OMG: The Debate on The New Age of Texting
Far away truly has never seemed so close, as the modern invention of text messaging has created an intertwined global community. Technology has advanced beyond our wildest imaginations, creating precdential devices which quite simply it seems, revolutionize the way we both communicate and absorb information. It seems, from my observations of recent years, the concept of cell-phones have exploded onto the market, coming into their own as quite obviously the most innovative technology the world has to offer to global consumers. We see the likes of Apple and Android single-handedly bringing the world closer together, connecting individuals who may be 12 hours away by the mere 5 seconds it takes to send and recieive a text. A truly breathtaking concept if you stop to think about it, no?
However, despite my total support for the use of these new and innovative products, I sometimes cannot help but to stop and think, Is this really a positive or beneficial form of communicating between individuals? My answer? Well, I believe in both sides of this ever-growing argument. I perceive the idea of creating a smaller world as a good idea, due to the utter convenience of it all. However, I also think that the invention of texting can often deteriorate our basic ability to hold a face-to-face conversation, as I have witnessed personally.
I believe that the use of texting is an effective and as stated, convenient form of contacting individuals quickly and with little effort worldwide. It amazes me to think that not even a century ago, only the wealthy could afford a telephone within the home, as most families only had the father bringing in financial income, as the wife stayed home and tended to the home and children. I remember my grandmother tellign me how, as a child, her family had been able to afford a home phone in the 1940's. It makde me laugh while she explained to me that residents from everywhere in the community woud stop by to make a quick call, many a time a complete stranger to her and her family. Quite the rapid transition, as nowadays, an individual without a cellular phone is immediately viewed as an outcast, behind the pace of modern culture. One may be seen as a social alien. Teenagers, the core target market group for these devices, spend hours on cell-phones every day, doing anything from updating social media to watching full length films all in the palm of their hands. Amazing, a word I believe fits well for this ideology. Text messaging has brought the world socially close, without a single change in the geographical sense. Let us use Beijing as a key example. As I sit here in the confines of Milton, Ontario, I am currently a wopping 6600 miles away from landing in Beijing. However, with my cell phone, it takes me no more than the blink of an eye to send a message to someone that far away, the only cost being a small long-distance fee. I would say it, without a doubt, is worth the pocket change. It connects individuals of all ages living in all countries with the simple clicking or pressing of a button marked "SEND". The world is now close-knit, making global communication unfathomably easier than it was just 2 generations prior.
I do, however, hold a number of doubts and concerns with the idea of text messaging in its own. If there is one thing I have both witnessed first-hand and forced myself to avoid, is the laziness which comes with this form of talking to others. Take a moment to look at the picture I attached to the article. Notice anything wrong? I would not be surprised if "U" didn't. Improper grammer has truly portrayed the sheer element of laziness that has become predominant within modern electronic culture. Just how much time does it take to just spell the word? A long-lived pet peeve of mine, the substitution of words with single letters and in some cases, the creation of new slang altogether, is something of which is still beyond me. I perceive it as blatant evidence as to why the current generation is becoming more and more illiterate. Where did the grammar go? Yet another personal story which ties into my arguement. I have an uncle who works as an English University professor in England. Of every annnual vistit, he never fails to rant about how he is seeing a high number of students include such words as "U" and "R" in formal essays, if you can call them words. Holding a rather radical opinion on such matters, he states frequently how he fails these students immediately, without reading the remainder of the paper. This can be seen as a primal example of the immensity of the technological gap between ourselves and our parent generation. Some say, as my Uncle does often, that though this growing culture of misuse of the english language may seem like a small issue now it has the potential to implode into an academic pandemic worldwide, creating a new generation of illiterate individuals entering the workforce.
What do you think?
Post a comment below and I will respond as soon as possible!
However, despite my total support for the use of these new and innovative products, I sometimes cannot help but to stop and think, Is this really a positive or beneficial form of communicating between individuals? My answer? Well, I believe in both sides of this ever-growing argument. I perceive the idea of creating a smaller world as a good idea, due to the utter convenience of it all. However, I also think that the invention of texting can often deteriorate our basic ability to hold a face-to-face conversation, as I have witnessed personally.
I believe that the use of texting is an effective and as stated, convenient form of contacting individuals quickly and with little effort worldwide. It amazes me to think that not even a century ago, only the wealthy could afford a telephone within the home, as most families only had the father bringing in financial income, as the wife stayed home and tended to the home and children. I remember my grandmother tellign me how, as a child, her family had been able to afford a home phone in the 1940's. It makde me laugh while she explained to me that residents from everywhere in the community woud stop by to make a quick call, many a time a complete stranger to her and her family. Quite the rapid transition, as nowadays, an individual without a cellular phone is immediately viewed as an outcast, behind the pace of modern culture. One may be seen as a social alien. Teenagers, the core target market group for these devices, spend hours on cell-phones every day, doing anything from updating social media to watching full length films all in the palm of their hands. Amazing, a word I believe fits well for this ideology. Text messaging has brought the world socially close, without a single change in the geographical sense. Let us use Beijing as a key example. As I sit here in the confines of Milton, Ontario, I am currently a wopping 6600 miles away from landing in Beijing. However, with my cell phone, it takes me no more than the blink of an eye to send a message to someone that far away, the only cost being a small long-distance fee. I would say it, without a doubt, is worth the pocket change. It connects individuals of all ages living in all countries with the simple clicking or pressing of a button marked "SEND". The world is now close-knit, making global communication unfathomably easier than it was just 2 generations prior.
I do, however, hold a number of doubts and concerns with the idea of text messaging in its own. If there is one thing I have both witnessed first-hand and forced myself to avoid, is the laziness which comes with this form of talking to others. Take a moment to look at the picture I attached to the article. Notice anything wrong? I would not be surprised if "U" didn't. Improper grammer has truly portrayed the sheer element of laziness that has become predominant within modern electronic culture. Just how much time does it take to just spell the word? A long-lived pet peeve of mine, the substitution of words with single letters and in some cases, the creation of new slang altogether, is something of which is still beyond me. I perceive it as blatant evidence as to why the current generation is becoming more and more illiterate. Where did the grammar go? Yet another personal story which ties into my arguement. I have an uncle who works as an English University professor in England. Of every annnual vistit, he never fails to rant about how he is seeing a high number of students include such words as "U" and "R" in formal essays, if you can call them words. Holding a rather radical opinion on such matters, he states frequently how he fails these students immediately, without reading the remainder of the paper. This can be seen as a primal example of the immensity of the technological gap between ourselves and our parent generation. Some say, as my Uncle does often, that though this growing culture of misuse of the english language may seem like a small issue now it has the potential to implode into an academic pandemic worldwide, creating a new generation of illiterate individuals entering the workforce.
What do you think?
Post a comment below and I will respond as soon as possible!