Technology, Is it dumbing down society?

[VINMAN]

With the advent of computers, cellphones, text messaging, GPS navigation, etc, etc....., Do you see people losing the basic abilities, such as figuring out problems in their heads, basic directions, that one day all those skills will be obsolete from lack of use.
The other night I was trying to explain some directions to some of the younger members of my fire dept. They were like, "well I'll just go punch it in my GPS". I said what if you didn't have one? Don't you guys know North, south, east and west?? Half of them are clueless. They didn't have a clue how to use a map, and had no desire to learn how to use one either.
Have we become that dependent on devices to help us through life??
Another example (even though it doesn't pertain to general public ) we now use thermal imaging cameras to do search and rescue. Fantastic invention, it has saved countless lives. But once again, I wouldnt trust my life on it. I still remember my basics. One thing I do in training, is I let the trainees use the camera to do a search . they are all warm and fuzzy , with the safety of the camera to get them out of the building. Forgetting their basic training. Once they are in the middle of a dark smoke filled room< away from the safety of the wall they are supposed to be following, I either rip the camera out of their hands or pop the battery out. Now what are you gonna do?? Guess what, you are dead. You depended on a device that can fail. You didnt use your most basic and safest tool, your brain.

Even our cars, they practically drive and park them selves. We are getting too comfortable in them. So much that our attetion to our surroundings is minimal.

Maybe its me, I'm a big techno holdout. But I just see a scary trend happening.

Sorry for the rant.

[scottmandue]

I still refuse to get a GPS... lived in Calif. my whole life and can get anywhere in the state by memory or with a map.

For that matter when I go on work trips to other cities I get by with the maps that come with the rental car.

I'm pretty attached to my cell phone (no, I don't text!) and love my DVR though.

[equality72521]

It's the progression of life. Would you use a slide rule or a computer? Would you prefer a wood stove or an electric range? How about an ice box over a refrigerator? Technology is a tool that is supposed to make us more productive by allowing us to not have to use the old slow inefficient methods. Yeah, it sucks to lose some of the old ways but if we never moved forward we'd still be living in grass huts and worrying about the next kill for our meals.

[nostatic]

huh?

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Asks the guy on the Interweb...

[masraum]

Have you seen "Idiocracy"? If not you should.

Yes, I have similar thought all of the time. My kids who are now 23 and 25 were required to use a calculator in HS. Now if you ask them simple multiplication they may (one of them much more likely than the other) reach for a calculator.

I do see it as a problem, but some folks still have the knowledge.

I embrace technology, but at the same time, I like to understand the process and the fundamentals which usually means being able to do the work with my brain.

Something that you should also consider is that right now, today, there's tons of stuff that you and I can't do that were probably common knowledge 100 or 200 years ago. Things change, it's the nature of everything.

Similar to forests, plains, oceans, flora, fauna, etc.... Everything is in a constant state of flux. We (man) may accelerate or alter that change, but regardless of what we do, it's still going to happen.

[coolngroovy]

Do you see people losing the basic abilities

Like reading an analogue clock?

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by coolngroovy

Like reading an analogue clock?

why is that a "basic ability"? It is an invented convention that was agreed upon and learned at some point by people. It has no more or less valid/real/basic than a digital clock or a sundial.

[tabs]

Mother!

[RWebb]

I agree and it's horrible. Most of these damn kids today can't even use an atalatle.

[widgeon13]

I think the skill that is being lost is the ability to communicate face to face. I don't place the fault on technology directly but I am concerned that people (regardless of age) are not good listeners. They hear what they want to hear and spend little time if any actually trying to understand what others say, they have already made up their minds.

[equality72521]

Originally Posted by widgeon13

They hear what they want to hear and spend little time if any actually trying to understand what others say, they have already made up their minds.

That has been true for the majority of people since the dawn of time.

[TimT]

I recently bought a new car.. The salesman was giving me a hard sell to get the nav system.. which was part of an almost 4K option package. In the end I told salesman that maps have worked for me for years, and if he spoke another word about the nav package I was walking.

fwiw I've had GPS, LORAN, SATNAV on boats I have owned.

I do crack up when I go to my place in Vermont, which backs up to a cliff, and watch my nieces freak because they cant "text" from the house...

I embrace tech... hence my '69 911 with EFI and full data logging digital dash...

I think I could get anywhere in the states perhaps world without electronic aids.

[Gogar]

In the OLDEN DAYS man dreamed that the advancement of technology would give him machines to do his tedious, mundane tasks; to free him up for HIGHER thinking.

Instead, the advancement of technology has given man machines to do his tedious, mundane tasks; and freed him up to not need to think at all.

[Dantilla]

Technology was supposed to let us complete our work faster, leaving more liesure time.

Instead, it has allowed us to cram far more work into our schedules.

Good think contemporary cash registers tell the cashier exactly how much change to give back. Otherwise, the cashier would have to do actual math.

[VINMAN]

I think you guys are missing my point. What I'm trying to say is, I see people having to think ( use their brains) less and less. Over time we have evolved as a smarter, better thinking species due to the need to use our reasoning/logic whatever you want to call it. We retained knowledge, whether due to repetition of a task, or having a need to retain that knowledge for future use.
Now we have the ability to use outside means to make decisions for us, to hold and display knowledge at the push of a button. Will we evolve backwards, as far as the need to think and ability to retain. The mind needs exercise just as the rest of the body does.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

As a society we've been supporting a "reverse-Darwinist" approach for a while, selecting for the weakest, dumbest and poorest traits rather than allowing nature to weed those out and select for the strongest, smartest and best. We coddle the weak and allow them to breed (a lot) while penalizing and holding back the best and brightest.

No wonder we are where we are.

[Oh Haha]

Technology? Pffftt

try freakin' velcro on shoes. What the he!!?!!!!!!!

I told my wife to get our kids shoes with laces next time she buys them.

Did you hear about the tourists in Rio that got shot at because their GPS unit took them to a drug traffic neighborhood?


Everybody's a winner!!!!!!


No, someone is the loser you stupid fuch. There is only 1 first place.

[crustychief]

Hit it on the head Jeff.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

As a society we've been supporting a "reverse-Darwinist" approach for a while, selecting for the weakest, dumbest and poorest traits rather than allowing nature to weed those out and select for the strongest, smartest and best. We coddle the weak and allow them to breed (a lot) while penalizing and holding back the best and brightest.

No wonder we are where we are.

Such explains the success of "reality tv"!