I think this video is seriously exaggerating the problem. Probably it's to get the point across, but still, I see lot of people commenting (e.g. on my Facebook wall) that "it's an accurate description of what's happening". It's not.
Also, I'm not really worried. I see connected computers and smartphones as extensions of my mind, an exocortex if you like. I welcome them taking bigger part in my life. There's a risk of people getting too obsessive with their use of technology, but I really think this will level out with time. Right now it's novelty effect.
But I might be biased. I'm addicted to computers since being 9. ;).
Well, I'd argue that if people recognize it as something that is happening, you need to provide some evidence that they are wrong. Why would they 'lie' about this?
My personal experience is that this video is quite accurate. I'm both fascinated and annoyed to an increasing degree to constantly see everyone around me either 'not present' because they're busy with their phone, or 'half-present' because they're putting the phone between them and their experience (taking photos, recording video, etc.).
I'm relatively lucky that I'm in the age bracket that is sort of between these things, where many of my close friends have 'dumb' phones and less of the incessant need to record everything for posterity.
But it still bothers me when, at least four times in a two-hour span, one particular friend of mine checks his phone and interrupts a conversation to answer a text message that is not time-sensitive. I don't really see the point, and it breaks up something nice.
It's even worse when I observe my sixteen year-old sister. She's constantly 'whatsapping' with friends, chatting on facebook, playing games on her iphone. My mother worries because she spends so much time doing homework, and she gets stressed out as well, but somehow nobody realizes that it's the constant interruption of meaningless chatter that probably slows her down significantly. I can only imagine what the situation is like for her at school.
Also, I'm not really worried. I see connected computers and smartphones as extensions of my mind, an exocortex if you like. I welcome them taking bigger part in my life. There's a risk of people getting too obsessive with their use of technology, but I really think this will level out with time. Right now it's novelty effect.
But I might be biased. I'm addicted to computers since being 9. ;).