Technology and it's (deleterious?) effects on us

Kermit.de.frog

Social skills, the ability to perform basic tasks (like changing a plug, making a proper meal...) and "echo chambers" (where filters mean people only ever see news that validate their own viewpoints) are some of the things psychologists are concerned about for the generations coming up where everything comes easy with technology and is available on their phones.

I also read that mobile use is seen more and more as addictive.

The number of young people I nearly walk in to on a daily basis while they are looking at their phones grows all the time. It's like they are tranced and totally unaware of what is going on around them.

Then there is the narcissitic thing as well which is unhealthy in my opinion.

For the record I think technology is great. I just wonder whether upcoming generations face more mental health issues and whether anything can or should be done about it.

Does this concern you or do you think it's overblown?

Kermit.de.frog

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Social skills, the ability to perform basic tasks (like changing a plug, making a proper meal...) and "echo chambers" (where filters mean people only ever see news that validate their own viewpoints) are some of the things psychologists are concerned about for the generations coming up where everything comes easy with technology and is available on their phones.

I also read that mobile use is seen more and more as addictive.

The number of young people I nearly walk in to on a daily basis while they are looking at their phones grows all the time. It's like they are tranced and totally unaware of what is going on around them.

Then there is the narcissitic thing as well which is unhealthy in my opinion.

For the record I think technology is great. I just wonder whether upcoming generations face more mental health issues and whether anything can or should be done about it.

Does this concern you or do you think it's overblown?

I tried to read a book a few weeks ago, and I hadnt my glasse's on, so I tried to enlarge the page...

Harry Palmr

My spelling has gone to pot, yes I resisted the chance for a cheap laugh thatKS to autocorrect.

briany

It doesn't really concern me as I just consider it a form of change. You'd need the perspective of history to see the true effect, is the other thing.

The introduction of television/VHS and radio made a huge change to how the general populace spent many of their evenings, and I'd say there's a whole lot less social interaction to be had staring at the TV than going down to the local ballroom or theatre. Still, society didn't end then.

You also have to look at people having their heads in their phones as more of a symptom than a cause. Simply put, if the alternative to using your phone was so great, you'd be doing that instead.

Jesus Wept

This plug changing lark, srysly.
1st, it's rarely required
2nd: it's probably not worth the both.
3rd: Any **** can figure it out by watching a 90 second youtube.

We probably won't even be using ****ing plugs in a decade. Either way.

Kermit.de.frog

Harry Palmr wrote: »

My spelling has gone to pot.

Same. Not drastically but noticeable.

Of the potential issues down the road I think basic social skills is top of the list.

pickarooney

I have learned all manner of things from Thai cuisine to fixing a tumble drier from the internet so I'm at a loss as to how exactly access to information is making people ignorant.

For instance you could have looked up the correct spelling of deleterious, if you absolutely had to use that word, in a second, or let your spell checker catch the typo.

Lorelli!

Jake1 wrote: »

I tried to read a book a few weeks ago, and I hadnt my glasse's on, so I tried to enlarge the page...

I remember I couldn't find the remote control for the tv a while ago and for a second I thought to myself "just Google where it is"

Lorelli!

Lorelli! wrote: »

I remember I couldn't find the remote control for the tv a while ago and for a second I thought to myself "just Google where it is"

:D:D

Brilliant

freshpopcorn

I think that in the last few years I noticed a lot of people who wouldn't even be middle aged saying back in my day XXXX happened unlike the youth of Today!

briany

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Of the potential issues down the road I think basic social skills is top of the list.

If no-one will have any social skills, then no social skills will be necessary.

The Backwards Man

If it wasn't for the internet my only skills would be footing turf and drinking Tennent's.

Kermit.de.frog

pickarooney wrote: »

For instance you could have looked up the correct spelling of deleterious, if you absolutely had to use that word, in a second, or let your spell checker catch the typo.

Equally if you took the time to read the rules...

Grammar nazis not welcome

Not everybody is as perfect as you are. Some people have learning difficulties. Some people are dyslexic. Some people are stupid and finally some people just don't care about their spelling and grammar. It's not your job to police them.

Ficheall

It's definitely having an effect on our memory capabilities. It's easier to google something now than it is to remember how to do it in the first place.
Look at those documentaries on the London taxi drivers who had to memorise the entire road network of London before being given a licence, and now anyone can uber their way around with a GPS.

pickarooney

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Equally if you took the time to read the rules...

Yeah, a dyslexic is definitely going to pull out a word like deleterious. Pull the other one.

Kermit.de.frog

pickarooney wrote: »

Yeah, a dyslexic is definitely going to pull out a word like deleterious. Pull the other one.

It says "No Grammar Nazis"

Cee-Jay-Cee

My 7 year simply can't comprehend that I didn't have a phone or iPad when I was young. She asked today if when I was her age did my mammy used to let me watch YouTube videos.

I am very conscious of how much phones and technology are impacting on every ones lives and for that reason tv, phones and iPads/tablets ate very restricted in my children's lives and I ensure that they play outside as much as possible.

I know that will get harder to enforce as they get older but I at least want them to have memories of exploring through the fields that surround our home and being away on little adventures by themselves while I can.

prinzeugen

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

Social skills, the ability to perform basic tasks (like changing a plug, making a proper meal...) and "echo chambers" (where filters mean people only ever see news that validate their own viewpoints) are some of the things psychologists are concerned about for the generations coming up where everything comes easy with technology and is available on their phones.

I also read that mobile use is seen more and more as addictive.

The number of young people I nearly walk in to on a daily basis while they are looking at their phones grows all the time. It's like they are tranced and totally unaware of what is going on around them.

Then there is the narcissitic thing as well which is unhealthy in my opinion.

For the record I think technology is great. I just wonder whether upcoming generations face more mental health issues and whether anything can or should be done about it.

Does this concern you or do you think it's overblown?

We are already seeing the mental health issues.

Kids that are constantly being told the are good looking on Facebook, Instagram etc can not handle rejection.

I have seen many young people go into total meltdown when things don't go the way google or an app told them it would.

For example a picture of a print at home ticket on a phone.. The can't understand the print bit.

These are the same people that champion AI as they can't be arsed to learn how to do basic stuff.

Are Am Eye

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

It says "No Grammar Nazis"

"If you can quote the rules you can follow the rules" Tony Soprano.

Imagine a game of soccer where one player kept running up to the ref and saying "you should have warned that guy" "that was offside" "time is up on this game". Annoying, yes? Sitting back as a user and consistently directing the moderator like a minion is going to get you kicked off the pitch. The correct way to bring something to our attention is to report the post.

But do not abuse this feature. Report posts which clearly break the rules not just posts you don’t agree

Kermit.de.frog

prinzeugen wrote: »

We are already seeing the mental health issues.

Kids that are constantly being told the are good looking on Facebook, Instagram etc can not handle rejection.

Yeah that's what I mean. Bullying as well. I can only imagine how damaging that can be on Facebook to a target.

Baron Kurtz

Are Am Eye wrote: »

"If you can quote the rules you can follow the rules" Tony Soprano.

Imagine a game of soccer where one player kept running up to the ref and saying "you should have warned that guy" "that was offside" "time is up on this game". Annoying, yes? Sitting back as a user and consistently directing the moderator like a minion is going to get you kicked off the pitch. The correct way to bring something to our attention is to report the post.

But do not abuse this feature. Report posts which clearly break the rules not just posts you don’t agree

Tone said, If you can quote the rules, then you can obey them. To Paulie. He also said a lot of other cool stuff.

He'd also be embarrassed; harbour snippets of another's dialogue, mental weakness and vacuity, much to his chagrin, and eventually unload these thoughts to Melfi about someone snitching and talking about moderators and all that reporting of someone or something malarkey. He'd be pretty angry about it.

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

For instance you could have looked up the correct spelling of deleterious, if you absolutely had to use that word, in a second, or let your spell checker catch the typo.

My niece was posting on facebook how she would love a Henna tattoo but cant due to the age restrictions(she assumed there was the same age limit as regular tattoos). I did a quick google and found there are no restrictions and said so. Her response was "Oh great, now I just need to find one". :rolleyes:

In a total of about 20 seconds I found there is no restriction on what she wanted to do, and found a studio 3 miles from where she lives, but she was unable to find that information herself. Thats not the fault of technology. Thats just apathetic laziness.

That said, as another poster said, I am so flipping glad I wasn't a teenager in the smart phone age. I had a mobile when I was 16 but it was a monochrome brick with no camera. When I ran out of credit it became an expensive paper weight. I am confident my teens would have been much more difficult in an age of whatsapp and HD cameras and instant internet upload.

Rumpy Pumpy

I work in technology, but am becoming increasingly cynical about its impact on humanity. There has always been cranks giving out about the latest development - the record player, cinema, and TV for example.

I think the ubiquitous availability of the internet isn’t good though. It’s ever present, easy to access, and provides you with a constant stream of carefully curated material (advertising) that reinforces what you think you believe. It doesn’t really challenge or enlighten. It’s a quick shot of dopamine.

Jesus Wept

Jesus Wept wrote: »

This plug changing lark, srysly.
1st, it's rarely required
2nd: it's probably not worth the both.
3rd: Any **** can figure it out by watching a 90 second youtube.

We probably won't even be using ****ing plugs in a decade. Either way.

Plugs! back in the day we used to be skilled in getting the second appliance into the socket by pushing the wires in "just right" before shoving in the plug.

That was before they put shrouding on the pins to stop those tricks, unless you used long unshielded wires.

Rumpy Pumpy

Rumpy Pumpy wrote: »

I work in technology, but am becoming increasingly cynical about its impact on humanity. .

I also work in IT, so I lke to get away from time to time from th eIT side of things (spekk checkers an the like) also the constant need to look at phones.#

I oftemn leave the phone at home swithed of whenever possible to have real freedom!.
Wiht tiso post afte afew beers and spellchecer disabled i have a bit more freedom.

too many people hide behind their technology these days.

fúck that post looks like I'm more pissed than I feel!

only 7 cans!!!

SEPT 23 1989

You know in the Wizard of Oz when it went from black and white to colour

Nearing 40 I think the opposite has happened

SEPT 23 1989

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

You know in the Wizard of Oz when it went from black and white to colour

Nearing 40 I think the opposite has happened

more like 256 shared of grey!
no matter what your opinion on anything, it's wrong in the eyes of someone.

lazybones32

If watching too much tv is bad for the brain, replacing a big screen 6ft away, with a 12 square inch screen 1foot away from your face will have a similar on said brain effect I'd say.

People are strange when it comes to things that are bad for them. We still do them.

I'm not worried about future generations' ability to communicate...as i get older, they won't want to talk to me anyway. And boys will always have to listen to girls to feel a bit of teenage tit. No phone can compare.

lazybones32

lazybones32 wrote: »

If watching too much tv is bad for the brain, replacing a big screen 6ft away, with a 12 square inch screen 1foot away from your face will have a similar on said brain effect I'd say.

The big difference is though, with a TV, you're generally just passively watching content, where as with a handheld device or PC, you're usually interacting with the content and clicking links so are playing an active part in the viewing process.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

lazybones32

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The big difference is though, with a TV, you're generally just passively watching content, where as with a handheld device or PC, you're usually interacting with the content and clicking links so are playing an active part in the viewing process.

Eating or masturbating while watching tv/pc could be classed as playing an active part in the viewing process too.

Nabber

I'd agree with some people here and disagree with others.

It depends on content and not technology. I'd say I read about 10x more than I used too.

My routine for reading used to be 90mins at night and about 40mins in the morning on newspaper (excluding all my required reading in work emails, proposals, projects ect..)

Now with technology I read on the train, on the bus, in the toilet, in waiting rooms, on break or anytime alone.

My eldest is fascinated with space and watches and reads about it online, my middle son 5, watches 'how to draw' and tries to replicate.
The youngest likes listening to Foo Fighters songs, so good taste there!!!

The trick is to keep the kids off the new craze, watching people play games, it's worse than them playing it themselves.

But on the whole I am in favour of technology. Try to introduce your kids to interesting and stimulating activities online.
Wildlife cam to check in on elephants in Africa or Moose in Canada.
It's not all bad, just a new format

scopper

sugarman wrote: »

I almost dont bother to go down to the pub anymore, because everyone is just hammering away at their phones most of the time. Usually find myself getting frustrated and repeating myself constantly.

A group of friends I know put all the phones in the middle of the table and if you go for it you have to get a round

I make a big point personally of just not looking at my phone when out. If you don't do it yourself people get a bit self-conscious, especially if you remain in stony silence when they are on the phone.

scopper

Deleted User wrote: »

fúck that post looks like I'm more pissed than I feel!

only 7 cans!!!

I actually thought you were making a joke about spellcheck

scopper

I would say the strangest one is the people walking with the phone. If you sort of don't do it yourself then it can be phone as people walk directly at you and when they wake up they have this sort of embarrassed look about them. I do wonder what they doing most of the time or what can't wait.

The good bits are that phones make boring things like the bus or waiting in queues much more bearable. Also for finding places.

We are all losing our ability to spell though.

seamus

The only thing I see is a mental illness epidemic waiting to explode. We are saturated with information. There isn't a minute in the day in which you can be bored unless you choose to. 2 minute downtime? Phone out. Taking a ****? I'll just look at reddit. Watching a movie? I'll look up stuff on IMDB.

The human mind loves this ****, it loves to be engaged and entertained, but it was never designed to be "on" 24/7. It needs a certain level of mindless repetitiveness and daydreaming. I find the greatest relaxation part of a holiday is that period a couple of days in when you get used to not looking at your phone and you just chill out. And then you stop looking at the phone for most of the rest of the holiday.

I feel this constant inability to switch off will end up being a major source of stress and one of the biggest afflictions of the modern world.

jimgoose

Interesting article in the Independent by Niamh Horan about how modern technology is making dating/relationships etc. all weird among t'young folk:

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/teenagers-keep-their-distance-in-the-cautious-new-world-of-dating-and-sex-36049359.html

Ubbquittious

Jesus Wept wrote: »

This plug changing lark, srysly.
1st, it's rarely required
2nd: it's probably not worth the both.
3rd: Any **** can figure it out by watching a 90 second youtube.

We probably won't even be using ****ing plugs in a decade. Either way.

Going back to steam power and compressed air after the big war?

beans

Technological Slavery by Theodore J. Kaczynski - good book on the subject

ShauntaMetzel

Technology improved my spellings and grammar as there is always a red line whenever I write incorrect spelling. There are also several other benefits of technology, but yes, the transformation of communication gadgets badly affected our family lives especially our teens spend a lot of their time with smartphones and gadgets. It is not affecting their health but also causing many psychological disorders. Recently, I shared one blog with my teen cousin about how cell phones are spoiling teens physically and mentally. Fortunately, he took my advice seriously and started spending more time with family.

Pauliedragon

There's a lot of people on the internet today complaining about people being on the internet.:D

Feisar

The internet has dramatically improved my cooking.

For example, frying chicken, it never says in any receipe book* about not over crowding the pan or patting down chicken with kitchen paper to remove moisture so the chicking fries rather than sort of boil in it's own liquid.

*It may have this in Larousse Gastronomique however its an ornament in my house.

AllForIt

I'm old enough to have grown up without the Internet in my younger years so I can change a plug and a lot more.

I do think if there is one problem for myself it's spending too much time online meaning there is less time for other things. I don't know if this is necessarily a bad thing as what I do online is mostly educational and informative. I was never a newspaper reader but I do read a few online publications every day so I'm much more informed about what is going on in the world than I used to be.

It is certainly a worry that younger folk spend so much time on social media, something I ditched for the precise reason that I though that if I was to spend so much time online I would do stuff more worthwhile.

ShauntaMetzel

I absolutely understand the pros of using the internet but don't you think that the too much use of social media is eating our precious time that we should have to spend with our family? We should concern for people of the entire world but don't care if our mom or dad has a fever in the next room? We should worry about how the world is being polluted on social media, but we do the same in our houses. I am not against the use of internet or social media, but I am only against to being as hypocrites.