A Must-See Video of the Impact of Technology on Our Lives
In my recent post, I argue that opportunity costs (time spent doing one thing is time not spent doing other things) may be the greatest threat from technology. A friend just sent me this video titled Look Up that powerfully demonstrates what we miss–life, love, beauty, opportunity!–when we immerse excessively in technology.
Here are a few great lines from the video:
“I have 422 ‘friends’, yet I am lonely.”
“This media we call social is anything but.”
“When we open up our computers and it’s the doors that we shut.”
“When you’re in public and start to feel alone, step away from the phone.”
“We’re a generation of idiots, smartphones and dumb people.”
“You don’t have to tell hundreds of what you’ve just done because you want to share this moment with just this one.”
“The time you take in all you made just by giving life attention and how you’re glad you didn’t waste it by looking down at some invention.”
“It’s not very likely you’ll make world’s greatest dad, if you can’t entertain a child without using an iPad.”
“Don’t waste your life getting caught in the ‘Net because when the end comes, there’s nothing worse than regret.”
“Give people your love, don’t give them your ‘like.’
“Look up from your phone shut down that display, stop watching this video, live life the real way.”
It is about 5 minutes long, but worth every moment. Pay special attention to the scenes at 2:25 and 3:55. The juxtaposition is heart wrenching. It truly brought me to tears by the end.
P.S. I totally appreciate the irony that you have learned about this video through technology.
technology, smartphones, internet, internet addiction, iPhone, iPad, social media, depression, loneliness, texting, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
When you are looking at a screen, you don’t realize all that you are missing in the world: beauty, human connections, opportunity. This powerful video illustrates the costs of excessive immersion in technology. It boldly and poignantly demonstrates how all of the devices we have to connect us to other people actually ends up disconnecting us from ourselves and others.
Related Posts
About The Author
Great find, Dr. Jim. The point about raising a generation of robots is spot on. My nephew grew up in the house I am living in now. As a pre-teen, young teen, every day he and friends would be outside playing basketball, street hockey, whiffle ball, riding skateboards up homemade ramps, doing something. This same middle class neighborhood has plenty of kids still, but I never hear or see them. I can only assume they are busy with video games, watching the boob tube, or something similar. They sure as hell aren’t studying. This (getting) old neighbor would love hearing some kids yelling and cajoling out in the street. Would remind me of the good old days.