Professor Cheng and Students,
Hello, My name is Ryan and I am your History of Photography Class on Mondays from 11:30-2:00. This is my third semester at City Tech and I am attempting to obtain a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering. I am from Suffolk County, Long Island, and I commute to school every day. I am the youngest in a family of 5. My older brother and sister are both also in college at the moment therefore my parents are working extremely hard to help us attend these colleges. I still have no idea what i actually want a career in but i hope that will be answered by the time I get my degree.
After reading the Times article and watching the Parody, I feel that we have come such a long way in technology and that nowadays it can help and hurt us. The Times article shows how technology can help us and that is it ultimately a good thing how far we have come to not only make us feel better, but could in a way help deal with a disease. This new technology also gives us the chance to be seen out in the world and possibly be offered a job. Multiple people nowadays have become known all over the country, if not the world by having their photos, or videos go viral. New phones also give people a chance that want to take a picture but do not have a “camera” on them and could possibly create the perfect picture.
The Parody, on the other hand, may show us how technology could hurt us. I think that the video helps show a point that “It does not matter how much fun you are having, but how much fun it LOOKS like your having on social media.” The video mainly focuses on pictures of food because that is a very popular subject with many people in the generations with the new iPhones. This is also true along with all social media on the internet. It almost gives younger people false hope, or a differently reality. Im not saying this is always a bad thing because like i said before, this may help some people deal with problems, or help them feel better. But when you are judged on how many “likes” or “favorites” your picture or statement gets, there is something definitely wrong with society. Also having all these social medias at your fingertips, does not necessarily help.
Although i see both sides of the argument whether new technology and new phones are seriously helping us as a society or hurting us, i lean more towards that they are hurting us. I think all this should be used as tools. Having cameras on the new phones are a huge tool in a lot of work areas, including photography. There is nothing wrong with using it as a tool, but once it gets into the wrong hands, being able to “quickly” snap photos wherever we are could potentially hurt us.
