Bringing the world closer...indeed.
Not many people know this, but I've got a sister and she's 3 years older than me. We're currently celebrating her 21st birthday by doing some stayover chalet thingum at some NSRCC thingum, near Changi Coast Adventure Centre (where we had our OAL training). It was bloody nostalgic as we turned into the road leading to this NSRCC place, because I remember carrying LWY who was termed a 'casualty' by Mr. GKY into the CCAC.
Tough days. I miss them.
I know this is kinda blur, but my mum was driving around in her car, she's driving too fast, she's driving too far, but this is what the nostalgic place of 3 years back looks like:
This is the most hellish 100+ metres of my life to date:
So yea, we had a birthday party for her just this past evening (Saturday evening), when I came to a disturbing conclusion--that electronic gadgets are taking over family occasions.
Q: How often does a conversation between 2 adults who don't really know each other well when they are supposed to steer towards technology?
A: Very often.
I keep hearing them talk in technological jargon which always escapes me. Examples include, but are not limited to:
'Oh this phone's OS is BLAH'
'Ah the Android phone not bad'
'Oh the iPhone works on this'
'What's your data plan?'
'What games you want I send you'
Stuff like that always happens. It's tiring to hear and tiring to observe, because I don't get a single shit about what they are saying and I don't see a point in discussing such stuff in the first place. I'm not going to make a decision on my next new phone based on a few pointers given by relatives I barely know. I'm not going to make a decision on which new phone I'd buy by looking at the description of the phone on the brochures given out at the booth. I am going to make my decision based on price and looks and perhaps a few necessary functions. That's all.
So why the hype about which operating system the phone works with? It's completely unrelated with familial ties.
I don't understand, nor do I aspire to understand the workings of phones. I know how to use them, that's more than enough for me.
Are people interested in talking about it because talking about it makes them appear more sophisticated? Like 'I know how it works, HA'.
But to be honest that's not my main point. I do have a beef with this: Kids playing with such electronic gadgets all the time. It's not abnormal to see a bunch of kids huddled around and iPhone playing Tap Tap. It's abnormal to see a bunch of kids NOT huddled around an iPhone, even if it's switched off. That's how much technology is consuming us and our daily lives and interactions with people.
What happened to playing Tic-Tac-Toe ON PEN AND PAPER? What happened to all the playgrounds built? What happened to running around, screaming, playing catching, ice and water, et cetera? What happened to all the marble-throwing, monopoly, Uno, blah blah blah?
Our traditional modes of entertainment are all being removed, made obsolete, and we don't even know what hit us. Is this a change that should be encouraged? Kids being exposed to technology at such an early age and being bombarded by information and weird games and music blared by Tap Tap and the like? What's wrong with people these days?
Bring us back to the primitive days please. At least I know what my kids would be growing up into.
But seriously..how can anyone expect any kind of family bonding when there are several bunches of kids around the several iPhones they are bunched around? I've never experienced any 'kampong days' before (though I've had an experience which was quite traumatizing), but I think that's a community more closely-knitted than now.
They always say that globalization brings the world closer together because you can make friends from all over the globe, but they are missing out on the fact that while you're online, your mother is in her room neglected. 24/7.
So much for 'bringing the world closer'.
Of course, I am no sage. I am not immune to the quirks of this century. As a proof of my submission to this inane desire to remain plugged in, I brought my sister's laptop to the swimming pool just now while I was on guard duty to make sure that my cousins don't drown (they are all at least 3 years younger than me, my mother's side that is).
It was kinda cool really, and with the plugged in portable modem it seemed like I was really on official business while taking care of my very own kids (because I look the age), but yeaa. It was just fun. And disturbing that I need to remain plugged in so often.
It's not really her birthday yet, and it's not really very much about her, but still, happy birthday sister (:
-- 7/25/2010 02:50:00 AM