We live in a time where we don't have to wait for much.
We pull around a building and a meal is ready for us. When we want to know that capital of Djibouti, we look it up on phones or computers. We need to get to work, we drive (granted this might take a while, but it's definitely faster than walking). With current internet speeds, our favorite sites load in the blink of an eye, and most have internet speeds one-tenth that of what Google Fiber would provide.
Now, all of this is fine and dandy, except what I fear it'll bring: an even more significant lack of patience.
If we can already load a web page in the blink of an eye, how conditioned to speed would we become if that changes to crossing of a synapse? If we are to get used to incredibly quick internet speeds, that expectation of quickness will spread to other facets of our lives, I fear. We'll grow inpatient and our already short attention spans will become even shorter.
To accommodate our societal ADD, other institutions will change to keep our attention. Like in Fahrenheit 451, I fear that novels will be condensed to short pamphlets. Poems will be non-existent because they require too much thought. Movies and music already lend themselves to those with short attention spans. Even the existence of every action movie and the majority of pop songs signifies that there's a market for media that does not require thought.
I fear where things are headed. I personally lack an expansive attention span, and I'm aware of the issue. How little patience do those who don't care possess? I suppose in the end none of it really matters. If people are happy not having to think and lacking patience, who am I to judge? I feel though that through patience, appreciation increases. As appreciation increases, so does respect and with respect comes a whole slew of positive possibilities.
What is inherently wrong with looking up the capital of Djibouti or any other piece of information? It seems unrealistic to think we should not have access to accurate information rather than the imperfect store of knowledge we keep within our heads. Are attention spans shorter now than they were in the days of 56k? And for that matter, I do not recall people having longer attention spans before cell phones or personal computers so this whole idea seems a bit over-inflated. I know my assertion is an anecdotal one, but perhaps it can provide a counterpoint upon which further discussion can continue. I do share your concern about the short attention spans of the majority of the (American) population, at least my perception of it, but has this not always been the case? Was there a time in history when the vast majority had longer attention spans and spent their days writing novels, poems, and conducting experiments for the betterment of the common good? This has historically been a luxury granted to a few while the rest of any given population would have been slaving away in their respective jobs while gossiping and spending their free time carousing and listening to popular folk music, the equivalent of the pop music of today. Perhaps access to information and having such access available quickly could make people more aware of what is going on around them? Time is only going one way (at least from what we can discern at this point) and to lament the downfall and degradation of humanity is nothing new.
I understand what you're saying. My concern is that these new speeds won't be used to become more aware of their surroundings, aside from who posted what about whom when so-and-so did this with that guy from the pool. In essence, non-essential research.
While I do still hold to my though about access to any information too quickly is detrimental, I don't think I'd have to work too hard to persuade you that checking up on nonsense even more quickly will contribute to our downfall more quickly. I don't know. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic. Perhaps you're right in that I'm romanticizing the past, imagining that everyone spent their days creating rather than consuming.
I don't know if that is entirely true. I've heard your music, you are more than proficient. It takes a great deal of focus both in the short and long term to gain that level of proficiency in an instrument and in the practice and theory of music in general. You may feel inattentive often but at least you have shown the willpower to achieve a laudable amount of skill at a difficult endeavor.I personally lack an expansive attention span, and I'm aware of the issue.
Well thank you very much. But it's true. Even in meditation I have difficulty staying in the present for too long before thoughts of obligations fill my mind. It's a work in progress, but I do wish to have a greater attention span.
There have been, and always will be people that love puzzles because it challenges them, forces them to think. People read poetry now and it requires more thought than most pamphlets because they enjoy the exercise. There have always been and always will be the lazy in mind and body and there always will be. I don't see a faster internet connection changing this either way. All of this has happened before and it will all happen again. When radio was introduced, jazz, rock and roll, television etc; they were all supposed to be the unravelling of the public attention span, turning us all in to thoughtless zombies. It didn't happen and it's not going to happen. The lazy will stay lazy and the motivated will continue to be so.
The lazy will stay lazy and the motivated will continue to be so
Interesting point. I'm curious though if the number of lazy folk is increasing.
lazy is a subjective term. Some people would call a person that house sits and eats other peoples left-overs "lazy," other people would call that person enlightened. You tell me, is the number increasing?
While I do have a marginal view here at my school, there seem to be less and less proactive students as the more proactive ones have graduated.
Exactly. And is there really a need for faster internet? I'm completely content with the current speed, and I don't even pay for the fastest. Discontent abounds. I'm glad I'm not the only skeptical one.
Giovanni Boccaccio used to write porn in the 14th century. There has always been a market for smut and mindless bullshit. Culture survives.Even the existence of every action movie and the majority of pop songs signifies that there's a market for media that does not require thought.
I'm not saying it's unique to our generation, only that it's probably going to get worse.
We shall see. I think that there is a strange dichotomy in the younger generation between being degenerate (for the reasons you mentioned), while at the same time being very aware of the world. There is great access to the arts; lots of young people are environmentally aware; some are politically engaged. There is reason for optimism. It sounds like you are having a hard time recently with some life issues. Don't let that cloud your view of the world, as time can heal most wounds.
You'd say our generation is more aware of the world than previous ones?
In many ways, yes. We are having this conversation, aren't we? Others on Hubski are from all over the world. I didn't have that experience growing up. I think that for kids who know how to employ the technology to their advantage, there is an unprecedented opportunity to be as worldly as they can dream.