The
name Cyborg or
Cybernetic Organism used refer to a comic book hero who exhibited super
strength, advanced technology, instant weaponry, genius-level intelligence,
control over technology, computer hacking and teleportation after having mechanical
modifications done to his own body (DC Comics, 2011).
(Betts,
2015)
Today
it is becoming more common to refer to Cyborgs as a person who lives on a
social networking site such as Facebook. “It may be difficult to determine
where the human leaves off and the software begins (McNeill, 2012).”
Just
writing this blog I regularly flick between my word doc and my automatically
logged in Facebook account to check what has happened in the last 5 minutes
since I last checked it. This terrible habit often rules my life and I have now
found that if I do not have my phone beside me or know its exact location I begin
to worry, it’s almost like I have lost one of my cyborg limbs.
In
the 20th century nearly everyone owns a smart phone, this gives them
constant access to nearly everything which can be accessed on a computer. We are
connected to our technology devices and it has become habit with many people to
flick through social media every couple of hours or minutes just to see what the
latest news in cyberspace is.
However,
these habits we have formed can be seen as extremely bad manners if they were
to be performed whilst sitting down with company or talking to another person.
Although my family does not sit at a dinner table, when we do, my mother is
constantly repeating the lines “Stop being rude and put your phones away.” Sadly
this has become the case for many families, our connections to social media
have started to become a large part of our lives and it is hard to know where
the real world differs from the virtual one anymore.
References
DC
Comics. (2011). Cyborg
Retrieved from: http://www.dccomics.com/characters/cyborg
McNeill,
L. (2012) Project Muse. There Is No “I”
in Social Networking Sites and Post
Human/Biography,
volume 35, issue 1, pp.
65-82. DOI: 10.1353/bio.2012.0009.
Betts,
A, (2015, March 24). Connected Experiences: Digital & Content
Transformation
Retrieved from:
http://marketingland.com/connected-experiences-digital
Your perception of modern cyborgism not just as a behavior but also as an extension of our physical bodies (Phones and laptops being limbs) is an interesting concept that definitely merits more consideration in modern society. Have you considered where this concept will continue to develop? There has been a big fanfare over developments in technology like the google glasses, which become not only accessories that we carry around but extensions of ourselves and the person we want show to the world (I consider this concept in relation to how fashion alters our perception/judgment of people we see.).
ReplyDeleteYou mention that the virtual world is starting to blur the lines between reality and cyberspace. This is a prominent phenomenon that becomes obvious when going out to some places such as restaurants that will offer free or additional services/goods for being tagged on facebook. Do you think though that there will be a rebellion against this way of life? Already many young people and older citizens have given up facebook because they feel that it detracts from ‘real’ social life. Is there a chance that this anti-virtual life movement might gain traction and we might find more balance between the real and cyborg components of our life?