Time, Technology, and Play: Exploring the Digital Worlds That Connect Us
The ideal view of technology as a way to propel humanity to a brighter future has permeated science fiction since the genre’s conception. But just as prevalent recently is the anxiety regarding new discoveries in various tech fields. The dystopian and utopian view of humanity’s future all ties back to technological development.
The interesting part about both approaches to tech is that they all tackle a similar theme having to do with time. These stories may talk about the overabundance of free time caused by AI supplanting the human worker. They may also deal with the lack of free time caused by a declining economic sector. Both stories resonate with a modern audience in some ways.
Considerations regarding time is an important factor in daily decision making. Adults often make the mistake of leaving downtime for themselves. We view entertainment as childish and wasteful. But many experts have shown that setting aside a few hours for play is key to a happy and healthy life. New digital landscapes can help us build a future where we have time for work and play.
Online Platforms Are Changing Everything
Younger people who are just entering the workforce are beginning to see an unfair distribution of working versus entertainment hours. Many have no time to see their friends or enjoy their hobbies because so much of their day is spent working. The eight requisite hours of work are not all there is. Many have to travel to and from their office, an endeavor that may take a couple of hours in and of itself. It is not hard to see why so many are giving up on their social life.
But that is where digital platforms have come along to change everything. Online entertainment has become the new normal. It has had an impact on most major industries imaginable. Everything from film and television to casinos is now digital. Canadian gamblers are all too familiar with the burgeoning iGaming industry. The new bill has made it possible to see how much Ontario players love Casino Days and other websites like it.
Digital entertainment seems to be the future of film and television as well. Streaming services have made the theatrical experience obsolete in many ways. People will undoubtedly visit cinemas in the future of course. But it is no longer necessary for one to attend the premier of a film in person in order to see it. Most of the big blockbusters come to streaming within a few weeks of being released. Most people will be able to see them at home while discussion surrounding them is still fresh in the public’s mind.
Social Media is Building Connections
We would be remiss if we did not address the effects that social media is having on entertainment and social interactions as whole. When websites like MySpace and Facebook first hit the scene many were worried about the implications. Some of the older generations believed that interacting through these platforms may put younger generations in harm’s way. But it seems that the opposite ended up coming into fruition.
Social media today has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on culture. The big benefit of these platforms is that they’ve helped millions of strangers from all over the world connect in a very real way. More than that, they’ve also been able to keep friendships alive over years or even decades. Films that predate the internet often depict moving on to college as the end of a relationship between a young couple. But with social media that does not necessarily have to be the case.
There is an obvious downside to this connectivity that we must bring up. That being the criminal activity that often takes place on the internet. Technological improvement unfortunately means that cyber attacks are on the rise as well. Major security and law enforcement agencies have warned about the drastic rise in digital crime primarily targeting younger people. It is mostly young people that take social media and the digital landscape for granted. That is why so many hackers and identity thieves target new generations. It is important to educate oneself about the dangers of the internet; and how to fight against them.
The Technological Impact on Entertainment
Technology has had a profound impact on all walks of life. It is apt to describe the current century as the digital era. Medical technology has progressed to such an impressive degree especially. Humans live longer lives on average than at any point in our history. But longevity is about more than just living a long time; or at least that is how most people nowadays feel. Entertainment is a big part of living a fulfilling life. The great news is that tech has had a profound impact on the sector.
We brought up streaming before in this article. But few realize just how incredible the technology that enables live streams is. It is not just possible to watch film or television shows from your home. It is also possible for anyone to broadcast themselves on the internet and talk or play a game with a larger community. What may seem silly to some has become a huge online market. Twitch and YouTube streamers have managed to build followings that number in the millions.
It isn’t just streaming that is changing the way we engage with modern entertainment. Virtual reality has a pretty big role to play as well. VR was once firmly placed in the realm of science fiction. But many of the greatest inventions in the 21st century once only existed in the minds of the great sci-fi authors. The early headsets did not live up to the imagination of many gamers. But new improvements in tech have made it possible for virtual reality games to reach their full potential. The technology is also being used in the tourism sector. Some of the best museums around the world have begun offering VR tours for those who cannot attend in person.
