Sometimes I look back to our previous years, just to learn, what have been changed, which parts are still stagnant, is there any new phenomenon that will continue in the upcoming years?, etc
After around 1995 when mobile technology and internet were growing vastly, this world become both exciting and worrying. I remember in 2004 when I was sitting in my school library and making testimonies on Friendster, suddenly I received invitation to join FB from my senior. With a high curiousity, I accepted it, soon FB took important role to make the world flat.
Then there it goes another social media, every year or probably months. News, informations, knowledge, (almost) everything is on our fingertips. Journals, articles, analyses from top thinkers are suddenly accessible. Cool, isn't it? Jawdropping growth.
10 years after the breakthrough of social media platform, I look at the newsfeed with both excitement and bitterness. In 10 years I have subscribed and glued onto different social medias, to name a few : Path, FB, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, youtube, Gplus. In 10 years, I am witnessing many social and political movements, changing the shape of our world.
Uprising in Middle east, Occupy wallstreet, Indonesian presidential election process, Hongkong movement, Israel-Gaza conflict, etc.
Suddenly we crave to become the actor of change, commenting, debating, cursing people that we do not know in person (but they seem guilty though). Fingertips. Meanwhile, capitalism is now going left, by stating more concern to social good, corporate social responsibility, many millenials engaged with social and development jobs. Thank you for this equal access to information.
I remember my childhood around early 90's, I was one of the student who did not have a land-phone. If I forget my homework, I should walk outside to the public phone and made call to some of my friends. I was 9, I think. There were not so many distractions. I was very focus with my class, my drum-band group, my friends who always thought I was a crazy person in class.
Yet in 1998, I sat in front of television all night. There was a huge shift in Indonesian politic, Reformasi. My college student brother was not coming home for days during that time, joined the student march. There were less speculations compare to recent presidential election in 2014. Everyone patiently wait for the news provided by few television channels and no internet to place our own theories and share it carelessly to others.
Are these huge connectivity among people tear us apart? Yes and No.
Fingertips previously used to point people on his nose, now, we use it on our touch screen device. We use exactly the same finger to judge, to critic, to blame. I know some people do it differently and wise enough when using the access but we need some to become majority.
I used to crave for newest headline, trends, you name it. Until I realise that I lose time to observe, think thoroughly and analyse, like I did before. Suddenly I felt really difficult to write, because I drowned to other people thoughts, other people life.
For my own good, I am considering information diet now, filtering timeline and newsfeed, wait for any stories in the headline to be developed further, to obtain more facts than opinion or assumption, and log-out from particular social media. Most of the time, the headline, the news, the food that other people share are giving tiny significance for today nor tomorrow.
People share to feel good about themselves, or people share because they find the information is useful for their audience. We create our own reality show for people to watch or for our own memories. I don't know where I am now, you know better.
Trying to opt my fingertips out to take control, to give mind a proper space to think, to explore, to analyse, and to feel. Big hope for the habit shift thus I can have more time to write, read, and travel. :)
Well I write this for my own good, if you suddenly read this, I think you can consider it as a fortune.. xp. Do warn me if I betray this oath.
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