Q: The rise of computers and especially mobile devices making people more likely to ignore those around them and focus on the device.

After taking the short one question, true/false quiz I felt cheated. I started to skim other blog posts to see other students reactions and found that I wasn’t the only one. Brittany’s comment regarding the quiz question and pictures resonated with me,

I believe these pictures have the basis for an argument that technology hasn’t changed the fact that people are still antisocial at a train or bus stop, as they were with newspapers. But, in reality, once you have read the newspaper you are finished with it, but you are NEVER finished with your smartphone.

Unless our device is out of battery, majority of people are rarely ever finished. There will always been another site, another blog, another instagram pic to upload and comment or #tag to leave… the list is endless. The view held by the EDC3100 teaching team on this small but clearly debatable topic is one that I don’t share. Contrary to their believes, I think people are less sociable with others; the antisocial behaviours now extends beyond bus, train and ferry stops. People are more growing more and more attached to their devices outside of these typical places, to the extent that most feel ‘naked’ when they don’t have their smartphone/device on them.

The one place the makes me cringe and solidifies my view that technology is making us anti-social is the breakfast, lunch and/or dinner table. When you are out and about and you see families (usually with small children) all interacting with a piece of technology instead of with each other. This makes me sad, and I often wonder what this is setting up for future generations.

A an article by Craddock details Broncos Coach, Wayne Bennetts take of phones at training.  This was an interesting read as similarly my sport team discourages the use of phones between 6.30pm – 8.30pm and on game day your phone best be on silent and not ringing in your bag on the side line or in the change rooms.