Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Technology: Is it consuming our lives?

Technology can be a wonderful boon to humankind, but sometimes we abuse it in ways that prevent us from really participating in life.
~Steven Shapiro

What is usually the first thing you do when you wake up? What is the last thing you usually do before you go to bed? This question is a good one.


Did you know that 89% of Canada's population spend 5-10 hours a day watching either television, or sitting around the computer? Why is this? Has our way of living actually started to become less and less interesting? That instead of living life to the fullest, we would rather watch celebrities play a role of a character that is similar to you, and doing the things you could be doing?

I know, I may seem really hypocritical, because if I wasn't with technology, I wouldn't be writing on this blog. I would be writing in a newspaper article. I am actually one of those 89% that after work, instead of calling up friends and doing something, I fall asleep watching television.

Why is it that as a society, we'd rather watch other people's lives be lived on TV or on the computer; then live our own day to day? With this type of percentage, this means that out of all of Canada, only 3.5 million people spend less than 5 hours in front of the television and/or the computer; and the rest of the 29 million of us (myself included) spend more than 5 hours watching other people live their lives.

I say yes that technology is consuming our lives, making it harder to participate in activities, getting to know other people, having our own memories; instead of television episode memories. Where ever you look, whatever house you pass in your car, whatever conversation you overhear...

Watch... Look... Listen...


You will see someone on the computer, or overhear conversations about what last episode they watched of their favourite TV show. So why can't we just put the remote down and pick up the phone to create our own memories? Because it is all right there, easy access to entertainment.

The television and computer helps bring us easy entertainment; gives us something to talk about, and passes time. Well, that is something we do not have much of... time.

We only live once, and don't you want to have you OWN memories? And be able to look back on your life when your old and say "Fuck yeah, I lived the best life I could have". Instead, the 29 million of us are going to say "Fuck yeah, that episode was great!"

So, get up from watching television, live your own life! Don't spend all your time watching TV, or playing on the computer... because someday you'll look back...


And wonder...



Where did all the time in your life go.

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