"Technology - help or hindrance?"
This was the question posed to 2 individuals holding significant difference in age. The first interview target was a female aged 16 where I found located in my peer support group at school and the second was a family friend aged 56. Both had valid and understandable reasons towards their argument, and after they were asked a few questions about the topic they were found to be discussing the topic freely and intently, giving strong and opinionated comments towards the questions posed.
Female, 16 years of age.
1. First off, do you believe technology offers help or is it a hindrance?
"A bit of both. It helps more because you can contact people and keep in touch with people from a far away distance. It just makes it easier to communicate. But then again, some people don't want to be contacted everywhere they go. So I guess it wouldn't benefit for them."
This answer indicates that the generation in which individual 1 belongs to, tends to believe all technology is, is communication devices.
2. Which products of technology do you believe are essential in everyday life?
"Mobile phones, laptops and iPods."
Why?
"They make it easier to communicate with people and they are entertaining because they take up time."
3. Do you have any items of technology on you at the moment?
"A phone, my iPod and a laptop."
3 items. Just in her school bag, she could be obtaining thousands of dollars worth of technologically advanced equipment.
4. Would you be able to survive without any form of portable communication device?
"If they were never invented, I wouldn't know any different. But not now, no. My phone is better than life."
This teenager believes her mobile phone is better than life itself. Interesting.
5. Is there any form of technology that you wish you had, but you haven't purchased?
" I need a phone with more memory already built in and faster internet."
Key word: "need". She needs it, not only want.
6. Do you believe your heavily reliant on technology?
"Yes I do."
How?
"I wouldn't be able to contact Mum and Dad without a mobile phone, most of my schoolwork wouldn't be possible without the internet because I have to email assignments to the teacher sometimes and my life would be boring without my iPod and PS3."
7. Which product of technology do you believe is most at use within your community?
"Probably mobile and landline phones. Maybe other communication devices like email and Facebook I suppose."
8. Is there anything else you would like to comment on the subject of technology?
"No, I like it."
Thank you.
"No worries."
Immediately from this interview we can understand that the generation she belongs to are heavily involved with the use of everyday technology. From this interview, I received the impression that the interviewee thought technology was all about computers and mobile phones judging by what she based most of her answers around. This view changed in the next interview, where I interviewed another female yet aged at 56 years. Lets hear what she had to say about the posing question.
Individual #2. Older generation.
Female, 56 years of age.
1. First off, do you believe technology offers help or is it a hindrance?
"It depends which type of technology your aiming this at I guess. Living without technology all together would defiantly not be as advanced, but we would still survive. I'm going to say it lies in the middle on this one."
2. Which products of technology do you believe are essential in everyday life?
"Electricity is a form of technology, right? I think electricity and maybe transportation"
Why?
"Probably because electricity makes life generally easier and so does transportation. Aeroplanes make it possible to travel the world and reunite with old friends and family members. It keeps the world together."
She informed me that she based her answer on the fact that she is adopted, and transportation made it easier for her to find her family. "So I guess transportation may only be an aspect to consider for me. Other people value cars though, I'm sure of that!"
3. Do you have any items of technology on you at the moment?
"I have a mobile phone but I left it in the other room. I don't need it on me all the time. Constant text messaging annoys the s**t out of me!"
So you're saying you don't value mobile phones or forms of portable communication?
"No, no. I chose to buy a mobile phone. It is defiantly useful! Just annoying sometimes."
4. Would you be able to survive without any form of portable communication device?
"Sure would! Pay phones are on standby if you're grocery shopping and need to contact someone. Costs as much as an SMS anyway!"
5. Is there any form of technology that you wish you had, but you haven't purchased?
"A computer would be different. Don't give me that look! I haven't needed one yet. I've heard email is pretty life changing. I defiantly wouldn't fall to the lows of Facebook though."
What's wrong with Facebook? Or any other social networking sites.
"Just not for me. I have what I wanted in life, I don't need old friends from high school days wanting to meet for coffee. That would just piss me right off. They didn't want anything to do with me back then, so why should I bother now? My daughter would also delete me off it anyway. I'd have little to no "friends""
6. Do you believe your heavily reliant on technology?
"You have to be now days. If you don't have a car, it's a hell of a walk home!"
7. Which product of technology do you believe is most at use within your community?
"Internet! Every company uses it. Every student uses it for educational reasons, and then the leisure comes later. Everything is located on the internet and most people use it."
8. Is there anything else you would like to comment on the subject of technology?
"I think you've got it all!"
Thank you.
Just out of personal interest I then deceided to interview my 10 year old sister. She didn't quite understand most of the questions as she was playing her brand new portable gaming console. This cost $650. She is 10. Let me pose this question again, technology, help of hindrance?
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