Artifact 2

William Powers' book Hamlet′s Blackberry: A Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age starts by explaining how people are constantly on their phones without even realizing it. He was inspired to turn off his phone because of the people around him that didn't have phones. I have never realized how often I check my phone even if I didn't hear it ring. I rely on my phone for communication usually through texting, but occasionally phone calls. Powers began by studying paper which is interesting because his book is about the new technology that has replaced paper. He states that paper is "eternal" because it will always be used, just not as often as it used too. So many people are connected with their cell phones, sometimes they take advantage of the privilege it is to own a great piece of communication.  He uses some of Shakespeare’s language which is why he cites Hamlet in the title because it was recorded on paper.  In his search for answers Powers’ searched through history to read material from other philosophers and thinkers during times throughout history when great technological change occurred.  This includes among others Emerson, Thoreau, and Socrates and he searches for references to the changing connectedness.  I thought it was very interesting to think about how philosophers from as far as two thousand to two hundred years ago were discussing how a greater sense of connectedness from the world was changing the way they lived.  The most substantial example for me was the post office example that Thoreau mentioned people’s reliance on going to the post office to hear from their correspondents constantly.

 These days, when people receive letters in the mail, it is more meaningful than receiving a text. Letters take time to write out and it feels as if the person took time out of their day to write you.   There is also a sense of more permanence when you receive a letter, as opposed to a text, which will get deleted once your inbox is full. Sometimes people are not able to use the phone so letters are a good alternative. I have a friend that is at boot camp right now and I received a letter in the mail the other day. It was one of the best feelings ever to hear from him again after over a month of no communication at all whatsoever.  I will not be able to see him for 6 months so letters are the only form of communication between the two of us. Even though people use phones as their main form of communication, it is not always possible.  Another advantage of paper records is they are useful for recording history and although electronic data can be used to do this as well, it’s hard to know how sustainable these records will be as opposed to written paper records.  Overall I found it very interesting to think about how technology has changed the interconnectedness of our communication with one another over time.  This does not just apply to the cell phones and other modern gadgets, but written alphabets, printing presses, and the internet have al radically changed the era that they were invented in.