Within this contemporary digital
age it is difficult to disparage how we as an audience, and consumers alike,
are becoming increasingly dictated by and dependent upon new technologies. As
users and abusers of everything electronic we are commonly treated and targeted
as a commodity, whose culpability lies within our very own comfortable
conformity. Our reactive acceptance and quick adoption of life’s latest gizmos
and gadgets continues to shape our attitudes and subsequent actions towards new
media as the only (illogical) answer seems to lie within further consumption.
The repetitive flows of
production and distribution of various media, particularly the Internet and its
open realm of social networking, marks a transitional shift whereby we are
becoming increasingly aware of our own ‘growing global interconnectedness’ (Nederveen
Pieterse, J 2004, pp. 16). These social platforms provide people with both an
opinion but also an opportunity to ‘friend’ almost anyone in the world,
gradually extending a multi-faced global family connected through online
profiling.
This process of Westernisation
cements its permanence amongst what can be referred to as ‘Generation-I’
(Keene, N & Noone, R 2012) – everyday users of accessories such as the
I-Pad or I-Phone (and yes the Internet) whom validate their social credentials
as technological savvy individuals. Applications or ‘apps’ as they are so
commonly abbreviated have also recently inspired new language flows as
abbreviations such as ‘lol’ (lots of laughter?) and ‘fml’ (forgot my lunch!)
have become a part of everyday communication used interchangeably in face to
face interactions.
References
Keene, N & Noone, R 2012, ‘The rudest generation: I-Gen’, The Daily Telegraph, January 12, retrieved 19 July 2012, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/the-rudest-generation-i-gen/story-e6frf00i-1226242088666
Nederveen Pieterse, J 2004, ‘Globalisation: consensus and controversies’, globalisation and culture: global melange, Rowan & Littlefield, Lanham, pp. 7-21.
Lol @ forgot my lunch!
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm someone who is very aware of the commodification of consumers and the risks of our extreme dependance on technology leading to creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of endless, mindless consumption. But I also really love my iPhone and I can't imagine giving it up. How sad is that? It's amazing how seductive technology is right now, especially with the rise of applications - so no two devices are exactly alike. I really enjoyed your post, I think it's a really quick, comprehensive study of technology permeating our culture.
Well done on a very enjoyable and thought provoking blog. You write very well and prolong your reader’s attention with interesting insights into the technological age in which we live in. I had never thought of this new generation as generation ‘I’ but it seems to be very befitting. Only slight criticism I’d make is that you bury your definition of globalisation in your second paragraph. While this works because of how you’ve structured your blog, I did find it a little bit off putting. Overall well done and keep up the good work!
ReplyDeletehey guys, thanks for the kind replies and taking the time to read my post. i'll be sure to take on board your comments for my future posts, particularly with my definitions and perhaps opening with them in my upcoming introductions. stay tuned, thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou raised some really interesting ideas. Something that I would add, is that 'Generation I' (users of iPads, iPods and iPhones) is not restricted to any particular age group, yes it is rare to see an 80 year old use one of these devices, but it not so rare for someone in their 50s, young adults, teenagers and even 2-year-olds ! (a personal experience comes to mind when my 2 year old cousin walked over to her mum's handbag reached in and pulled out her iPhone, unlocked it, scrolled through the pages, found her app and played her game!)
ReplyDeleteGood awareness of the consumerism that has taken hold of society. The potential of consumerism taking a firm hold on the people of today has only become a reality. You've raised some great ideas, as well as using more than the minimum amount of sources. Great to see that I'm not the only one who sees 'Westernisation' as more of a problem than a solution.
ReplyDelete