Is such technology really an essential in our lives? Or is it what we call demand driven technology? If you asked me, the main culprit to this wild goose chase is the media. Obviously, people would never want to buy something which they do not know about. We often see or hear about new mobile phones being introduced into the market and these ads most often painstakingly try to attract consumers. Having such ads being repeatedly shown by the means of mass media, the agenda setting function is too, being at work. The audience, gets the misconception that THIS is the trend and they should get something like that in order not to be ostracized by remaining society. People no longer think of getting they NEED, it is more of what they WANT these days.
Come on, how many of us actually need a mobile phone to stay connected with the internet at all times? Besides those who does not own a life in reality, I cannot really think of any other reasons of having that function. And when will we ever need a phone which allows us to watch movies or any videos for entertainment purposes? We have large LCD screen televisions and movie theatres for all that. Only a fool would stare at a teeny-weeny screen for hours when there are so many other alternative forms of luxurious viewing sensations. However, we seldom negative comments as mentioned in advertisements, this, once again, proves the biasness of the media. Mass media has the ability to take over the minds of the consumers and allow them to perceive what is being portrayed in the broadcasted ads. This may not happen overnight but it alters the mindsets of the audience indirectly and gradually, as said in the cultivation theory.
Spending unecessary money on things that we do not need is being pure wasteful, especially when we are about the go through an economic crisis. People should be careful with what is seen on the media, for some of these messages are biased towards whoever benefits the media and make consumers buy the desired products. Just remember, think carefully before taking a stand and not be a slave of the media!
14 comments:
that is the reason why i am sticking to my totally simple phone. as long as it can call, send messages, everything else is just redundant.
as with almost all things, moderation is key when it comes to the consumption of the mass media. being a discerning viewer helps too in filtering unnecessary information that we may come across. we can't control the propagation of the mass media around us, but we can control how much of it we absorb ourselves.
We NEED it.
I say this because, for instance, one sent an MMS to you and you could not receive nor reply, and just because you thought that SMS is sufficient to your NEEDS and so everyone else should and will accomodate you, but most of them just won't.
Another case is where we say people usually WANT something just because everyone else has that particular same "thing". And so, we say we do not need those unnecessary technology.
Then we're wrong again. Humans do not live alone, ever. If we continue to be indifferent and different, because we thought we are and we could be who we are, we would be "discriminated" and left out. Then, those stuffs previously not wanted nor needed would turn into things that you know you want and you need them, a lot.
I think we need technology. Many times people develop new technology from current or failed experiments. Thus, for all we know, while they develop handphones, they might stumble upon a cure for cancer or HIV? We'll never know.
Moreover, if there are no technological advance, would the world be like what it is now. True enough, advancement in technology does bring about environmental problems, but there are also technology which are developed to solve them.
hmm...you guys could be right there. but i rather stick to my stand, i do not oppose the rapid development of technology. just feel that people should not spend their hard-earned money on things that they do not need, just because advertising is so influential today. also, i feel that people are abusing the use of technology and taking for granted for everything that they already have. this, then leads to the habit of being WASTEFUL in the process of wanting to be tech-savvy.
Definitely not. A phone is a phone - a simple gadget invented to connect people. It started off as a home phone - immobile. Then people on the move need to stay connected. Hence the invention of the mobile phone.
And then we could sms, mms, take photos, listen to music, surf the net- the list just gets longer with sophisticated technology.
Everyone aspires to get the latest model that does more things than one's neighbour's. If we fall into this trap, aren't we all influenced by mobile phone ads?
I think life will be far more meaningful & interesting if we prioritise our spending & use the extras on charity - like the song goes " we maybe saving our lives if we start giving".
To conclude, I agree that its the mindset that needs to be guarded.
-aels
I don't think the media should be blamed for all these craze for new phones. I believe that the media is merely a medium which companies use to advertise their products. The media companies are being paid by retail companies to advertise. Thus, if you want to blame, blame it on the advertisers who are playing with our minds. Media itself should be spared from all these accusations because we CANNOT live without media as a form of communication.
hmm...i get your meaning that the media is not a living thing. the existence of media is because of humans who invented it. you are right that the people behind the screen which is at fault, but isn't it the same thing to say that its the media at fault? since the media is controlled by media companies and so...
to some, technology is something they can't live without. but to me, it is a luxury more than a necessity.
Like Lucas, i myself am using an ancient phone that i've used since army days (Which isn't particularly long ago anyway). Although i plan to get a new one soon, I'm certainly not one who's always first on the bandwagon when it comes to new technology. I'm always fascinated by it, but i usually find myself somewhat reluctant to part with money for something that i really do not NEED right now. So I know where you're coming from when you talk about people wanting it and not needing it.
Having said that, I totally advocate the innovations of new technology because it does make things so much more convenient and i know that someday i will need them, possibly when i go out and work. On a lighter note, new technology can be addictively fun and adds to the "spice" in our lives.
We need some kind of advancement in technology in our world today. Otherwise things will come to a standstill-neither here nor there.
But this so-called sophisticated technology should be for the betterment of the masses in general & not for individual good.
Here we are mostly talking about the simple gadget-the handphone that everybody needs nowaday. It need not be sophisticated because it defeats its purpose for its existence. It just helps to turn a new generation of young people whose whole life just seem to revolve round it- instead of person to person conversation, I have seen some in a group just busy talking on their handphones instead of engaging talk within the group.
See what I mean? It can indirectly alienate people who are suppose to get together.
-agnes
How 'ancient' are those phones used? Without colour? without polyphonic's? I think it should be quite new model.
Moslow's hierarchy of needs (although not all people agrees with it)stated that human's most basic needs is food, place to live etc.. When these things are not a prob anymore, we need what we 'want'. after that, we need love, interllectuality.. It goes higher and higher. It's normal to obtain what we want as long as we can affort it(whenever our basic needs are satisfied).
This occurs from past till now. However, undoubtly, media is one of the accelerator of all these.
My personal view, if we live our life just with the 'basic needs', it doesn't sounds like human.. Basically, the ultimate goal should be what have we done to the society, our family and ourselves before we die.
Hence, fufil our basic needs, and buy some fancy stuff(just some, don't waste too much time), then try to come out with new knowledge (technology, medicine 'new cure', medicure breakthrough!!?LOL, and much more).
Lastly, if the whole society are to go back into the cave become anti-tech, we engineers will just.. sigh.. it'll b a nightmare.
But anti-tech means money become tisu paper (no value), and 'whether it's wasting money' is not our discussion anymore. Hence this won't happens as long as we still like money!
Cheers!
haha, there is no doubt new technology is fun and spices up our lives a little. but sometimes i feel that people get too attached to technology, eg. i was devastated when my rather new phone was stolen because i was perhaps too attached to it (or maybe the content in it).
technology has somehow taken a certain amount of control over our lives that we find it useful and become willing to pay for it. just like hang tee said, humans are very often unsatisfied with what they have and are always striving for better and more advanced material things.
Amanda is being naive again! LOL XD no offence. we are living in a developed country. Telecommunication is important to us we need sohphiticated technology. Internet for example is one, you may think it is not but for someone who lives in the past it is. so We need it no matter what it is what keeps the economy going.
PS: if you guys dont agree with me just shut down the computer , open the dam window and throw your pc out.
<3 -Mr Leong
I believe that technology is created for the purpose to ease everyday living, though some may perceive certain aspects to be a waste or trivial. The applications of science is usually beneficial unless used for the wrong purpose and/or without moderation. In marketing technology, we have to also look at the agenda of the media in "advertising" the goods to the general population and whether the goods are really beneficial to the individual.
I agree with your last statement about spending unnecessarily. At the end of the day, it is the consumer who makes the choice of reason to purchase the piece of technology.
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