Reflections on the New American Culture

I have mixed feelings about the new way that many people spend their time. I wouldn't call it a New American Culture because it's certainly not limited to Americans. The suggestion you're making is that the way people interacted and the way they passed their time fifty years ago was more authentic more essentially human than the way life is lived today connected to the Internet. I think we might be romanticizing the past. Sure life before the Internet had some very momentous moments, some very compelling episodes, but there was also a lot of less than quality time spent doing not all that much. I'm an introvert and you 123 describe yourself as an introvert. Speaking for myself, I do not suffer fools gladly and do not derive pleasure simply by being in the presence of another person. Social media allows me to be very selective about who and when I interact and so in many ways I'm attracted to it.

I completely agree that the Internet has caused an enormous change in the way we pass our time, and understanding the implications of this change will I'm sure be the subject of countless books, studies, essays and BLOGS. And I will look forward to reading these because the subject is fascinating.

I commend you for starting this thread and I hope others will offer their thoughts.
 
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My old computer isn't playing videos very well.

At work in the break room, no one talks, they just stare at their phones. I also see people on their phones during work time texting. It's really out of hand. I don't think some people believe they could live without it. We did just fine.
 
I'm not really into computer use that much, don't have internet on my cellphone and don't belong to any social media like facebook, twitter, etc. I've gone several weeks with no computer, TV or cellphone access and only static rare radio stations available when camping in the woods.

I think the biggest negative effect of too much phone and computer use is not with those in our age group, but the children, teens and younger people. Mothers are using videos, video games, TV, etc. for their babysitters. Young babies are propped in front of the TV while the mother is on her facebook sharing selfies.

The kids get no real benefits of the human touch, interactive learning, socialization, real love, etc. Of course there are exceptions of good parenting where TV, computer time is limited and supervised. But, it's become apparent that many teens spend too much time playing video games, and have less life experience in the real world.

Because of this, they lack social skills and empathy for their fellow man (and creatures). Their overall health, mental, emotional and physical suffers as an effect. It seems like many have taken technology that is very beneficial, and have abused it for self pleasure.

Shows like Toddlers With Tiaras and the Kardashians are proof that people are becoming more vain, shallow and self-involved. Some have even committed suicide merely because the stories from their "friends" on facebook were so special and successful, making them personally feel like ugly failures. Not to mention the cyber bullying going on these days.

It amazes me to see people walking with their heads down, involved with the goings-on of their devices, while ignoring everything around them. I personally am glad I never got that involved with the technology. I can walk through the park and listen to the birds or the breeze rustling through the leaves, and don't feel the need to have plugs in my ears all the time.
 
I certainly agree with SeaBreeze that children are most vulnerable and in someways the most addicted. I had a chance to monitor the texting dialog between two teanagers and instead of one teenager trying to out do the other in clever allusions, plays on words and such, the dialogue was unbelievably insipid. They weren't saying a damn thing and yet they continued doing it all afternoon. . . hundreds of repetitions of hey bro wass up? Nuttin, wass up with you?
 
All new technology has been attacked as dangerous to our physical or psychological health, but progress has generally been found to be good in the long run by most...
 
Largely agreeing with Seabreeze. I enjoy my electronic media in small quantities. I control it, not vice versa. The thing that worries me most about the " new american culture " is the decline of the Liberal Arts education. People seem so bent on getting some kind oF job skills that literature, art, music, history are increasingly left out of the curriculum. There are certainly some people pursuing those areas, but they don't seem to considered as essential to well rounded education as they once were.
 
Perhaps only the wealthy can afford the luxury of the liberal arts, others need a skill to earn a living...
 
I've been living without cable TV since 2009. It is common for co-workers to say, "what did you think of *that show* last night?" Of course, I have to explain, that although I have a TV sitting on the table, I unplugged yrs ago! They look at me strangely, and walk away. Why do they walk away? Because they don't know what else to talk about.

We have reached the point, that if we can't talk about TV shows or the latest DVD Rental Movie, we can't have a simple conversation? (EGADS... I don't have a Facebook page either... LOL)

When I tell the younger generation, that I enjoy growing my own food, their response is, "Why would you do that, when it's easier to buy it at the store?" They are truly perplexed at such a concept.

A new neighbor showed off her brand new fancy smart phone to me. I tried to not show my boredom. At one point, I showed her my plain jane $20 flip phone, and she replies, "Sucks to be YOU." I was the one that was totally perplexed at such a comment. This woman was of my generation (not some youngster).

Maybe it's just me, and my personal cocoon of life. Maybe I have this bizarre ability to attract the wrong kind, but I feel these interactions speak volumes to what's wrong with our society.

We worship materialism and appearances. We no longer 'see' the person. We only 'see' what they have. It's like the humanity of the person, no longer exists? or we don't matter? I'm not sure, but I think it's ugly. JMHO
 
Excellent post Seabreeze, and I agree.
123testing, what a rude neighbour you have!
I have the same kind of phone as you, literally just to make calls on when I need to when out and about [not often used.]However, the young always want the latest trendiest technology [and I think I would too if a teenager today.]I also remember people discussing tv shows 40/50 years ago, so that isn't a new thing.What is new is the heads down walking along the road being superglued to the phone/texting nothing at all as Josiah9 says, a variation of 'you wear your straw hat and I'll wear mine' kind of conversations.
 
I agree with Seabreeze. I actually had a guy walk right out into the street in front of me the other day -- he was so engrossed in his phone or whatever it was, he didn't even look. Good t hing I was paying attention

One thing I REALLY hate, and it happened again just yesterday -- I was in the grocery store and this woman was having a long LOUD conversation on her cell phone without regard to anyone around her. She would stop in her tracks and block an entire aisle while she talked on and on and on. Besides that, no one could hear any other voice but hers. In the first place, the middle of a store is not the place to have a long LOUD "private" conversation with someone on the phone. Whatever happened to "I can't talk now, I'll call you back." In the second place, does this woman really want all the shoppers to overhear her conversation? In the third place, it is rude as hell to talk so loud no one else can hear themselves think. And in the fourth place, blocking the aisles to carry on her conversation, complete with gestures, is rude as hell, too. It annoys me that people seem to have no sense of privacy, or boundaries, or for the rights of others to quietly continue their shopping or converse with one another while shopping.

And in my chiropraactor's office the other day -- there is a big sign that says "please have the courtesy to turn off your cell phones. If you need to make a call, please step outside." Pretty clear, no? But there was this young woman talking away (loud again) in the waiting room. One of the staff pointed out the sign and asked the woman to turn off her phone or go outside, and the woman got all huffy. Why do people think they have the right to carry on their social life or whatever right in the faces of other people??? It's not like the world will end if you put down your stupid cell phone for 5 minutes. Very little is really all that important. I think some people do it in an attempt impress people how important or "popular" they are.
 
I enjoy my technology, but it does not rule me.
because I live on my own, I can dip into my computer when I wish; but the only time I use my phone when out is to show pictures of the grandchildren!
when I was working; I refused to serve anyone on their phone; if they considered their medication that unimportant, then presumably they didn't really need it.
i just used to stand there and wait.....
 
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