Are We Digital Dummies

Are We Digital Dummies?

Twelve billion text messages are sent worldwide every day. Our means for communication in todays society are endless: there are 3 billion cell phone users, 1 billion personal computer users (which is expected to double in the next 4 years), and 13 million Canadians are Facebook users. In the documentary “Are We Digital Dummies?” done by CBCs the Doc Zone, they examine what exactly our high dependence on technology is doing to us as a society.

The documentary begins by laying down the facts: that cell phone and personal computing have only been around since the 1980’s, and that before that computers were big machines that were typically only used for data processing. Then came the information revolution that helped the flattening and broadening of communication, leading to today’s idea that you can meet anyone anywhere at anytime. They then interview Todd Maffin, who is a technology consultant. He believes that everyone has the general feeling that they are under performing compared to their coworkers so they perceive the need to be always “on”. Meaning that we must be constantly connected to our phones or computers to be able to stay at the top of the pack. He thinks that marketing has convinced us that this is the better way, but he personally does not agree that this is the case.

Are We Digital Dummies? then examines how much our society uses technology in various different situations. They show how technology has even taken over politics. Politicians use it as a communication tool because it gives them access to the best information at all times. They even interviewed one Liberal MP who told them that each MP’s office is given four blackberries to ensure that they are on time and that they get their spin on the stories out first. They then examined the effects of technology on people performance in things like work, personal life, driving, and even etiquette, but their main focus is on whether or not we are born multi-taskers. They see that new generation is shifting from deep thinking to getting superficial information fast, and are wondering if this is affecting our performance in life. They wanted to examine the effects of using a cellphone while driving, and found that at any time about 10% of drivers are on their phones and that texting while driving makes you 23 times more likely to get into an accident.

Overall, Doc Zone investigated a topic that is very prominent in the business world because that’s what technology is being used for in today’s society. People are constantly “on” and have their phones with them at all times. Phones are controlling our lives and are allowing people to be constantly “multitasking”. They examined the question of whether smart phones make us more or less effective as workers, and they found that phones are like hammers. They are good when you are trying to hammer something, but bad when you hit someone over the head with it. They should be used as a tool to help enhance our work performance and our personal lives, not inhibit us and keep us chained to our desks. In conclusion, Are We Digital Dummies? shines an interesting light on how technology is controlling our lives.
Questions:

1) Do you think we are in charge of our smartphones, or are they in charge of us? Explain why. * There was actually a study done by Carleton University where a group of office workers were given smart phones. Before the blackberries they were working about 47 hours a week, 9 months later the average number of hours was just over 70. * They saw that work leaked into everything, and the participants’ partners said they would come home and not get a hello because the participants were too busy with their phones. * The data found said that this addiction was associated with increased levels of stress and burnout, decreased job and life satisfaction, and increased marital conflict.

2) Do you believe that people can multitask, or are they just “task switching” at a very fast rate? Explain why. * There was an experiment done where they had a clown ride a unicycle through a university campus and researches watched to see who noticed the clown and then interviewed the students about what they saw on their walk to and from class * 60% of students listening to music saw the clown * Only 25% of students using cell phones saw the unicylcing clown * What’s worse is that the cell phone users who missed seeing the clown believed that they were aware of everything that was going on around them. * This lack of noticing what is happening around us is referred to as unintentional blindness

3) Do you think it is possible to just turn off your technology and tune out? Can we go back to the way things are, or is it impossible to put the information genie back in the bottle?