Use technology wisely — Chong Lip Teck
JUNE 19 — It is now the world of smartphones and tablet PCs! Two giant brands, Apple and Samsung, are engaging in an intense market battle, while other brands are relatively quiet and Nokia is even facing a possible bankruptcy.
Samsung and Apple are using Android and iOS operation systems, respectively, with similar features. It actually depends on personal preference to say which is better. To attract consumers, both have used different strategies to highlight their features and tried to convince consumers that they are more advanced in terms of technology.
Some people said that “technology has changed human lives” and some network and communication development companies have even used the sentence as their slogans. Advanced communication equipment and networks have indeed changed many people’s habits. They have even “controlled” learning, thinking and interaction models. People nowadays rely on Google to access to information and knowledge, Facebook to interact and share, as well as smartphones to play games and make phone calls.
It is a fact that the rapidly expanding use of smartphones and tablet PCs has brought a rapid growth in user numbers to Facebook and other social media. However, it is not necessarily that it is getting more and easier to contact and communicate with smartphones and tablet PCs, as claimed by mobile phone developers, Facebook and telecommunications owners.
Why? Facebook, Twitter and Weibo users should know that the latter two social networking service providers apply character limitation on text messages. Although there is no character limitation on Facebook, general users seldom post long messages, unless if they are “sharing” an article.
People are mainly exchanging short messages on Facebook and other social networking sites to tell their friends what they have done or experienced, instead of in-depth communications. It is a place for them to express their fear of loneliness and worries.
Nowadays, many people keep their eyes glued on the screen of their phones. Euphemistically, they said that they are communicating with others. In fact, they are just covering up their inner emptiness and looking for a sense of presence and recognition, so that they would not be forgotten. Many of them would unconsciously have a sense of loss, if they do not receive any messages or phone calls for a long time.
I believe that people are mostly “sharing” on Facebook. Sharing meaningful and touching articles and pictures with their friends could help improve interpersonal interaction while carrying other functions like inspiring, resolving worries and encouraging.
However, if people become excessively dependent on the virtual network world, they would gradually give up social activities, or even worse, become more indifferent.
Of course, we cannot simply reject all technology products in the market and should not blame the social media for all social problems. However, when we are using a device, sometimes we cannot help but abuse it.
We must be smarter than intelligent devices if we do not want to become slaves of them. — mysinchew.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
