Thursday 17 May 2012

Brave new world

What would your great-grandmother have thought of you checking your mailbox thirty times a day, commenting on your friends' holiday photos from the other side of the world, or reading the news while talking or walking? Writing about the legal aspects of the use of digital content by consumers has certainly raised my curiosity and awareness of the way we use technology nowadays. While today's digital environment offers almost unlimited possibilities for socialising, working, learning and communicating, it seems that the consequences of the use of technology on daily life are still difficult to assess. 

An interesting view on the impact of the digital world on creativity, communication and learning of different generations can be found in Larry D. Rosen's book 'iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming Its Hold on Us'. He analyses the different ways that people from different generations make use of technology, looking into both its positive and negative influences on social relationships.

The following interview nicely summarises the main insights presented in the book (and gives some good reasons for, after watching it, going out to meet your friends for coffee...in real life):