“As the young grow older, society will fall into complacency.”
Whoa, that’s quite a declaration, Nolan. Are you going to back that up?
Not really—that would take too long. But now that I’ve got your attention, I will make a similar argument. That is:
“As the young grow older, society will suffer, increasingly, from procrastination.”
Good or bad thing? Well, I don’t think anyone would say that procrastination is a good thing, but there are plenty of proponents for anti-procrastination, so…I’d say it’s a bad thing. Regardless of good or bad, it doesn’t matter—it’s happening. Humanity will never change at our deepest core, yet we are finding it easier and easier to procrastinate with each passing year.
This is not a I-can’t-believe-kids-these-days post. I don’t think it can be, coming from a 26-year-old. However, if procrastination is bad, then I have to blame someone for my grand statements, right? Doesn’t there need to be someone at fault?
Sort of. Without making a political statement, I’d say that the indirect culprit is capitalism. That being said, I’m not a political blogger, and the title of this post does not include the word capitalism, so I’ll abbreviate.
Because consumers, i.e., everyone values convenience, businesses do as well. As a result, businesses big and small strive to make products easy to use and accessible in order to compete. In today’s terms, this means that companies will utilize Web sites and phone apps to conform. What does this realistically look like? It looks like the internet. When businesses and their products meet our smart devices, two types of tools have intersected:
- Tools for utility, such as budgeting apps, E-mail, maps, online stores and digital office tools.
- Tools for fun. Social media. Streaming services. Games.
Based on all of this, we can infer that the consumers are going to be brought the cheapest and most competitive concepts—apps, sites, or programs—straight to their phones, tablets, and laptops. These devices will inevitably contain two opposing forces. Light and darkness. Ice and fire. Good and evil. You see what I’m getting at.
Utility and fun. Productivity and entertainment have collided, and they now share the same face.
As a young student, we’re told to write essays or log into an online portal to view lessons and turn in work. These things require technology. After graduation, we’re expected to budget, apply to work, and keep up with news and E-mails. These things require technology.
You know what also requires technology? Facebook, Angry Birds, and Netflix. If we’re not careful, an entire evening can slip by barely straying from our work. You can be using your computer to check emails, pay taxes, attend online universities, fill out forms, and write essays. All while the other, easier side of the internet is mere moments away.
Most people are not so resistant to temptation.
Despite the grandeur of the information era, the internet contributes to an inevitable black hole of time, and humanity will continue to feel its increasing pull as technology progresses. There’s no escaping it by going to another room, the library, or Starbucks. Leaving the country wouldn’t even help.
There we go. I think we have it. Point conveyed.
If you don’t learn computers, you’ll be left behind in this day and age. Yet, all it takes is an Alt+Tab, or a click of the home button, and you’re right there, immediately immersed in your entertainment. The threat of procrastination has never been so real.
I don’t have any solutions for this one. Good luck society.
Go forth and read, my minions.
nolanmcgill.com 