Monday, March 14, 2011
mindlessness
I am sitting here trying to write something for the open prompt blog that's due for next class and I'm completely stuck. For a half an hour I have been mindless starring at the T.V. During commercial breaks I would look down at the computer and try to think again. But once "Gilmore Girls" cam back on I was hopelessly distracted. I find that I do this most of the time I try to do homework. I can spend hours on one assignment just because I am too busy trying to multitask and watch T.V. at the same time. But why don't I just turn off the T.V.? could this be because I'm addicted to watching T.V.? I can also catch myself getting on Facebook if I'm doing work on the computer or texting throughout my study time. I know I'm not the only one who does this. I think it could very well be a sign that today's generation may be addicted to technology.
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I agree with your statement that our generation may be addicted to technology, but I also think that we are more likely to be addicted to technology from growing up with it. When I am trying to write a paper I find myself constantly taking little "breaks" to check facebook. One thing I tried was to unplug my ethernet cord when I'm writing a paper so I do not have internet access because we do not have wireless internet in the dorm. Although this worked a little bit, I would still find myself getting distracted by other little things. So maybe its not that were addicted to technology, but its that we have gained the ADD like symptoms caused from the internet that Nicholas Carr emphasizes in his "Is Google Making Us Stupid Article".
ReplyDeleteI completely feel youre pain. It has gottens so bad that I literally do everything with the television on. Do my homework with it on, eat my lunch with it on, and even go to sleep with it on. At night I even find myself doing homework during the commercials while I am watching a show. This habbit has gotten worse and worse since I've been at college and I need to make a big effort to break it. I definitely think it is turning into an addiction.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not "addicted" per se, but more spoiled or over-exposed. I know that I can function very well without any given piece of technology for an extended period of time. It's just a matter of what you have in your life as structural activities. For me it's playing guitar, drawing, and running. If you don't have an escape from technology, then you're bound to end up in situations like this. So it's probably entirely dependent on availability. You adapt to what is available to you, and if technology is all that's there, then it'll have a heavy impact on your activities.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, amazing choice in TV shows! Next, If you look at it from a biological level. There are studies out there that say that we are in fact addicted to TV in the same way we get addicted to drugs. A simple way to explain it is that our brain craves stimuli. And TV gives us a lot of stimulus! We get stimuli from the different of patterns of light and how they move but we also get stimuli from the sound and the way shows can make us feel. All these stimuli could cause the brain to crave this amount of stimuli. Trying just sitting in your room not playing with your phone, not watching tv, no computer, no friends, just you and your thoughts. You start to freak out. Say "I'm bored." Your minds starts to urge you to watch the TV. You might even start like having a head ache. Sounds a lot like withdrawal from cigarettes. Something to think about. Try quitting TV cold turkey, then tell me if it's addiciting.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite positive you would say we are "addicted" to technology, but rather that it is just there. We have easy access to it and it is always with us, so of course we are going to use it. Addiction is rather a harsh word to use when using technology because there's no hiding from it. Let's put it this way, when a person starts smoking cigarettes, they choose to, but we don't necessarily choose to turn on a lamp because it gives us a sort of "buzz" that smoking does. Yes of course technology does make us feel good and is pleasurable to use, but I think the word addiction is too rough.
ReplyDeleteYeah I would have to totally agree with sasek. I don't believe we are addicted to technology. I believe people can go for long periods of time without watching tv or checking Facebook if it isn't right there in front of them. If you are addicted you have to have it.
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