Using MySpace is Teaching you Technology

I recently did the trendy thing to do and got a MySpace account just to see what all the fuss is about. Call me slow, but I’ve never been one to follow the fads like some of the other sheep amongst us. Imagine my surprise, finding that in order to customize MySpace, one must possess or quickly acquire HTML programming knowledge to be able to accomplish the personalization of their MySpace. This is an interesting concept, but who knew it would be so popular with modern pop culture. One would think that the very notion of programming would send most youngsters running at one click of the mouse. Surprise, surprise it turns out to be one of the most popular web fads since instant messaging. That just goes to show you that modern society, whether old fashioned folks like it or not, is more accepting then ever to the notion of a complete computerized update of society. They see technological improvements and they want to see it in use.

With that in mind it makes sense that the youth of today would be so easily persuaded into technical work. Even if they don’t really see it as that, there is deeper meaning. They simply see it as another form of communication, which is quite obviously what the internet was intended for at first. I believe this sort of transition from less to more technology is progressing and increasing pace and scope. The continued perfection and miniaturization of computers from what they originally were has aided in this transition from high-end corporate usage to mainstream culture. And let’s not forget the modern super-computer gaming-systems like Sony’s Playstation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. It’s not quite Star Wars or Star Trek, but we do live in an age of wireless data transfer and handheld personal computers. Pretty impressive technology I think.

For instance, more and more of the most sensitive and personal information a person has is being transferred online these days whether directly or indirectly. Such things as Social Security Numbers, financial access information, credit information, family information, criminal records, and even residency. Identity theft worries and panic attacks aside, practically everything if not completely everything about a person can be found online these days if you look hard enough. Have you ever looked on Google or Yahoo for your name before? Even if your name isn’t very unique just add the state or hometown to it too. You’d be surprised to see how quickly you start finding things about yourself that you never had any idea were on the internet. Even information you wouldn’t want online can be uncovered in a search as simple as that previously mentioned. That instance usually occurs as a result of a third party, perhaps even a company or organization inputting data for records somewhere. Unfortunately this can also happen with malicious or more frequently libelous intent like with blogs, myspace, or forum postings.

That also lends itself to the sort of stigma that was attached to computers for several decades and still exists to a certain extent. Technical work was considered that of the brainy super intelligent, lacking muscular physique, person. Thus the terms nerd or geek is used to this day to criticize those with the computer knowledge that “normal” people fear. The type of person that is a technology junky or a technophile has changed dramatically in the last two decades. Now athletes, movie stars, and popular kids are instant messaging just as much as any computer nerd and maybe even quite a bit more.