M1 Blog Assignment

What is being human in the digital era?

When I think about being human in the digital era, I think of myself and what technology means to me. I am living in the digital era. I grew up with it. I see it constantly changing and I constantly adapt to it. With one click, I have more information at my fingertips than I would ever possibly need. There endless sources of information out there. When you Google something, nine times out of ten your answer is on the first page, but there is an infinite amount of pages of information.

I can do almost anything via digital device. I have a clock, calendar, camera, calculator, gps and countless other apps on my phone. I can pay bills, download book and movies and shop right on my phone. I couldn't tell you when the last time I went to the bank was, now I can take a picture of my check and it will deposit right into my account. I can have conversations with my friends, even if they are halfway around the world. I download workouts, watch them online and track my progress online. I don't get the paper anymore. I can find any news I want online, and I can even print my coupons right from home. I do school online. I don’t have to deal with traffic and finding a parking spot, and I don’t have to sit with a bunch of kids and listen to a professor talk at me for three hours. I get to meet people from all over the state, other states, and there was even a guy who was living in Japan in one of my classes last semester that I wouldn’t get to meet if I went to a traditional school.

Not everyone is open to the digital era though. My grandparents don't have cell phones and they have a desktop computer that my grandma uses to email her friends and print recipes. Other than that, they say they have no use for digital devices. My great Aunt and Uncle received a free iPad and they gave it away because they had no use for it. (Mind you, I would die for a free iPad, they retail for up to $800). I know a lot of people my age, including myself, who can’t figure out change in their head, which seems to frustrate older people. It’s not because I’m stupid, I can figure out the change if I think for a moment, but it’s because I never had to. I grew up using a calculator and that’s what I know. I’ll be honest, I don’t know how to do things without technology. I could obviously survive, but I would be lost without it.

I think that having all of this technology make it easier to be human. There are so many devices and apps out there to help you do things. I can get things done a lot faster and the digital era gets faster all the time (does anyone remember dial-up internet?). I have access to more information and culture than I could ever imagine. Technology is always changing and it never ceases to amaze me. As a human living in the digital era, I essentially have access to the world (and outer space too) and it only takes a click to get there and I believe that is profound.