Craig Knight Unplugged

Lately I have been struggling with the question: What is my place in this emerging tech-oriented society? One of the things that I try to do with this blog is to address trends which affect us often beneath the surface. Lately, I have been on the sidelines observing this burgeoning technocracy and frankly, I have some concerns. I have considered the possibility that the current boom of social networking sites, new fangled media devices and personal gaming gadgets that are woven in the fabric of our culture are merely here for our convenience and entertainment. I could possibly be just thinking too much as the title of this blog suggests. However, I feel that it is necessary to pull the coattails of the users of this media and offer a different view. I have also considered the fact that I am no more exempt from this analysis anyone else.


I suppose I could blame my suspicion of technology (which often borders on neo-luddism), on my college background as a dual major in communications and English. I am quite aware that the very notion of a criticism of technology using a blog as my canvas could be considered somewhat hypocritical by some, but it doesn’t exclude the fact that cyberspace is where it would reach the largest audience. I am also fully aware that on a mainstream level this analysis could be considered fascinating by some and nauseating for others. It is because these thoughts as they live and breathe in my mind are the result of what happens when George Orwell, Alvin Toffler and Ray Bradbury smoke a bong with Marshall Mcluhan and Thomas Friedman while watching The Matrix. Needless to say, I can’t help myself.


It would be redundant to rehash the behemoth that the internet has become. But the examples of its influence on the masses are either so subtle that they continue to go on undetected or the exodus of its users from the world of human contact has become so overwhelming that many simply don’t want to get left behind no matter what the cost to human relationships. I am not ashamed to say that I have personally experienced the effects of its influence. And to be fair, there are others who feel that when used correctly this mode of communication can only enhance the way we relate to one another in the world. Acknowledging the many opinions abounds on this subject I only have my personal experiences to build upon. Lately they have been quite scary. For example, domestic squabbles as a result of my interactions on sites such as Myspace and Facebook as well as other examples have caused me to take necessary breaks from the cyber world when needed.

The sudden accessibility of old high school crushes, friend requests and public comments which in the past were prevented by filters determined by human fate or God’s will (whichever you believe) have now been accelerated by search engines. Interaction with past acquaintances or even something as personal as one’s inner dialogue (ie: what are you doing now?) can now be made available with a few keystrokes or a simple click of the mouse depending on how much an individual user’s ego would compel them to share. This new technology empowers the individual on a level that has never been possible in human history. What does one do with all of this information? And how reliable is it in the landscape of the human spirit?

According to McLuhan, this type of contact skews relationships with the natural world. In his view, (paraphrased) involvement with the media only allows us the opportunity to experience fragmented versions of the world around us. The deeper we immerse ourselves in any medium the more we are presented with facsimiles of our individual selves. A practical application of this theory can be seen daily in my classroom. One example that I see often is the adolescent male who is so immersed in the life and character of his favorite rap star that he feels compelled to spew out his lyrics in public places with the aid of his I-pod despite the effects that such outbursts have on the people in his general proximity. A more profound example of this same phenomenon is when this behavior also occurs without the aid of any device at all, which suggests that once the individual feels comfortable enough to do his Jay-Z impersonation without hearing the scrutiny of the outside world he can then give himself consent to cease to care when the headphones come off. Therefore the behavior that is learned with the aid of said device takes on a somewhat warped life of its own. I will of course acknowledge that this theory might just come from watching too many science fiction movies, but it’s still something to ponder. Another more palatable example however is from a recent holiday party where in every corner of the room attendees at this gathering could be seen gazing at laptop screens or other media devices checking Face book and viewing videos on You Tube instead of actually interacting with each other. Again, I could be thinking way too much or social contact as we know is in a drastic state of flux.

Given the amount of power that the media provides to the individual, in my opinion it is necessary that certain moral and social checks and balances be put in place. However, such regulations can only be enforced by the individual since the internet is a free system that flourishes in the public domain. Here in lies the dilemma. The person who tells us when we have been spending too much time in cyberspace is the same person who should tell us when we have been watching too much TV, eating too much ice cream, or when we have had too much to drink. When we are young this person is of course our parents. When we grow older they are replaced by little voices in our heads that I am not sure aren’t being jammed by netware. In essence, the internet is becoming an extension of our collective conscience. It would behoove us ask ourselves when social networking, gossip, chat rooms and other sites become more than just guilty pleasures. There is one place where we can begin: When we find ourselves spending more time on Facebook or any other site then actually talking to face to face with our loved ones, it is time to unplug.