Technology and the Human Disconnect.

[futuremd]

ATT just started showing commercials from segments of this.. Very powerful

 

[jking0821]

I hear what you are saying Elcatfisho but do you think that society is getting worse or better or stagnant as far as lack of social interaction due to technology? Technology is definitely a good thing. But it seems (generalization) a lot of the younger generation is using it in an extreme manor.

It just worries me that if this is the new norm. Texting, facebooking etc that it will be embedded in the younger generations and the world will become extremely anti-social (probably exaggerated)

 

[superantigen]

A good buddy of mine, a recent graduate of RISDs design program, Masters thesis concerned this very "disconnect." His query: "What is intimacy without humanity?"

Here's one of the many articles written about it his work.

You lie in the hospital bed, your heartbeat weak, your breath faint. Old age has conquered you: You can feel throughout your body that you are going to die, and you resign yourself to the inevitable. You let your eyelids fall for a final time, preparing to pass on to the next life, when suddenly, a little white robot appears at your bedside, hovering over you.

"Hello," the robot says to you, gently caressing your forearm with its cold, metallic hand. "I am the Last Moment Robot. I am here to help you and guide you through your last moment on earth."

"I am sorry that your family and friends can’t be with you right now, but don’t be afraid. I am here to comfort you."

So begins an art installation by Dan Chen, which invites visitors to check in a faux-hospital, slip under the covers of a replica hospital bed, and receive the end-of-life comfort from a 'bot that Chen has dubbed "Last Moment Robot." The Last Moment Robot lovingly strokes the expiring patient's arm, assures the patient, in a pre-recorded speech, that he or she is not alone, and then, after expiration, reads off the time-of-death for the doctor.

You can watch the Last Moment Robot take care of a (fake) patient, as well as deliver its last-words-you-hear-on-earth speech, below:







Chen intends for his piece -- part of his Masters thesis at the Rhode Island School of Design entitled "File>Save>Intimacy" -- to make visitors consider the implications of a more deeply connected, technology-reliant society.

From his thesis, which is available online and features a lot more mind-bending conceptual robots:

The process of dying is probably the most vulnerable moment of a human life – a moment in which one seeks the reassurance of human connection. In this installation, human presence is replaced with a robot, questioning the quality of intimacy without humanity.
The Last Moment Robot takes the idea of human replacement to an even more extreme scale. It allows for robotic intimacy technology to be reevaluated. The form factors are also being challenged: instead of mimicking the real, the Last Moment Robot’s objective is to allow the patients to experience the paradoxical sensation of knowingly interacting with a placebo treatment.

Chen writes elsewhere that the Last Moment Robot was inspired by Paro, the plush "therapeutic robot" used in Japan to comfort the inflicted, especially patients with dementia and Alzheimer's. While Paro is an adorable stuffed seal, however, the Last Moment Robot is a jungle gym-like construction of metallic tubes, rods, and hinges, thus enabling that "paradoxical sensation of knowingly interacting with a placebo treatment" Chen was going for.

There are no plans to mass-produce the Last Moment Robot or sell anything like it to hospitals, Chen told CNET's Leslie Katz; the Last Moment Robot is simply intended as a work of art, a thought experiment, a provocation.

So, no, don't expect to see a "Last Minute Robot" in a hospital any time soon -- an art museum, perhaps, but not a hospital. And if Chen does decide to permanently retire the Last Moment Robot, we have to wonder: Who will comfort the Last Moment Robot in his last moments? Who will be Last Moment Robot's Last Moment Robot? The conundrums of our times.


http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57447109-1/last-moment-robot-end-of-life-detected/

http://news.discovery.com/tech/last-moment-robot-120612.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/last-moment-robot-comfort-you-in-death_n_1578723.html

Here's another one of his robots, in a less morbid context, collectively known as "Team Spirit Generator":


http://www.pixedge.com/team_spirit


Obviously, there's a a fun and humorous aspect to these creations, but it really isn't out of the realm of possibility that such contraptions, mass produced and consumed, will play an integral part of our collective futures as this disconnect grows, and technology assumes a greater role in our lives.



...

 

[jesusshuttlesworth34]

I hear what you are saying Elcatfisho but do you think that society is getting worse or better or stagnant as far as lack of social interaction due to technology? Technology is definitely a good thing. But it seems (generalization) a lot of the younger generation is using it in an extreme manor.
It just worries me that if this is the new norm. Texting, facebooking etc that it will be embedded in the younger generations and the world will become extremely anti-social (probably exaggerated)

That's when the onus falls on the parents to raise your kids how you wish....you can have them follow societies examples and standard or set the bar.

 

[flacobey]

good post OP I completely agree

It's also ironic that we're all on the internet right now talking about it

 

[futuremd]

good post OP I completely agree

It's also ironic that we're all on the internet right now talking about it

Exactly.

Thats the catch. 

Being meta about technology isn't a bad thing because it helps to direct its evolution, but trying to chastise it for merely existing isn't constructive.

 

[elcatfisho]

I hear what you are saying Elcatfisho but do you think that society is getting worse or better or stagnant as far as lack of social interaction due to technology? Technology is definitely a good thing. But it seems (generalization) a lot of the younger generation is using it in an extreme manor.
It just worries me that if this is the new norm. Texting, facebooking etc that it will be embedded in the younger generations and the world will become extremely anti-social (probably exaggerated)

Above all things, in my liberal mind, I think education is the most important factor in social interactions. I don't think you're generalizing the younger generation, that's just your own observation, but it seems that there are a lot of other people who have formed the same opinion.

I don't want to think society is following any positive, negative, or baseline trend that some people may want to see in order to make a statement that "X technology is bad because it causes X to do X" because most of these innovations are unprecedented in and it is not really up to any one person to decide if something is bad for a person if the person doesn't see it as a bad thing. There are people that will disagree and agree. Unless other people have told us and made us believe it is bad thing, we will not view it as a bad thing. If this doesn't make exact sense, let me try to use a more concrete example rather than saying "bad things."

I don't really want to have to bring it into discussion, but take for instance, the issue of drug use and abuse in our country. According to US policy, we schedule drugs based on how bad it is for your health off past research, and then go from there on establishing enforcement based on our people's opinions of the matter. I'm not here to argue about what drugs are bad and whether I agree with the policy, but I will argue for the sake of education: Why don't more people do heroin and why do we view Breaking Bad as a relatively evil (but extremely entertaining) TV show? Because our personal beliefs have been molded to think, from D.A.R.E. officers visiting us in elementary school and into health class that those drugs in many ways are harmful to our health and will decrease life expectancy. Again, all of these views are formed by our own society, which feed off the beliefs of individuals.

Back to the topic of technology, more of our younger people including myself are taking advantage of technology simply because we don't see the harm in it and we don't think it's bad, it's just convenient. But let's talk about a solution: Should we get rid of it's easy access to stop the negative consequences from occurring such as the text-message related car accidents that occur every day in the US? People will say yes, because people die from these incidents. It's terrible, and we have indeed put in laws that state that you cannot use your phone while driving.

The limitations and laws we put on ourselves is simply just that, we tell ourselves what to do, and that's arguably an awesome right to have. But that in itself has a consequence, because what we tell ourselves to do may or may not break the laws which bring on more consequences.

Ultimately, as individuals, we do things differently from others because we act on things we have learned. We are the best learners of all the species on the planet, that's a fact. But we cannot change peoples actions until they've been taught to do things differently.

I don't like to see the world as a "norm" because our world is always changing. Time does that. Facebook and Twitter are things that just were invented, because certain individuals wanted to make their purpose a reality. In my opinion, if we are to lose the negative connotations in these social media innovations, we should teach ourselves to use them responsibly and sensibly, because we are actually pretty good at saying no, if we know how to say no. I think we are on the right track, for starters, because we have people that see the negative consequences that exist in social media.

Whether or not Facebook will exist in a decade is really just up to time and the question of whether or not everyone wants it to be a part of their life. Me, personally, I have deleted my Facebook because I have figured out that I am a pretty private person unless I have relatively anonymous Internet access and don't want corporations to make money off my real name for being associated with advertisements without being paid for it. I like my privacy.

 

[createdestroy]

That was a pain to read. You need to practice writing.

 

[taymane23]

I see technology such as the internet as an information collection tool, while I do not like the fact that people are becoming slaves to it I have to say the amount of information you can get in seconds is amazing. I agree with OP's post as well as Elcatfisho's post, but with the way things are face to face interaction will come in second to electronic interaction. Also something I've noticed and I'm sure others have noticed with the younger generations is that they think any face to face communication is odd and when forced into a situation where they have to talk for extensive periods of time they can't, I've noticed this with my younger sibling and even people in my generation can't hold an one on one conversation. What I see often is the phone being part of the body and it shouldn't be that way, the phone should not be your lifeline when not necessary, I too found myself keeping my phone on my person way more than I should like really I needed to have it with me all the time. Now that I see how asinine it is to keep it on me all the time I could almost go without it if it weren't the only way relatives could keep in contact with me. As far as facebook goes it's how my relatives and fellow recruits keep in contact with me, but upon my graduation of basic training even facebook will get put on the back burner as it won't be useful to me, because like Elcatfisho I am a very private person and I do not like my information put out on display.

 

[lilpenny24]

No facebook or social media, it makes running into people that much more refreshing when you can actually ask someone what they have been up to and not know their entire life status via online.

 

[taymane23]

I'm 22 and I haven't had Facebook for about a year. I'll occasionally get a text from someone from high school or college I haven't talked to in a while wondering how I'm doing. I usually call them after (rather than text back) and I'd say that about 50% of the time they ignore my call because they are "busy" with something but they will continue to text me rapidly any way. My little cousin will never answer my uncles phone calls, but as soon as the phone stops ringing she'll text him back and ask "what's up?" I called her the other day when there was a SERIOUS emergency and I needed my aunts cell phone number and she did not answer my back-to-back phone calls but had time to text me immediately after This is one of the most upsetting/confusing effects of technology on humans to me.
There have been SO many positives that have resulted from my absence on social networking platforms. People can't judge me or make assumptions about me before they have actually met me. People never know what I'm doing so when they do see me in person we actually have something to talk about. When I tell these people that I just graduated college, got a job, moved to a new city, and found a place to live on my own they are so shocked that I didn't inform them or post it publicly...why should I? I'm very proud of MYSELF for accomplishing these things and achieving my goals. I don't need any "likes" or any other kind of recognition for my accomplishments from "friends" or strangers. These were my goals and aspirations in the first place, things I wanted to do to better myself, not to please anyone. My closest family members and my best friends who I talk to IN PERSON or AT LEAST CALL are the first and only people to get updates on what I'm doing.

As it should be I agree with this.

 

[elcatfisho]

That was a pain to read. You need to practice writing.

I've already had enough "practice" in high school AP English Lit & Lang. Would you care to peer edit for me?

Facebook seemed unhealthy to me once I realized that I got on for the sole purpose of updating to get people's attention and not actually doing anything constructive. I agree that it had affected my interpersonal relations with people in a disturbing way. I'm pretty sure people back at college are gonna ask me first thing why I deleted my Facebook account over the summer. The Internet is a big place, but I'd rather be on NT than FB, blee dat.

 

[jking0821]

I feel like we are all in the same boat. I deleted my facebook about 2 years ago. For all the main reasons. I am extremely private and it made me start to hate people that i didn't previously. Due to constant status updates of stupid information that I didn't care about. The constant "I had the best day ever today" or "Wow my boyfriend is amazing" honestly I just didn't care what anyone else was doing outside of my close circle. I also enjoy meeting new people and talking to them and them not having the ability to run home and facebook me and make instant judgement on me based on my amount of FB friends or my pictures that i was tagged in. When i had facebook i remember a girl telling me "I thought all you did was party". But i never take pictures and they only time im tagged is when im in public at parties. I said to her "Did you want me to take pictures of my self doing mundane daily activities? Here is me making breakfast...Me ironing my work shirt...me feeding the dog". She was like "Oh i guess your right i never thought of that".....needless to say we are no longer friends.

But I see a lot of what jumpmankb talks about happening. And I understand what elcatfisho is saying about society being dynamic and hard to really pinpoint or guess how the internet will evolve. And i am not saying try to limit or get rid of anything. But do you think this problem is going to continue? Do people grow out of this? Basically are we doomed lol

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Side bar thought. I always hated the awkward conversations that people have when they see each other for the first time in a while and already know everything that person has been up to for the past 5 months. "I just got engaged" "Yeah i saw it on facebook" Then no one knows if you bring up stuff you saw on facebook in public or not. "Oh i saw on facebook you broke up with your bf how did that go".

 

[651akathepaul]

Texting has its place. Most communication forms do, but a lot of people rely too heavily and in becoming dependent on, take it overboard. That's where the lost grasp of reality comes into play.

I don't have so much a problem with this because of my day to day situations and because I don't have facebook, twitter, or any of the other social media that when "abused," takes the place of real person to person contact.

I will add that I rent a room from a lady who owns the house. Her kids moved in and live in the basement section of the house where I used to go to chill and watch some TV every now and then...Needless to say, the kids stay there at all times. The most sedentary childhood I've ever witnessed. It's nothing but computer games and talking to "friends" through a headset. When they have what I guess are friends come over...They do the same thing. Kids quitting soccer and track and all that stuff and spends way more time ont he computer. It's sickening and ridiculous to watch.

 

[dunknforce]

Currently reading this text off my phone lol but I agree 100% with,whats being sai. I got rid of my fb account over a year ago.

 

[wavy bone]

Gift and the curse.

I'll say this tho...social networking unnerves me for some reason. Can't really explain it but I've always been big on gut/instinct and I'm totally rubbed the wrong way by social media as a whole these days. Twitter/Tumblr/FB/Instagram. all of that ****. Got rid of everything except for my business acct. on twitter.

 

[celtixhalfshell]

I’m not so sure people are as disconnected as you may think - it’s simply a new form of interaction. I remember being on the public bus like 8 years ago and someone said to someone else, “Man, this bus is quiet, people don’t talk to each other like they used to”. To which the other concurred. Keep in mind this was before facebook and twitter. Now, perhaps people were just sitting on the bus thinking about the day before or what they have to do for that current day. Maybe they’re just zoning out trying not to focus on what work or daily living demands of them. The point I’m trying to make is that yes, it is quite ridiculous the way children are such homebodies these days, but they also have immense knowledge at their fingertips (for example social media and online educational databases) and as such their downtime is also consistent with the familiar, digital technology. It’s as if the library is everywhere now. People (as someone dutifully noted above) could be packed in a small room without anyone making so much as a peep as they’re all diligently searching the interwebs on their phone, tablet, whatever. Why not though? The library is with them and they are busy concentrating, or maybe better to the point, procrastinating.
Moreover, to go back to the story of the bus 8 years ago, if anything I blame the way that modern (perhaps strictly Western) society has compartmentalized and individualized everyone to the extent of the ubiquitous “me vs. you” mentality. In other words, the cutthroat nature of big U.S. business and the ‘me-or-you-I’ll-step-over-you-if-I-must’ agenda of Western Civ. has probably done more damage to human interaction than anything else. I cannot stress enough, however, how much of an opinion this is as I have no scientific or controlled social study to display that brought me to this conclusion, it’s simply one man and his theories on the world.
The question I have is, was early man more noble, dignified, or of any greater quality in comparison with the people of today? I’d probably say they had greater attention spans, greater memory (epic poems were committed to memory and then passed on for example), but does that mean one is greater than the other? No. It simply means the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the time vary. Who is worth more, the feeble-minded orphan or the ivy-league athletic stud with a 4.0 GPA? Neither, as both wields great power to invoke and inspire others as well as themselves.
Finally, as far as my personal relationship with technology goes, I am quite capable of having thought provoking conversations with my family and friends and am fortunate that none of us are glued to our phones when we’re together. If you find yourself around people that do then I guess it’s as simple a solution as finding new acquaintances who share your values on technology and social media…or maybe not.

Good stuff in here guys. Human minds ftw lol

EDIT: sorry for the indentations, or lack thereof, not sure why they're not showing.....damb technology LMAO

 

[runningfishy]

In today's world there are hundreds of gadgets we can use to accomplish the same thing, communicating. We have the world at our figure tips, we can communicate anytime, anywhere, pretty much any how right now.
With that said, is human to human contact becoming obsolete?
Most of my communicating is done through text. Lousy characters and integers manipulated to send and convey a message. Typing is so easy: you have anonymity in some cases, you can choose when you want to interact with that person again, and you have time to think and purposefully convey your message.
There is no question that this has raised the dating game, right or....has it sheltered us and conditioned us to a lesser degree of human connection or affection. If not less, at least different. Very different than allll of the time that preceeds us.
So we talk and we talk, we type and we type, we watch and we watch, and we ******g skype and we skype, have you ever stepped beside yourself while being in those modes? Stuck inside a ******g machine all day. The thing meant to emulate our brains is now feasting on it.
And the best part is, it owns us. We pay so much money for this **** and then their services and then extra money for them to cover us on some **** warranty. We keep buying phones and **** for them to break in two years.
We worry about the crap gov't here in the US, our spending of billions on some power tripping military, and don't for one second look at what we do with the money that we have when we do have it. We feed the greed.
For what? For them to have all of our information (Google is about to know how many times everyone's had sex here -for most of everyone here, i'd say 1-5 times), to keep us roped and controlled and to have us in debt.
And yet everyone in the world puts on a front most of the time. Pretends ****'s different, organize the world into the way they want it to be. They can drift off where ever they want to in virtual reality. It seems like emotion has withered away from the world and everyone is just meh about everyone else, just..meeehhhh.
but I guess everything that's was-was, is-is, and will be..whatever will be.
maybe being stuck inside a few machines ain't so bad, we'll keep on creating and grow exponentially, technology does well!
or
we become the game that's being played even more so than now.
I AM STONED
"The television went from being a babysitter to a mistress.
Technology made it easy for us to stay in touch while keeping a distance,
'til we just stayed distant and never touched. Now all we do is text too much."
- Sage Francis
"From a cellular phone to a cell in a phone"
- Cunninlynguists.

I dunno what you're trying to say, but it's obvious that the quality and lifestyle of humans have shifted dramatically, during the tech boom.

None the less, it's basically a change in the medium.

 

[youngwolf]

[Video][/Video]

 

[sooperhooper]

There's no turning back now. Im just eating popcorn, waiting to see what's next.

 

[Brownstone]

Television is scary as well, I have seen it first hand. The author David Wallace speaks a lot to this, but I have some friends who can watch 8+ hours of TV. That's an addiction.

 

[wayniac211]

Almost @ 40 and Im down with this new tech. A lot of us forget how curious we used to be when we were young. You gotta move with the times. Stay fresh with what’s current.

I’ll see a story on NT or Reddit and it’ll bring the lolz... reminiscent of somebody telling a goofy story on sight around the 90s. Same emotions. My Problem is the capital being made. The net should be free

 

[BigDanes89]

Been thinking about this a lot lately (I'm a stoner as well lol) I actually stopped using my social media accounts but still lurk to see what's going on.