Really hating this new age...

[unstoppablekem]

If you know me, I am an extreme geek, as is probably everyone here, lol. Unfortunately, as technology gets better, so does people (AHEM NSA) and the internet spying on us. Today, just for fun, I searched my name. Usually, it pulls things up where I created accounts. Now, it found EVERYTHING that I posted, everywhere I was mentioned, my Facebook account, my twitter, things I shared, where I live, what school I go to, what sports I play, AND EVEN MY DAMN FAMILY!! I hear now that if you post something on twitter or Facebook, that is slightly idiotic, it can prevent you from getting into the college that sees that, which is pretty annoying, because if a student works really hard, gets good grades, and just posts something funny (maybe a little stupid though), and doesn't get into that college because of that, then it is like in order to get a job or into a good college, you can't do anything that involves the internet.

I'm pretty annoyed, I'm sure you are too. At least we aren't PURE Google people, as they even put you in advertisements now, and they did something recently that is bad too that I am forgetting.

Do you think we have to pause our rapid development in technology and fix everything that it has messed up, or keep going? Take the poll and comment below. Let me know what you think.

 

[Guytronic]

Great thread!

I'm an addict of gadgets and technology myself.
Recently I posted a comment in another thread about slowing down a bit with the global net.

Frankly the web and my gadgets have taken up too much time.
I'm not sure if the web and it's drive to infuse us with technology is making us smarter or chaining us down.

I do know one thing in all my 61 years this is the first time I can say I really feel true distrust for the government I have come to depend on.
...and I worked for the US department of Defense for 36 years.

 

[Blkacesvf41]

What a I see is the direct correlation between us having too many gadgets and becoming a sedimentary society and thus overweight. Also, we're the ones who need to slow down and think before hitting the send/tweet key!

 

[Blkacesvf41]

Ok, I just became exhibit A. "Sedimentary" is not the word I was looking for at all! I meant stationary.

 

[Guytronic]

We will eventually end up as sediment.

I am somewhat sedentary myself however.
Actually left the house yesterday for my bicycle ride without me trusty Nokia SP!
:shocked:

 

[Laura Knotek]

I feel that technology needs to keep being developed and moving forward. The major issues aren't the technology itself; it is how the users choose to use that technology.

 

[sahib lopez]

I don't know about you all but I think tech should slow down a bit or atleast the mobile space ....its moving so fast people don't even enjoy their new gadget because something new is going to come out.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I don't know about you all but I think tech should slow down a bit or atleast the mobile space ....its moving so fast people don't even enjoy their new gadget because something new is going to come out.

I think it's just the next step. That already happened with PCs earlier.

 

[sahib lopez]

I think it's just the next step. That already happened with PCs earlier.

well with pc's im my opinion you computer will stay relevant unlike cellphones , the networks are always changing and improving their coverage so that means the person might want another phone also some buyers want the newest thing

 

[Laura Knotek]

well with pc's im my opinion you computer will stay relevant unlike cellphones , the networks are always changing and improving their coverage so that means the person might want another phone also some buyers want the newest thing

You're probably too young to remember the spec wars with PCs, but it was very similar to what's happening with smartphones nowadays.

 

[unstoppablekem]

You're probably too young to remember the spec wars with PCs, but it was very similar to what's happening with smartphones nowadays.

You mean the intel vs powerpc thing?

 

[Reflexx]

You mean the intel vs powerpc thing?

I think she means the clock speed wars.

 

[unstoppablekem]

I think she means the clock speed wars.

Oh, don't remember that. Probably too young.

 

[jojoe42]

First off what an interesting topic to begin with - I believe that as technology develops so will society and its' greater acceptance, adaptation and perception of technology in regard to the real-world. I think that as technology becomes more prevalent over time new things will have to become accepted, things will have to change and new things will become as unacceptable - for example, smoking in the 1970's was accepted and now it is majorly regarded as foul today. Of course the rapid development in technology has both benefits and downsides, but we cannot blame just technology for these downsides - as the users of technology we hold some responsibility too. Sure technology has made us more aware (i.e. the whole NSA fiasco), but isn't that both a plus and a con? That we become more aware of new information? Although I do have some concerns over having "no place to hide" ala a lack of privacy on the internet, this is the internet we are talking about - a public, communal space where everyone is, and can see whatever you do on it, and I do think it is up to the users to adapt - it's like leaving all your doors unlocked at home, or the keys in the ignition of your car. This is a new era(ish) and of course there will be some growing pains in the beginning

 

[Ian Too]

You sure it wasn't sedentary?

 

[windoors]

We should think before we post, comment and share. We should separate our online identities from one another. There are advices available on what we should be sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Google. Assuring our privacy is in our hands so far as we don't have NSA behind us.

"There are two kinds of cryptography in this world: cryptography that will stop your kid sister from reading your files, and cryptography that will stop major governments from reading your files." ~ Bruce Schneier
(Unfortunately, the later kind is much unavailable to people like us)

 

[N_LaRUE]

My opinion.

Technology in my eyes simply isn't going fast enough. There are many factors as to why we have what we have today. Some is driven by a cost basis, there's also been other company/industry interference (as in the case of batteries) and we've had many lulls where nothing really happened for whatever reason. If you think about it the greatest advancements in technology have only been in the last 25 years. Prior to that things were very slow moving.

As we approach a plateau for mobile technology, yes we're reaching one, the obvious next question is, what now? More RAM? Faster processors? More space? All these things can be done of course, fairly easily. So what's really left? Software of course and wearable technology. That seems to be where we're heading, though at a snails pace as far as I'm concerned. There's nothing out that interests me in this area.

As for the web and privacy. Lots can be done to fix this, but of course we have the whole idea of open information. The web was built with that in mind, the question of course is should there be rules? To me it's not a virtual world in a world but a part of the world with rules and regulations. We need to mature in our understanding of the web and it's place in the world. Along with social media. Kids need to be taught about it and so do adults as it would appear that many don't understand security settings.

Going with the whole issue of the NSA, I personally could care less about that. I have wrote nothing that I worry about someone else reading in both email and online. I have no issues with a computer scanning my email. I guess that comes with being employed in large companies that does that on a daily basis for years. As for other privacy issues, easiest way to combat it, make everyone have a passport and have it as your main ID for anything. That should kill about 95% of ID theft. Of course many in the US would have an issue with that but in my eyes it's a small thing to take care of a big issue.

I could go on and I'm sure someone will dispute what I think but that's what's wonderful about the online world. We get opinions from everywhere and all social scales.

 

[hopmedic]

I know that I smell someone cooking bacon, and if it weren't for technology, that wouldn't be happening here in the office.....

But anyway, I do think there is too much information about us out there, and privacy seems to be a thing of the past. Government is too far-overreaching, and can no longer be trusted. Gone are the days that our founding fathers dreamed of.

 

[Laura Knotek]

I know that I smell someone cooking bacon, and if it weren't for technology, that wouldn't be happening here in the office.....

But anyway, I do think there is too much information about us out there, and privacy seems to be a thing of the past. Government is too far-overreaching, and can no longer be trusted. Gone are the days that our founding fathers dreamed of.

It is interesting in a way, because although some of the surveillance seems "Big Brother-ish", other aspects of the Internet seem to ensure that the Ministry of Truth from 1984 could not even exist. It would be pretty much impossible to alter news documents to make past history conform to a party line, thanks to the Internet. Once something is posted online, erasing or altering all traces is almost impossible.

 

[Reflexx]

It is interesting in a way, because although some of the surveillance seems "Big Brother-ish", other aspects of the Internet seem to ensure that the Ministry of Truth from 1984 could not even exist. It would be pretty much impossible to alter news documents to make past history conform to a party line, thanks to the Internet. Once something is posted online, erasing or altering all traces is almost impossible.

Though putting out conflicting information can muddy the waters.

If that conflicting information ends up getting "endorsed" by "reputable" people, then the past can be manipulated.

You see it all the time with politics. The past is continuously rewritten because people forget the context of decisions in the past.