Week 6: The Power of Change.

I'm back! Another week and another class to blog about. I apologise for the late update as I had issues with my laptop, but it's all fixed now so what exactly was week 6 about? Paul was showing us the future and how it's going to effect our world, and what we must do as young persons hoping to tackle the creative industry in order to survive.

The Big Question.

Lesson 6: The Mobile Visual Environment

I'll be honest here, during the class I wasn't 100% sure what exactly Paul was trying to teach us with this lesson. Throughout he was showing us fancy futuristic gadgets that were hiding in the market like an enthusiastic child with a new toy, so we all walked away looking where we could buy a 3D printer following a similar fashion. But looking back at it nearly a week later, I noticed that he was trying to enthuse us to get involved with such things. To embrace our future and the changes to come because otherwise we're going to get left behind. Technology will wait for nobody.

We were taught and somewhat shown that we, as a society are at the tipping point.  We're on the edge of diving into something incredible, and everything that is involved in our everyday lives will follow through with this idea if we like it or not. We must think about the consequences of our actions and not be so rash in our decision making because one day it might not just effect you, it could effect everyone around you.

Talking about everyone around us..

I'm sure you haven't really noticed, unless you're a science enthusiast, that Scientists still refer to 'us' and our world as an 'environment' when technically this isn't true. Not any more. The internet has connected us in so many varying ways that Paul believes we should now be called on 'ecology', because we are connected to everyone and just about everything. Technology has allowed us to break so many barriers and shed light on so many secrets that we never knew before. Somebody in Denmark can talk to somebody in Korea, or anywhere else in the world if they wanted to!

Now, to the older generation this is a scary concept. I can certainly understand why. There comes a near-balancing amount of risks when you use the internet for anything AT ALL, I remember my parents telling me all the time that I shouldn't be using my computer so much. I was told to go outside and 'get a life' by so many people but in fact, I'm not ashamed to admit, the internet gave me a completely new aspect on life. Suffering from slight social anxiety, I found myself able to open up a little more online and in turn that helped me open up in reality.

It is because of that fear the older generation is being left behind as the world progresses without them. They don't accept how incredible the internet can be, and that is an issue because they do not accept this change in our lives.

But it's not just their generation..

Quite possibly the best invention ever.

As Paul showed us various gadgets being invented like the 3D printer (that will basically make any object you desire), Google Glass (places a virtual filter over reality, we're controlled by the net!) and The Pebble (A watch connected to your phone via blue tooth) among a few examples, I couldn't help but feel scared for what the future holds for our world. A lot of my classmates thought it was incredible and in a way it is, however I'm more concerned for the lack of privacy. In terms of progression, there is no doubt it will hit up like bricks but we will adapt because that's what has happened for years! 

As I don't want to end up like the previous generation, and be scared of the technological age, I'm certainly going to try and accept the change because as I've said it's going to happen with or without me. There's no point trying to run from it, it's fate!

However, we are getting to a point where the old is mixing with the new in order to progress even further. Analogue is mixing with digital so we can reach a point in our ecology that is scary yet incredible, like the massive drop on a roller coaster! A simple example of this is an app. for the iPhone called 123D Catch, which takes 40 pictures of an object and then recreates it as a 3D model on your phone within seconds. Yes, it's really that easy! Anybody can do it, you don't have to know any of the tools or the programs. Just take a few pictures and you're done. Scary isn't it? Of course it is, but it's also something magical.

So to finish..

We should embrace the progression of technology because if we like it or not, it will happen. I was scared about the entire idea at first, and I still am to an extent but I am also excited about what lies ahead of us. I'm not sure which one balances over the other but I'm sure I'll find out in due course. In order to help the future generations to adjust to these changes some type of programming needs to be included in the early stages of education in order to make it a priority. Kids are growing up not knowing the important things about IT and programming and it's leaving them behind because THAT is how we are progressing and THEY are the future so it's time we act!

In closing, just a word to the older generations that are so scared of technology. Don't be! It's part of human nature to push as far as we can go, so why be limited by our own fear? You never know what you can achieve when you're limited by such doubts. Live a little, I guess? Live a lot, embrace change and watch this space for next weeks update!

Until next time. :)