Bryanna_1_I
Interaction design has done a lot of great things for humans living in the 21st century. Everything is easier for us. We can interact with money without ever touching a dollar bill by using online banking and bill paying. We can solve our technical problems through a chat room instead of a phone call where we might have to wait for an hour listening to elevator style Neil Diamond music. Interaction design has created an easy way for us to stay in touch with old friends via Facebook, email, Livejournal, etc. However, I think it's important to note the negative results of the mass influx of interaction design in our lives. Because of interaction design, people have less contact with actual people and more contact with machines. Yes, they are still communicating with people via technology, but I think there is a stark difference between face to face interaction and interaction with a person through wires and electricity. Despite our increasing ability to communicate with hundreds of people at once, we are becoming more solitary. I know a girl who sits in her living room and talks to her boyfriend, on the other side of the room, on AIM, rather than actually speaking to him. What is that?! It's possible for a person to get everything they need through the internet and the phone, without ever leaving their house or seeing anyone other than the delivery person.
However, on the flip side, I think one of the great effects of interaction design is the ease of information access. An example of this is the ability to read about the every day life of someone on the other side of the world, or read news stories from a paper in India. This increases cultural sensitivity and promotes tolerance and understanding. Obviously, there are a great number of positive effects of interaction design, but I think it's important to take note of the negative effects on society as well.
Labels: Bryanna Homeier
posted by boomerang! @ 4:19 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Yes. I think it is that ease of access that, if used correctly, can lead to a much more efficient and fun way of communicating and getting things done, but going overboard (i.e. the guy who chats to his girlfriend in the same room on AIM instead of talking face-to-face) is not good.
What are we doing to educate the current and next generations on how to use this plethora of robust multimedia out there?
Honestly I don't think that it will get any better any time soon. Kids are not as encouraged or motivated to get involved in the outside world as we were growing up. There are too many "addictions", computers, video games and cell phone texting all give them a false since of being connected to their peers.
As a culture we don't help them at all. Parents give their kids cell phones at earlier and earlier ages, in turn the kids learn how to use them. Parents who don't understand technolgoy well as there kids. In schools teachers as ask for homework to be done on the computer, not written. When was the last time anyone turned in a hand-written report?
Even the toys are getting more interacting and based off of technology that they will use later in life. Toy cell phones anyone?
All in all, there is little to nothing being done to get the younger generation to use less technology. While many say it's for the better so that they have a better chance in life I think the better teaching would be to teach discretion and warning.
I think there will be negative aspects of new technologies but I think after a short period of time, negative aspects will "ironed" out and things will become better. I don't think that these negative aspects are anything to dwell on. I don't think anything needs to be done on massive scale or anything. Past generations went through changes just like the changes I think we will all will embark on soon, it's nothing to be worried about. All these problems will be handled by an individual basis.
I understand and totally think that staying at home and doing everything with computer is not good, but I have this question in my head, “why is it bad to stay at home chatting all day with friends (even with girl/boyfriend that is in a same room)?” I know that it is unhealthy and give people less ability to deal with face-to-face situation, furthermore, people may start to feel lonely. But are there more negative effects than those above? I know it is a foolish question to have, but I just wanted to know in details what is going to happen to people who just do stuff with computer staying at home all day.
Lack of real-life communication is definitely a problem for our generation. The other day one of my professors said that he had students who would email him questions rather than come talk after class. Good social skills are important in the job market, and I think it's pretty obvious that people today are talking less and less to each other. How many of us would rather text someone than make a quick phone call? I know I'm guilty of this.
Post a Comment
<< Home