"Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else´s life," Steve Jobs said.
We get caught up in what we are "suppose to be doing," whether that is the status quo or what we are doing with our cyber lives. I am leaning more towards how social media can determine what life we lead.
We as human beings are not built to handle the multitasking technology demands of our society. I know that sounded super hippie, but bare with me. We can't sit still even when we are trying to relax, watch TV or sit on the porch without our phones. It is extremely difficult to get our minds to stop running.
We are bombarded with email, social media and trying to push our selves beyond our means. If I don't own a smartphone, it is almost like I am unemployable, because I can't be in constant communication. The sabbath was started for a reason, even if you are not a christian, we need to take time to relish in the wonderful things we have in our lives and relax. As a generation, we do not relish in the little things in life. I feel like our generation has the mentality that enough is never enough. We have to strive to be better, make more money, be more successful and try and change the world. Ambition is a great characteristic, however, it should not control our life.
While I am writing this I am checking my phone, replying to messages and have social media pulled up in different internet tabs. Sad, I know. My brain can't sit still. It makes me curious on how the next generation will be molded. Will they be able to change a tire or will we invent a tire that can withstand 60 more miles to the next town or will there be a robot that comes attached to the car to change a tire? Why do we still teach geography when we are so dependent on our phones for locations? What work ethics and skills will the next generation have without being so dependent on the internet and technology?
What the work force will be like in 10 years? What my job title will be called, instead of reporter/producer will it be more like a multimedia journalist? The futuristic movies that instill fear or change are not that ludicrous. Look at what the internet has managed to accomplish from 2000 when we thought the world was going to end. I remember when I would use a computer to play games, not have to have it as a necessity for college or my career.
When I was young we, as a family, would take annual vacations and all phones were banned. This was back in the day when MySpace was the only social media on trend, so there was not a nagging need to "check in," and share with the world what we are doing in our everyday lives. I wish I could go back and not be an annoying teenager wanting to communicate with my friends back home, but instead take in the moment when my family was a family.
Hi, my name is Lauren Bogle, and I am addicted to social media. I am not going to deny that fact. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without it. My job depends on it, networking depends on it, and communicating in today's society depends on it. It is a blessing and a curse. I have gotten attention for my blog, my work and other great things through social media, but I have gotten in trouble with it as well.
Compared to LinkedIn where the sole focus is networking, Facebook and Twitter can get emotional with the passive aggressive statuses. I have vented, obviously on my blog, but also Facebook and Twitter. It makes things impersonal and immature. I try to keep the emotions here on my blog so if you wish to read it you can click on the link, instead of staring at the immature post on my statuses or tweets. (My emotional football comments, specifically about Jerry Jones, do not count.) I have learned from this, but I hope the next generation understands the implications, possible future employment or friendships ruined via social media and our stupid, irrational decisions.
We are a generation of immediate satisfaction.
Social media and the internet in general has pushed our minds to have short attention spans. If I can't find out what is happening in world within 10 minutes on the internet, my mind changes focus. In the job force we need to be able to figure something out in less than 10 minutes. We have to react quickly and efficiently, leaving factual information in question.
My generation is generation Z, born in the 1990s, and a little bit of generation Y. We have a touch of the millennia's in us, but we are not completely up to speed. We still live in the past, whether it is music, technology or other moral fundamentals we were taught by our parents. Today, families are not as traditional as we were, many are divorced or single parents. This changes the dynamic of the young adults in the world today, for better or worst. There are benefits on both sides of the spectrum. I have met peers raised by single parents who have grown up mentally strong and independent, thanks to survival instincts they were taught.
We are naturally headstrong, wanting more out of life. We have a sense of entitlement. We feel like we are owed something, when we are not. Back in the day working up the ladder meant taking several years of doing behind the scenes work; now, we expect a promotion within two years. However, being headstrong can translate into determination. Our parents want more form us, and we want the most we can get. Our dreams are bigger.
I hope we can enjoy the little things in life before we get wrapped up in what we are "suppose to be doing," and understand what demands society will set on us, yet keep our heads. We set the tone for the next generation and we hold a great responsibility in not letting our morals be on the back burner. The internet has morphed into a huge determining factor in our lives, whether it is being more competitive in the workforce or branding yourself, we have to take control. We can't make exceptions for immediate satisfaction. Ethics and morals can be strong characteristics in determining our life success.
Just some philosophical thoughts to ponder.
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