Modern Communication

SpicyDuck · 17 Aug 2006 at 08:55

Modern communication via the Internet has grown immensley over the last decade or two. Even when I was about 16 (I'm 22 in 2 weeks), I remember that meeting people you've spoken to online was still very much looked down upon.

Having been around using the internet at that point in my life, and still being on the internet, I have witnessed a massive shift in attitude from those days. Now it's considered quite normal amongst young people to meet online and, personally, I think it's absolutely amazing.

A lot of people complain and say such nonsense as 'You should meet people the normal way' but, 1) What's normal and what makes that so perfect? and 2) Who are they to dictate how life should be lived? Are we not supposed to evolve and change as a species? Of course we are. So I call nonsense to such petty keyboard warriorism.

Another example would be my new job. Damn, I know I've mentioned it a lot lately but it really does have a purpose this time. I'm moving to China on the 22nd and this life-changing, amazing and in my opinion, wonderful oppertunity has only been made possible for me and thousands of others, via the internet.

Does this mean my job is worthless, my employer is pathetic or that I should get a job by traditional methods? Do you still **** in a pot and leave it under your bed 'til morning? I answer no, but I don't mind a difference in opinion if it's delivered in a constructive manner.

Anyway, I'm kinda going out of the way of my original point here, and that is that modern communication methods are a somewhat natural, albeit fast and therefore neo-natural method and way of communicative evolution.

The reason some people still hold stale thoughts of such things is because, really, the majority of people who enjoy it are young and as our generation age and new ones are born, it will be more common place throughout the world. I think.

Anyway, I want to wrap this up with a video I found on YouTube whilst browsing the various videos on there. This British man, Peter, who is 73 years of age (IIRC) has found YouTube and it's changed his life. He isn't insane or weird; he's just a normal, down-to-earth British elderly man who loves to share his stories and I find it kinda charming in a neo-evolutionary-yet-elderly kinda way:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_YMigZmUuk

He has many other videos too, on which he talks about his life. Check them out.

In a matter of two weeks this widowed old man has found international fame (hundreds of thousands of video views) and has an absolutely massive following. I think, somehow, it really opens up modern communication to older generations.

Also, I'd like to try and keep this constructive please (Yeh, I know It'd GD). What do you think about the whole thing? Do you completely disagree with me and if so, why? This isn't an attack or anything, I just think that it's quite an interesting, new and unstopabble path of life for modern/western civilisation. :cool:

Edit: By the way, he setup the computer and learnt how to make, upload and edit videos all by himself. I find that quite cool and funky.

Spacky · 17 Aug 2006 at 09:01

I can talk to people 1000s of miles away from me yet due to family issues I can't talk to some of my relatives its an odd world we live in. People say you never wished me well or thought about my exams, the reply I sent you a text or an email.

Its becoming the norm and I was earlier thinking how would famous and infamous people have been affected by technology, imagine reading Anne Franks diary as a Blog or on myspace.

We all have mobiles and email we as people spend so much of our money and time in communicating.

I wish this technology was around when my grandad was alive, he could have blogged and shared his stories the things he never shared on the War and why it changed him.

I think in someways the next generations and our generation as eldery folk wil be an interesting legacy to leave to the next.

SpicyDuck · 17 Aug 2006 at 09:09

Communication is a vital key in developing the world though, I think.

I mean, look at Japan and China for examples. If the internet didn't exist then the teenagers of these countries would've not been introduced or educated about variations in cultures, and the result is that a lot of the younger generation are growing up to become more open-minded which, ultimately, will help in developing a more civilised country and dismissing older tried and tested methods which never worked elsewhere in the world.

Not that western civilisation is perfect, but it can somehow give whole countries an insight into how exactly they should approach certain changes. Unfortunately, the same isn't really happening in the middle-east as it's too scary for anyone to even consider trying something different for fear of being executed for the most petty of crimes.

Edit: Just realised in little over a week, that elderly bloke is nearing 1.5 million views on his first video, and nearly 9000 comments. :cool:

Spacky · 17 Aug 2006 at 09:18

I'd say thats more about telecommunication infrastructure. The UK's telecommunications infrastructure is gradually reshaping and getting better but when compared to the USA you realise we are a bit behind.

I think the far eastern countries are more open to change than the middle eastern countries as far as technology is concerned be it cultural issues at current in the middle east and of course conflict play a part there. I think the perception of whether the Internet is good or bad plays a part in a countries development. I was recently reading about how 50% of Lagos income is based on the internet fraud market, the emails on money transfers and purchasing of goods etc. Thats an astonishing impact the internet has played there, be it a negative one though it still has played a role in the countries development just at everyone elses expense outside.

The internet has also played a massive role in joining cultures and languages on a one to one basis. For me I have what I term friends in other parts of the world, even so far as Australia, one of my long term 'net' friends is aussie and I have chatted to them for about 7 yrs. The only thing we haven't done though is meet.