I walked into the kitchen to get something to eat, as I was hungover and starving, and saw my mother placing a stamp on a letter to send out. I asked who it was for and she said something, but I had zoned out straight away as I stared deep into my fridge for some nourishment.
Later in the day I asked her why she was using mail as her informational medium and she told me "I find it more authentic and easier". It got me thinking a bit and we started to compare how she used to send and receive information. She told me it was either sending mail, telephone calls or most of the time face to face interaction. Then she told me nothing much has changed as she still uses these same mediums, but does SMS a lot more and sends an e-mail occasionally. She said she had tried to use Facebook and Twitter but found these mediums confusing, and found slang like YOLO silly and hard to understand.
She then mentioned she does use the internet now to find out most of her news, but only after hearing from the television and if she wants to investigate the subject more.
In the Rantanen reading (2005, p.7), he mentions different definitions of globalisation. One that caught my eye was Tomson's as he describes it as "the growing interconnectedness of different parts of the world, a process which gives rise to complex forms of interaction and interdependency". After talking to my mother and reading this, I realized that globalisation may be a way to connect people faster and easier from different corners of the world. But due to these forms becoming complex we are leaving those behind who do not grow up with the technology to either catch up, or disconnect themselves from the growing social and technological landscape. As well as this though, younger generations are becoming more and more socially inept, as they struggle to hold a conversation face to face due to their use of explaining themselves in abbreviations and thumbs. Therefore globalisation is affecting every generation in positive and negative ways.
References:
Rantanen, T 2005, The Media and Globalization, p.7, Sage, London
Hey Christopher!
ReplyDeleteNot going to lie, the staring deep into your fridge part made me laugh more than it should have, but anyway! I found your blog post quite compelling. I enjoyed the fact that you were telling me a story rather than just spitting out information. It is interesting how your Mum finds it easier to use mail as a form of communication rather than using other mediums, but I suppose growing up using that method it would be hard to transition into using advanced technology.
The use of Tomson’s definition of globalisation was well supported. I agree with you about how we are leaving people behind due to the complexity of technology. I know my Nan finds the computer to be some magical and confusing thing, and even though I have tried to teach her simple things she just can’t grasp it.
Loved this post, good work!
Hi Christopher,
ReplyDeleteYour story was an interesting way to describe a certain aspect of globalization, I can also relate to this through my experience of teaching my own mother how to use social media and online services. For those of us who have grown up with this technology it is almost second nature to us, it is hard to imagine life without it. Your post gives insight into the difficulties faced by older generations when it comes to using this and that they are missing out on a very big part of today’s life. Perhaps you could think about what it may be like for our generation in a few years time when technology has changed? This was a great post! A picture to accompany the post would have been great too.
Hi Christopher,
ReplyDeleteA really engaging read. It is great to see you using personal experience and your mother’s to compare the different communication media platform technology changes used from past to today. I can also relate your mother’s situation to my mother’s; she is still in process of SMS’s and working out how to use the mobile, Samsun Galaxy 2 and sometimes engages in information search online internet. With the language of text changing, so does communication platforms using media, when you mentioned “YOLO” (on the internet, mobile phone etc..) proves to change how we write and converse is globalised through technology. One constructive advice would be great if you could use some hyperlinks about globalisation discussed to further clarify your blog.
Good work!
Really enjoyed this entry Christopher.
ReplyDeleteI really liked how there was a good flow in how this was so well written, with your story being written alongside the theory. The idea of parents keeping up with today’s technology was amusing, my parents still find the internet a difficult concept! I like how you said that globalisation with the internet was a faster way for others to connect, as I still believe old school methods such as telephone and email are still a part of globalisation, just a much slower method.
Great stuff!