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He thinks we’re slaves to the screen.
Social media, smart phones and computers will stop you from having a relationship, loving your child and living life.
This is the view of Gary Turk, a man who has posted a five minute documentary across the internet condemning technology and blaming it for loneliness and a lack of passion. He rhymes his way through an example of a love story, saying that if you look up from your phones you’ll find the love of your life.
Many people are sharing this across the web, agreeing with Gary and telling people to take notice. This is interesting on two fronts: firstly, these people aren’t going to stop using social media or even decrease time spent on it, and secondly social media has the ability to create actual relationships more so than any other medium.
People are travelling the world, attending events and finding new acquaintances in record numbers, spreading the joy online to allow others to follow the lead. Last year I travelled through Southeast Asia alone for a month; I met dozens of people I continually keep in contact with, and have even had some come and visit me back in Melbourne. We kept in touch through Facebook (through a computer, the devil himself apparently) and now have the ability to remain in contact even if we change phone numbers, move houses or lose details.
Gary has over 400 friends on Facebook and complains of loneliness. Is this the fault of the medium, or the user? Social media allows unprecedented connection to people you may not have heard from in years; old classmates, teachers, employees, employers and others divided by distance. This gives the user options, and those options include ‘would you like to catch up for a coffee?’ or ‘let’s go for a beer’, moving into real social settings.
There are apps that encourage meeting new people, creating events and even suggesting matches for dating. Now I’m the first to admit that we see too many people using their phones in public, but a shy person is a shy person, and this can be a coping mechanism; if a man isn’t looking at his phone and a stunning female walks alongside him, what makes Gary think that he’ll have the courage to make a move? A man is aware when attractiveness is in the vicinity, as are females.
Clubs are booming, sporting crowds are huge; has he heard the roar supporters make when a player kicks a goal, or the conversations of people at a bar? They aren’t looking at their phones Gary. Another interesting point is blaming technology for the lack of children in a playground, a park or outside with friends. Sorry to say Gary, but if a parent tosses an iPad at their child because they are too lazy to take them out and allow them the pleasure of seeing the world, how is that the fault of technology?
Education starts from home, as kids adapt to the life a parent provides. Provide balance between the joys of the outdoors and the creativity online and younger generations are fine. ‘We’re a generation of idiots, smart phones and dumb people’ he argues, yet we command the phone, we make use of the benefits and we use them to contact family, discover information and improve awareness on any topic we please. Such topics may be the conversation starter on your next date.
Everything is a choice; not a conspiracy theory, an epidemic, a rise of the machines or propaganda. Personality determines the life lived; an introvert has always buried themselves in a book, an extrovert has always been the one to approach the pretty lady. Vice versa can occur only through a person’s decision, with no relation to a haunting screen.
He finalises his show with love, basically saying relationships are lost in the dominance of social media. He explains the first kiss, the first date and the first child as sensations that will diminish through the sea of screens, so I ask every parent, boyfriend and girlfriend this; were those moments of your life lessened because of a phone, a tablet or a computer? There are thousands of reasons why a relationship may sour, and the largest one involves someone physically meeting an outside party. Will you blame the hotel clerk for enabling the affair to occur?
Gary suggests we sell our computers so we can afford to buy our partner a ring. He sells love as unbreakable, imploring us to save ourselves.
Divorce stood before smart phones, children were indoors playing with toys before smart phones, and people were sure as hell missing opportunities in life before smart phones. These are unfortunate instances, but they’ve been around for an age. Don’t sell that computer; sooner or later you’ll need it back to find that new job, connect with old friends or research a new travel destination.
A few days ago a friend of mine was in Tokyo when a strong earthquake shook the city. We were already talking through Facebook and he told me about the incident moments before his phone died; he was fine. His family expressed worry on Facebook, asking for details on the natural disaster. I was able to tell them he was safe, only knowing they were unaware through social media. If you don’t look at your phone, you may just miss an important piece of information.
Live life the way that best suits you; if that involves having a few people on Facebook that you’ll never see, so be it. Social interaction is as natural to us as eating dinner, so don’t fear for the world just yet.
Chris Sutton
Well written Chris S. I believe there is room for social media and old school to exist together.
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