De-Socialization

“What is all the fuss about?” I thought last year, as I saw the length of the human chain of eager-to-be-consumers weaved together in what it seemed a rope of desperation for the latest Blackberry product. “Aren’t we suffering a recession…How are these people able to afford such an expensive gadget?” Rang in my head at the shocking disbelief of what I was seeing before me. “This new and “better” Blackberry must be promising miracles, because the line is three blocks long and a sidewalk-wide!”

Technology has and still is the unsatisfied crave of the modern rave; and no matter what age and social class—we all want a piece of this brave-new-world. Sure…it’s fun! Sending a text message to the buddies or updating our status on Twitter can be a nice break from our waking reality, but why do we allow modern-day technology to break our bank? Credit is not always the best choice; yet it seems no matter the cost,we are willing to pay just about any price. Let’s not get into the conversation of the nation’s individual debt. But just as important—are these devices strengthening our social network or actually weakening it? And is it “legitimate” leisure?

Instant gratification has become successfully commodified. We want it now…not later! Even the speed of light is impressed. We can now connect to anyone at anytime and faster than we have ever before. So why is it that people feel so…disconnected?

Quantity is the new quality. Commodifying communication has allowed us to fit a week into a day. It’s amazing how much we can get done in a day…yet we still feel like we’ve falling behind on task. Things pile up and we speed up. Everything’s faster, even the way we communicate with our social network. Instead of hanging out, we seem to be “checking in.” A few minutes here and there are sometimes all the time that we have to offer. This is why texting works so well. I’ve greatly noticed this myself because I don’t own a cell-phone. Call me old-fashioned, even outlandish, however, I choose to travel much slower than the rest. In fact, my friends joke over the telephone that we have talked for over an hour. Isn’t this normal? I guess I’m just out of the loop. I prefer to hear a real-live voice and exchange in real-live conversation—over a 20-second dose of text-abbreviated-socialization.

Blackberry products fall under leisure devices that help us connect as well as keep in touch with our social network, yet many folks spend countless hours emailing and texting the boss: who wants to know how we are progressing with that deadline. Somehow…the lines of leisure and business have crossed.

I worry about the future of these products. Will we become so over-stimulated with quick swigs of technological socialization that we are soon to become detached from that long-lasting, savoring reality? Are we doomed to be a generation of “plug-ins?” It seems that saying from the 60’s—from that famous hippie Guru, Timothy Leary—seems to be in the process of redefinition, which is to: “Turn on, tune in, and drop out,” with socialized technology as the new drug of choice.