Technocratic

Technology, to me, has been both a blessing and a curse. While communications have advanced to the point of leveling society on a global scale, I believe, it has in the process dehumanized us to some degree or another.

In the age of social networking, text messaging, and even the now near archaic world of blogging, we have, in some effect drifted away from the notion of actual communication. It is strange to me to think vocal conversation is almost a secondary feature of the phone in this world. At the same time, language, as it is is almost in a state of devolution. As a personal example, I was questioned by another individual as to why I would write out entire words in a text message. I still remember the almost sadness I felt upon reading a news article detailing a school's plan to start issuing exams in common text message abbreviations because the students could not understand proper written language well enough.
With the loss of language also comes a seeming loss of attention span. Traditional online journals such as this have been replaced by Twitter and it's new stream of pseudo clones. The service operates on the same principle, but limits output to only a small amount of characters. After all, who has time to form a complete thought anymore?
Beyond the aforementioned advancements has come a newly found sense of entitlement among the general populace. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants to voice it. This is nothing new, but with the means to do so on such a larger level, everyone does so at a constant yet abbreviated rate. And, worst of all, it seems as though everyone believes that everyone else cares. The notion of a personal life is dangerously close to extinction as we live out our every detail for the world to see one pixel at a time. Perhaps people would care, if they weren't too busy pursuing their own self indulgence. No longer satisfied with the search for fifteen minutes of fame, instead, we are all in need of our fifteen seconds. This is what I have in the past referred to as Generation Me. To me, this is almost a step backward as a species. We are the most social of all animals, and the only species with the capabilities of cognition and speech, and yet we seem to be running from this.

Here we have the curse, but what of the blessing.

The blessing, I feel also comes in the leveling factor. Technology can be a wonderful thing if used in moderation. I truly believe that the internet, with a little bit of required digging, is the last bastion for the free trade of unfiltered information, which is certainly a good thing in our present, filtered Orwellian society. The fringe opinions and theories, those which threaten the current closed and corrupt power struggle, are given their forum where one could not otherwise be found. And, in any argument or debate, more perspectives can be offered in the pursuit truth.
In terms of social interaction, the very same technology that is inhibiting the real definition of socialization can be used to strengthen it. In my time, I have met several people who have enriched my life in a number of ways; people who, without the online forums, Facebook pages and the like, would not have otherwise been accessible to me.
Personal interests have also been positively effected, as through these new methods of community generation, I have become acquainted with, and grown closer to a number of like-minded individuals. Furthermore, there have been some cases where, due to distance or simply circumstance, I would not be able to communicate with individuals who have, in their own ways, had a positive impact on my daily existence.

Is this ever evolving, yet often less personal approach to human interaction a good thing or a bad thing. As stated, I believe that it is a little of both. Ultimately, I believe the answer lies on whether technology is used as an aide, or a supplement, or if it becomes the only way of life.