Photography by Sandi Elle
Definition of FREEDOM OF SEECH
1: A column written by a 20-something male who just wants to change the world.
See also; Awesome.
Definition of SATIRE
1: a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
2: trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly
(Author’s note: This is not intended to offend or target anyone. And yes, I realize that at points throughout this story, I will be a hypocrite. It’s ok, I can take it… Accountability glasses on)
Today, I wanted to talk about something that has been bugging me for the last few years. It doesn’t bug me enough that I lose sleep or anything, but something I think about from time to time and make me shake my head.
Social. Networking.
I am an avid fan of social networking and thoroughly enjoyed the Facebook movie. However, much like technology (as seen in movies like Terminators and Matrix), I think that there is a point where it just becomes too much. So I wanted to share my thoughts on the things that I feel were negatively impacted by social networking. These are opinions and probably not even good ones, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless.
Photography:
Yes, your new smartphone has a good camera mounted on it and you just LOVE capturing all the great moments that life has to offer. That’s fine. I get it. But once upon a time being a photographer was an actual profession and people went to school and took classes on how to take good pictures.
Photoshop? No sir. You had to actually worry about lighting, exposure and all these other fancy terms I don’t know the meaning of. Didn’t quite get that right angle on that picture of your face? Too bad, film was expensive and you could only take so many pictures before needing more.
Fast forward to today; everyone is a published photographer. There are more black and white pictures than back in the 1940’s. Social networking and the invention of profile pictures and online photo albums created a generation of amateur photogs and took an art form from being something for the creative and transformed it to something the average Joe can be a part of.
Music:
This is a very touchy subject. In so many ways, the internet and subsequently social networking helped shape the future of music, and helped so many people and bands find a way to an audience that might have been missed otherwise. I often think about things in this way: Could (insert Grammy award winner from the 60’s-90’s) make it in this new music age? With YouTube and social media profiles being ever prominent in the arsenal of every musician trying to connect with fans, talent will only get you so far. Being a genius in marketing yourself is sometimes more important to getting into the spotlight than actually having talent (I am looking DIRECTLY at you Rebecca Black (Editors Note: “Oh My God Based God”)). Not to mention that people have less of an attention span than ever. Aerosmith had 14 albums (not including live) in almost 40 years…. Lil Wayne has 9 in the past 12 years. Making truly great albums is no longer as important as making sure that you are well saturated in the market… having enough of a catchy single or annoying video that people share as a joke (STILL looking at you Miss Black (Editors Note: “Swag”)).
Hanging out vs. actually talking to people:
I am probably the worst with this. I rarely call anyone but given the fact I talk on a phone for a living I claim this is ok. If I want to say something but I’m not sure how harsh it will sound I’ll throw an “lol” at the end so you think I am joking with you. You’re a chick and you just posted eight slightly different pictures of yourself in the same pose? I’m going to give that a like, because I am just that damn nice and thoughtful. Imagine what tomorrow’s youth will be like as they grow up with lolcatz and “sPelLinG lyKe DiS.” Will there even be books to read? I thank god that I had bad parents and I was raised by Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow. Social Networking made paperbound books nearly obsolete. Now people spend time reading each other’s walls and Twitter-feeds. Who cares about a whale with a funny name? I digress, the point is everyone just talks on their preferred network instead of in person. As much as I get all teary-eyed when I get more than 5 likes on a post, the emotional connection is somehow lost in translation opposed to when you are around loved ones and actually want to hear what they have to say instead of catching up 140 characters at a time.
In summary, I am addicted to computers and all of their glory. Actually it is even sad when I think about the fact that I have been on a computer for 14 and half hours today and when I wasn’t on a computer I was texting and looking at my wall, twi-feed and huddles. If I had it my way, I would just perfect what we have instead of finding more ways to integrate more technology into my life and more of my life to the web. I guess when the computers become self-aware, let’s hope it’s the movie scenario where our vehicles are fighting each other and not enslaving us.
Til next time,
I am Josh Seech, and that’s the way the cookie crumbles…. Now quickly, go tweet this, share this and like this!