“Even Bratt Pitt would lie if he is online dating” (Wired, August 2009)
Either on or off line, technology or not, we often see the inequity in many aspects of our lives, i.e. education, foods, races, genders, honesty, etc. To me, this week’s articles make me think of how narrow we focus on the inequity & honesty. We, however, chose technology to tackle on, while we ignore other aspects in our lives. Why don’t we sit down and teach our kids and our people how to be smart and be disciplined for what we do for both involved with technology and non-technology modes.
Parents should be taught be smart about the pros and cons of technology and non-technology. Kids should be taught how to have disciplines when work within the particular mode of lives. Be smart about things we see and encounter, acknowledging they all have pros and cons.
How can we be smart (or being taught that) is not an easy task, of course. Human nature also seems to be competitive. We choose the best out of us to compete with others. For example, in the job market, we try to be the best and outstanding, so that our future employers can see us apart from other. We manipulate and decorate our skills and experiences, so that they seems appealing in the job market (not a lie but choose and be articulated with the smart words, phrases, etc.). So, it is different from being manipulated ourselves for the dating scene?
My question is that “were the dating profiles in the media, such as newspaper, magazines, etc. in the past different from the online ones we see now?” Did people who were looking for companion in the past enhance their profile pictures, words used, descriptions and positive attributes to attract others? Is there a significant different in the past off-line and on-line profiles? Or it just the technology help make it faster, targeting larger audience? So, how can we each each other to be smart on what we read, if it is real, reliable, etc.?
But I have to agree that technology and internet make is faster to connect with others than what off-line offered. These advantage come with good and bad. It could increase people rush, the addictive feelings, so that we could even potentially overlook other aspects, such as checking facts, etc. How can we teach the discipline, not to be in such a rush feelings: thinking first and feeling later?
Can we really be smart (ass) about it?
For an inequity issue, this is just in today, Wednesday 9, 2011_ Federal Communications Commission is rolling out the cheap internet broad bands and PC for low-income family: here is the news
[picture credit: Wired August 2009]