular device. On average I send about 7,000 texts per month, and receive the same. This means i send close to 235 texts a day.
This is so much different from way back when people had to actually wait a week to hear from their correspondent through, gasp, the mailman. Or, if they really wanted a good conversation they had to actually get off their butts and walk across the street to talk to their grandma and grandpa.
Too much information is posting a blog about how you bought a coffee from the store today. That's boring and too personal, people want to hear interesting stories so they will continue to return to your page and conversate with you.
As for professionals using social networking systems, they could use them to market their products to a younger generation. Teens are constantly on the internet so if a company posts an ad about a new Wendy's sandwich, they are immediately marketing their products.
One positive aspect about being "hyperconnected" is you always can contact a person and know what they are up to. This allows you to keep tabs on all your friends and arrange plans much faster.
One negative factor about being "hyperconnected" is people are constantly on their phones, (me being one of them) and they don't pay as much attention to the world around them.
Repko out-
(O'Doyle Rules!)
Well I remember I've always at least had a phone to call my friends and family on. I used to pass notes in class which I'm sure my own parents did that. I think way back in the 1800's or so and I think they used to have to send letters to each other and the mail man had to ride a horse or something!!! I mean if it was something important the letter could take days for the person to even get it...WOW!!! Here we are receiving messages in just seconds and those people back then had to wait days just for one message. That's crazy.
I think that when somebody texts you and tells you exactly what they are doing...like using the bathroom or something, that is too much information. I'm sure they're bored or whatever but that's just lame. I also think giving your entire life story out in a blog is too much, if you want people to know so bad write a book or something.
I have no idea how many companies use social networking technology? I’m sure that a lot of them do it because it’s faster and more efficient. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that…anything to make a business man’s life less complicated.
There are so many awesome things about being hyper-connected!!! I mean when your bored and there's nothing to do you can always just text or e-mail someone and have lots of fun. I mean you can't hold on ten conversations on a phone, but you can hold up ten conversations in text message easy!! It's a wonderful way to stay connected to old friends; I mean the only time I even talk to my childhood friend is on Myspace. I think its okay as long as it doesn't get weirdly overboard
There are some down sides; people loose their lives doing this. I mean if you’re to the point where you don't even go anywhere anymore than you have a problem. Or if you've gained ten pounds because all you do is lay around on the computer that's bad...real bad. People still need to go outside, play some sports, and have contact with the outside world. That's my opinion!!
Being hyper connected all of the time isn't that great. I don't need to know what people are doing every single second of every single day. There's just so many better things to do, like actually hang out with your friends instead of reading about what they're doing.
I don't think texting all of the time is being hyperconnected to the extent that twitter and other sites are. Texting is just talking through text instead of words. You have the choice to talk to people that aren't around, but you still have the freedom to do things instead of sitting at the computer desk. With twitter you actually need to sit at the computer (yeah, I know phones have mobile internet but that just takes too long. I don't have the patience to do that).
Things like hyperconnectivity and anything else that draws you to a computer constantly probably helps to grow the obese population. People will just sit at a computer instead of doing something active just because they can get that addicted. It's not healthy to be that addicted to hyperconnectivity. Too much of a good thing can take a turn for the worse.
Previous generations didn't have the speed of the connection we have today. With every thing going faster people can do more to stay connected. Also you can stay connected with people across the world, they don't have to be demographicaly close and it doesn't cost as much to connect with them. Also what is different from previous generations is the age that you get connected. Today younger children are getting cell phones and there are even sites where little kids can talk to each other online.
Too much information would be knowing what someone was doing 24/7 and knowing exactly where they are at.
The positive aspects of being hyper-conected are that you can reach people and find out what they are doing easier. You usually don't have to wait hours for someone to get back to you and you can talk to more people at once.
Negatives of being hyper-connected, in my opinion, are that children are starting to use the technology at too young of an age, people don't pay attention to what is happening around them, and in extreme cases it can isolate.
Yea, I agree with you that everybody is spending way too much time isolated by technology. Its really not that important but my theory is that it is so easy to access so everybody uses it. Since it is so easy and quick, more people just want to do it more and more each and every day.
You stay connected different from previous generations by just dialing a number. What ever happened to doing that? That was quick and easy to do, but i think people just thinks its too much effort to just pick up the phone and dial a number. I also think too much information gives out since its so easy to access with the technology. Too much information is telling someone what you do every minute of the day or when you change what your doing. Some stuff, just keep to yourself!!
Professionals and companies should use social networking technology because its worldwide and its one of the easiest way to talk across the world. The positive aspects of being hyper-connected is its so easy and fast!
I remember back when I just used a landline to talk to friends. Today's it's so much easier to just text someone or use the internet such as MySpace.
When people try to tell their entire life story that's where I draw the line. I'm not interested in hearing every little thing; just plain and sweet and to the point. And if you're gonna make it long, make it something worth reading. I don't want to sit and read a blog about EVERYTHING you did that day, just the gist of it.
Professionals can use networking to get information out to a larger amount of people at one time. I think they should definitely use networking because it might help out them and become more well-known.
Postive aspects of being hyper-connected is the fact that you can get information a lot faster than we used to. Bascially you're always in the loop too; and personally I like that.
Negavtive aspects of hyper-connectivity is that sometimes people get so into texting or IMing lingo that they might forget how to compose a nice piece of writing.And sometimes people are more focused on what their next text says than whatever else is going on around them.
This day in age, all you ever see people do is text, text, text. Now I text a lot, but I am not interested in what my friends are doing every second of every day. But it is better than way back when all you could use to connect was mail or talking to them in person.
Like I mentioned before, too much information would be my friends telling me what they are doing every second of every day. I don't care. If you are going to text me, it should be about when we will hang out or something like that.
I think that companies should use 'hyper-connectivity' more often because it can really help when trying to do things such as organizing business meetings, or even just to remind someone to get something done, without actually having to say it to their face.
One positive of being 'hyper-connected' would be that it is much easier to find out when you are going to hang out with someone or when they are going to pick you up, etc. One negative, however, would be recieving text messages every 10 seconds about every footstep that your friend takes. Its just too much.
-T Skids
The technology craze is insane. I myself have a myspace, facebook, email all the time, and use around 10,000 text messages a month. Sometimes I can't believe how connected I seem to be compared to my parents when they were teens. Thinking way back when, people would write or use the telephone and wait to hear back from someone. My mom always tells me about how she had to go to a library to do research when she was in school, and now all I have to do is go and click internet on my computer and I can pull up entire books without leaving my house.
I think that people tend to share too much information online. They post pictures that aren't appropriate for their age and reveal where they attend school, live, sometimes even a cell number. What if someone got a hold of your site and found you later on? That's scary. If you're going to post things online, make sure you make your blogs and sites private and that you know who you are adding as a friend. Things are just dangerous in this day-in-age.
Companies can use this social networking from a marketing standpoint and to get their ideas out to the younger generations. I think they should because in the economic hardships we appear to be experiencing, companies need all the help they can get to make money.
Being hyperconnected means that if you need anything at anytime you are able to. Say you forgot your lunch money at home; you could text your mother and have her bring it to you. You can get information quicker and transfer things easier so that if you have something that you can't wait for, you can obtain it in a mere amount of minutes.
Being hyperconnected can also be negative. Children are becoming so involved in technology that they are forgetting the best parts of life. The parts of learning, having to look for something, having to work to achieve a goal. More and more young kids are getting cell phones and becoming involved in what is "cool" that they are forgetting the ultimate goal of a child; to live and learn through experience. You have to experience the bad to realize the good.
Staying hyperconnected is important but not the most important aspect of life.
Ok, I honestly like all of the technology that we have now a days. With text messaging you can have a conversation with as many people as you want at any time! Talking on the phone is boring, you only talk to one person and they normally bore you to sleep.
Technology makes things alot easier on everyone in the world. The only problem with it is the fact that soon, if not already, we will become to reliant on technology. Think what will happen if the government doesn't keep paper records of things, and all the sudden one day there was a world-wide computer crash! Everything will be gone! Technology is a risk, but it's one that I think we have to take.
Now when people honestly text you just to tell you they are doing laundry or whatever, that is a little ridiculous! Why do I need to know that, or when you're going to the bathroom. That is pointless, but if you have unlimited text messaging then it doesn't matter! You can send as much as you want! (haha) Texting does get in the way of things because people, including me, are so concerned to read what someone sent you that you tend to not pay attention to your surroundings!! So i guess that's about all I have to say about it.
I agree texting and myspace has made things alot different. Kids are texting in class while the teacher is teaching, some are sleeping because they stay up on myspace and the phone all night. This has to be annoying to the teachers!
Todays kids are way different from the kids back in the day. Back in the day the kids use to write notes back and forth to each other. Now kids just text in class instead of taking the time to write on paper. Myspace has taken alot of peoples time too.
Altogether technology has taken majority because if you think about it if you dont have a job you are most likely watching t.v , on the computer, or on the phone. Not saying everybody does this but most kids are sending between 50 and 200 text messages a day. Think about that!!
As far as professionals using social networking i think it is a huge oppurtunity for them. This will get whatever they are selling or trying to advertise out to the people. A positive aspect for hyperconnecting is that it will help the people who need to find things out. Hyperconnecting lets "us" the people learn new things. A negative aspect is that people are paying too much attention to their phones and myspace, and not paying enough attention to whats going on.
Im not all that crazy about staying connected. I do like to talk to friends and see whats going on with them in their life but not every second on their day.
Way back in the day, people would have to wait a lon time to get a letter or a respose from someone, now it's like 5 seconds.
Too much information would be telling your friends everything you did every second of that day in a blog or text. its not nesessary.
Companies have a huge influence on people today. anyone that visits a website will see an ad for something...and that is social marketing. i think that companies should do it..they already are but its a way to get the economy running again i guess.
One positive aspect of being 'hyper-connected' could be like to set a time or a date to meet up with your friends.
One negative aspect of being 'hyper-connected' could be like getting a text from your friend that they are walking their dog. which is not nesessary that you know that.
It seems like most everybody in the class agrees that we don't need to be as connected as we are. And that we spend a lot of time on our cellular devices/internet.
Misskay, im glad you seem to agree with me...It's nice knowing we are on the same page
I beleive that your theory is right we do spend way to much time isolated by technology although is this hyper-connectivity really going to bring people closer together. Sure for texting or emailing people that we always see day to day i think is fine but why do you need to know China or Japan isn't it a little crazy.
In the past it used to be that you had to write a letter to people that you didnt see often and it took weeks to get a response back and by that time it was sort of useless but people did it just to stay connected. Most letters and other means of connunication back then were very personal so I guess its ok to put some personal things on the web but there is a limite to these things I personally dont care but some people do and that is where we get the problem from.
Companies should use this type of technology it helps them to hire people and to create a place for them in this high technological world of jobs.
Positive aspects of being hyper-connected is that you are connected to the world and other people to share ideas and possibly solve problems that others couldn't in the past. THe negative aspects are that not many people talk to everyone they stay in their own little groups and never hear any new ideas and being connected to everyone means that you are not going to agree with everyone and that can be a BIG problem.
Good posts guys.
I think you are all getting the idea...
I guess you can say I never really stayed connected with myspace as much as my friends. I connect with everyone by cell phones now. You can say I text alot. I average about 9,000 texts per month, that mean i send about 280 texts a day. Thank god for unlimited texting!!
Its different from when my mom or your mom was growing up. Back then cell phones was huge. I saw my step dad old cell phone, lets just say it was hard to hide. You had to wait and wait for your mail to get were its going now its like 3 second and whoever got your text.
I think to much imformation is bloging about your weekend with your friends or how much u paid for your new outfit. No one wants to hear about things like that, its boring. So keep it to yourself.
i feel the same way as repko does. when myspace first came around i was in to it just like how everyone else was but after a year or so tom was always makin changes to it and it made me more confused about stuff on it so i stopped using it, i mean everyone has a cell phone too why not just text him wit ur phone in your hand then to walk all the way to where your computer is at.
knowing how my mom my dad and there parents grew up i realized that it wasent as easy to connect to people all the time then how easy it is for us now. we have cells and computer they had legs to walk to the persons house they wanted to go to.
bad bloggin and posting on the internet to me are the dang pop ups that always come up when you want to search for something on the internet, its really annoyin and for the most part they arent even real.
hyperconnected is a good thing and bad thing. 1 good thing for me is that i use my cell alot and because of that i can always know if that person that im talkin to is going to go to my bball game today and watch me play lol or just to see if they wanna hang out.
but a bad thing is that if your always texting ppl then the wrong people can get a hold of your number and say stuff to you that you dnt wanna hear.
This was a very interesting post. I especially enjoyed reading the student responses and I posted an article about your assignment on my blog entitled Students See Negativity in Technology.
Karyn-If teachers felt it necessary to reach us in ways that we are accessible (mass text messages on homework, school events, project help) then we wouldnt seem so "connected" we'd just seem like normal teenagers. But, it seems that teachers are always 3 steps behind us. I only have one teacher that will post their class assignments on the internet...
I think it's amazing how much technology has grown. While texting is fun and fist, I do feel that physicaly writing a letter to someone is way more personal, but who wants to wait that long? Anyway, I don't think texting or, myspace, facebook, or any of those kinds of things are really getting out of hand. I think that quite a few people take it to far. Of course a lot of poeple don't know how far there obsessons are going. Here's one way you can tell. Ask yourself when was the last time you texted you best friend? Now when was that last time you saw a movie with you'r best friend? (or hung out in any way?) If the answer to the second quistions is really faw off from the first maybe you should think about leaving your house, maybe get some sun? I'm just saying we shouldn't spend all of our soical lives on computers or cell phones.
Hey by the way the comments above this one, is me. Lydia, ya know 1 period. Thanks, sorry. ha ha
Karyn - You Win 'Comment of the Day!'
"If teachers felt it necessary to reach us in ways that we are accessible (mass text messages on homework, school events, project help) then we wouldnt seem so "connected" we'd just seem like normal teenagers. But, it seems that teachers are always 3 steps behind us. I only have one teacher that will post their class assignments on the internet..."
I am going to use this in a seminar for teachers this coming Wednesday. You are going to be famous!
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