technology :) :/ ;) :(

Uses and Gratification of Computer Mediated Communications

Recently in our lecture we discussed the uses and gratification of CMC (computer mediated communications). In lecture we discussed common gratifications such as, social utility, surveillance and information seeking. Social networking is by far a big factor that falls under usage of technology. People devote  a lot of their time to websites. Got example Facebook, twitter and instagram. Honestly you can find people on their electronics anywhere you go. I know, when I wake up in the morning or before I rest my head I check my instagram and sometimes my Facebook. I wouldn’t say that it runs my life but I find instagram pleasing when I’m bored. If you’re not familiar with instgram, it is a social network where people take pictures and videos of what they are doing or what they may have did through out there day. Seems a bit on the nosey side but it is actually gratifying.

When hearing the word surveillance what comes to mind? When I hear that word I think of cameras or recorders or somewhat in that order. Where you are observing something or someone. Yes, people have cameras for security reasons to be aware of what’s going on around their property when not present. As for someone in their late teens or early 20’s, technology can be used for surveillance of their significant other. This can be by Facebook, instagram, twitter or any website similar to those. Also going through phone calls, text messages and emails. Like I mentioned before these networks can be quite nosey because you’re giving people a welcome into your life.

Furthermore I believe people let technology dictate their life and turn to technology for every single thing. For example information seeking, I can recall myself always going on to Google or YouTube to figure out how to do something or for an understanding of something I’m unaware of. I Google everything, when I’m clueless about something the first thing I think of is “Google”. I never say to myself “let me read a book to figure this out”. It’s a horrible thing to say but if I don’t have reading that is class related I would not read. I have recently tried to start making myself read more outside of school but it’s a big adaptation. It’s even more challenging when technology just keeps expanding. With the expansion of technology as the years go on, we forget about the old electronics we have and look forward to the newer ones.

Last week in lab we spoke about obsolete technology, obsolete technology is technology that is no longer in use or created. Since technology keeps growing, we are forgetting about old electronics and just look forward to newer things that are being released. For example we talked about how apple just keep producing new iphones, ipads and laptops. I have an iphone 5 but when the iphone 6 comes out next week I will be receiving one as a gift. One of the questions in in lab was to identify electronics that we no longer used but still maybe had possession of are, or that we just got rid of. We also had to explain why we no longer had them or used them. The majority of the answers were that people upgraded their devices.

It was very upsetting to know that no one had the excuse of an older device breaking; the older technology seems to be very strong and long lasting than the latest technology. It is also hard to tell how long newer technology can last because every few months something new is coming out.  I find technology very upsetting because of the way people revolve their world around it and how wasteful people are of older technology when the latest features come out.

Technology has its good effects and bad effects but sooner than later nothing will be old fashioned anymore, the whole world will be based off technology. Is that what we want as a society?