22 de setembre 2013

Death of a sickman. World of corporate labels.

These months I have been busy with the problems that derive to new solutions and basically settling in a location I so very prefer. Will be more to that. It is not being easy. At least not for me.
A few days ago, after a night out in the middle of the week I was walking to the Museum train stop via George Street. In one of the corners I saw a bunch of youngsters sitting and sipping, chatting animatedly. It was 1am and I kid you not, at first I thought that the "botellón" trend in Spain had come to the other side of the world.
Silly me! Then I realised it was a bunch of technology thirsty guys and gals waiting overnight in the Apple shop probably for some new version of that closed source software, überdelicate and to me, extremely inconvenient thing.
And I felt sad and sorry for them.
In my last practicum in NZ we had talks about introducing smart phones in class. Some people would like to introduce ipods or ipads or whatever i-thingies they were called.
Surely I defend solutions that help avoid the massive use of paper schools consume. But on the other side, I don't find the i-devices sustainably fair.
I still don't get the apple fever.
Are we so hooked to these design things we don't know we don't really need them?
School introducing i-pads? It is not the idea of a smart tablet that bothers me. Why the apple company, which has a closed source overpriced software? 

What kind of a race are we, that we put this unfriendly technology over real life needs and PRIORITIES! I see backpackers nowadays surviving on noodles and surfing couches all over the world. These new generations though, come i-armed.
The world of communications might have improved. I don't condemn the i-thingies for those in depending what industrial sectors. What worries me is how uniformed we are and how some prioritise them.
Why do we want to make ourselves corporate bitches?
I found Steve Jobs a pioneer. Also over the top and money greedy, but a very creative figure in an analytical world. He was able to connect geekyness with design, making it appealing in simple ways (colours, gadgets, touching and music - combining all knowledge areas to reach any user).
That he made a change in communications, sure. That his contribution, his devices are considered cult items or in the case of education, valid devices, not too sure. The corporate dependence makes me crinch. We are in a way asking to be dependant of corporates and then complaining when our rights are being cut for the sake of economy. If you are one of those who think wider, further from your i-thingie, the non-brain-challenging mass media, the tv programmes and the comfort of that life that goes beyond your basic needs, if you did that, you'd be as confused as I to see a bunch of kids queuing overnight in a shop that sells electronic devices.