Reflection on Disconnected

John Lonetree

Prof. Schmeling

 

Sept. 19, 2012

 

Journal 1 - Reflection on Disconnected

 

            The documentary Disconnected has a very impacting effect on college teens around our generation.  Disconnecting just a computer really causes a huge chain of events that could change our live for the worse, and the better.  In a modern day college setting, even a business setting, electronics are part of the everyday life.  This dependence makes these electronics become a part of us, we can’t “live” without these electronics.  Everything is so digital in modern life and no one can complete a task without using a computer, easily anyway.

            Computers and electronics are similar to drugs; they’re getting people hooked to the point that people cannot live without them.  It’s really not the electronics or the people who have the computers, but the system of business, and schooling in general.  People could secede from the digital world with no physical danger, but emotional, and every other part of life, it would damage their lives substantially.  We need computers because everything is wired together; communication requires different forms of electronics, same with email, and other sources of fast, easy communication.

            Electronics determine job eligibility for the future, in a digital age this is obvious.  Most businesses and schools force the use of computers; communication, and easy accessibility are very important for expansive organizations and businesses.  Delving deeper, as children we’ve been exposed to computers and other electronics.  Development of most technological advances started with computers, so why wouldn’t a job or school want one to know how to use a computer.

            Avoiding computers is very difficult and that goes for everything electronic.  Electronic devices are everywhere; one cannot avoid the mere exposure of electronics.  The college teens in the documentary were always exposed to computers on the campus.  This caused anxiety, and stress because an easier, and faster way of getting works done is available.  If a place were just about all-digital, I’d be stressed about the absence of a computer especially when others are using them. 

            The people in the movie developed dependence for their computers.  In one of the scenes I recognized that everyone was looking for an escape from the thought of their computers.  The computer to them was an instrument of escape from the world.  This becomes difficult when an item used for stress relief is taken from you and used against you.  Other forms of escape are needed and they need to be similar to the last form.  The girl went for her cellular device while the two guys seemed to go to the student center and play the arcade machines.  This proves that electronics are a part of our generation and lives.

            This interdependence of people and electronics seems to cause certain troubles for people.  People, from children to adults, avoid each other like the plague sometimes.  This is problematic because we need communicators who could communicate by talking, not digitally all the time.  People are spending less time outside, and more time worrying about their next email, or text.  In the film their was a quote, “It’s depressing to see people always waiting for their next email, or update.” –The Dean.

            Putting time and effort in something is very challenging for one to break away from.  Example of this would be the amount of time someone would put into making a scale model of a Frank Lloyd Wright house out of Lego’s.  This takes time, effort, and money, now people do this with their computers.  Example of this would be the lady around the beginning talking about how her external hard drive has three hundred gigabytes.  She only has around twenty-six gigabytes left, she seemed proud of that, but that took time and effort to fill that space and probably money.

            As a computer guy myself I find it nice to have a computer around, it makes life easier.  I don’t use my computer to escape, but instead use it for my animation and cartoon projects.  It holds all my memory besides having a thousand different sheets of paper that would most likely be in a mess.  It helps because I can do work at home, and easily write a paper like this in a shorter period of time then it would take hand writing this stuff. 

            Speed is a key in the world today, people want to go fast because it makes them, and others gain more income.  We need computers and other income for this matter; in the movie they showed a typewriter that was very slow and seemed to be more of a hassle then a computer.  One reason is because they never learned to use it, but the other option would’ve been better if he could’ve used the computer.  We use certain technology because it’s advanced, and going back seems to drag along a bit.  It took them an hour just to learn it, sure they didn’t mind it later on in the documentary, but it still would’ve gone faster in the long run if they ‘d used a computer.

            The movie to myself was a very interesting blend of both the good and the bad of technology.  If I had to deliver a speech about this film, it showed more of the bad then the good.  Delivery is important in a film and they seemed to hit it pretty well, and I enjoyed seeing the kids go through withdrawal like steps with their computers.  Computers are important to society and they showed that but they also showed how harmful they are to us.  This would be a film I would suggest to show some of my friends.