Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Is technology making us (look) dumb?

[Updated]: Now with stupider looking image!

So I'm sitting on the bus reading my book in peace, when I notice a flash of something next to me. I look out of the corner of my eye and it seems as if the guy across the aisle from me is waving his hand, maybe trying to get my attention. So I look up and now it seems as if his hand is twitching. Is there something wrong with him? Is he just crazy? No, its none of those ... he is just trying to answer my question above by waving his hand all around like a crazy man to change the song on his iPod instead of simply pressing the next button.


Here's another fun example.





So this guy is standing next to you while you are waiting in line to buy the newest piece of tech-gadgetry. He looks right at you, says hello, and then asks how you are. Seeing these events as commonly understood ways of striking up conversation with others you respond politely.H e then begins asking you some question, or making some statement that completely doesn't make sense in the context of your "conversation". Only then do you realize that no he doesn't want to strike up conversation with you, nor is he crazy and talking to himself, but instead he is talking to someone through a bluetooth piece on the side of his head that you just now noticed.


Now I don't want to come off as judgmental here because I have done my fair share of stupid things when technology is involved. One that comes to mind is when I was sitting in the computer lab at school with my headphones blaring when I decided to ask my friend next to me a question. I thought I was talking in a reasonable tone of voice, until I realized the whole lab was staring at me. So I took off my headphones to have my friend tell me I just yelled the question quite loudly for the whole place to hear.

As usual, these are just some thoughts in my mind. It just seems that the more and more we use technology, the less and less we use our minds. Might I say though, thank goodness for the spell check because its lays a good cover to hide some of my spelling stupidity.

3 comments:

  1. That girl does not look dumb, even with a Bluetooth. You are disproving your own point ;-)

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  2. Yes, that was just one of the first ones that I found on Google Image search.

    She would look more dumb walking in circles in public appearing to talk to herself.

    PS. Quit crushing on the paid actresses.

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  3. Ok, that dude DOES look dumb. You should have kept the other pic...

    ReplyDelete