Today, I had a day off from work and yet I was still replying to a few emails at 6pm.. but hey, it saves me from having to do it tomorrow. This, is workplace mobility- a term, referring to the blurred line between work time and home time. This of course would have social implications- a mixed bag of positive, negative and the extras that we're not yet decided upon. I wasn't doing anything at 6pm and I'd had some time off recently and felt the pressure to catch up. Plus, I had received one of the emails at 5.45pm (45mins into home-time territory) and so, if they could send one, I probably should too.
Pressure. We all feel it. This is one of the extras that comes with our mobile phones; not an optional feature. Having the newest phone, having Instagram, we need to be up to date with everything, because everyone else is. Mobile technology has sped up everything- comunication can be instant, I can post it from the palm of my hand; and so, everyone's lives have sped up. This is why people feel the need to take work home with them- they can't fall behind; and if everyone has this mindset then we are continuously striving for faster and more, with the thought that the 'other guy' is too.
Once upon a time we all lived in caves, times have changed and people have adapted. Mobile technology is another change and it's here to stay- it's just something we need to accept. Though there is room for personalisation and development, as someone living in society, we must adapt to our surroundings in order to survive.
Ingrid Richardson (2007) is right- our mobiles are becoming accepted as almost a body part. It's no longer a privilege, it is so central to our being that we cannot function without it. Donna Haraway, it's official, we've become cyborgs.
It's not all bad though.. Howard Rhiengold theorised that cyberspace would bring greatly increased levels of democracy and equality, which, as blogging has shown, it can. The power of collaboration can have may positive impacts. Let's look at this from a mobile perspective.. Say I'm at a concert and my friend Sam could not afford it; fear not Sam! I've just tweeted a few updates of the show, included some photos and have just MMS-ed you a clip of the band playing your favourite song. As Richard Ling believes, mobile communication has allowed those who cannot be physically present, to still participate.
But at the end of the day, though Sam is included, she's still going to feel alone. It was Malcolm Gladwell who said "Poverty is not deprivation. It's isolation". This concept can too be applied to our not-so-humble-anymore mobile phones- without one, you are not deprived, you are just alone.
Though even with one you can still feel alone, sometimes. Other times you feel a part of something great.
I suppose it depends on the day or situation..for yourself, for everyone, for society, and basically everything.
Not overwhelming at all...
It's a part of us now though, we just need to find balance. Mobile technology has such great potential, but like everything- we just need to learn how to use it for good and not for evil- or ideally, for the better of the world. [we can all dream]
Ever get that feeling where you just wish you were completely un-contactable? I love the connectivity that our phones provide, but there are times when I just wish things could go back to how they once were. The solution is simple, turn the phone off, but I just cannot bring myself to do it. A sad state of affairs!
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