SXSW 2012 - Disconnecting the Dots: How Our Devices are Divisive

Disconnecting the Dots: How Our Devices are Divisive
Event	Interactive 2011
Format	Solo
Organizer	Roy Christopher – University of Texas at Austin
Description	We drive cars to the gym to run miles on a treadmill. Inclement weather notwithstanding, why don’t we just run down the street? The activities are disconnected. We sit in close physical proximity with each other and text others far away. The activities are disconnected. Technological mediation creates a disconnection between physical goals and technology’s "help" in easing our workload. There are at least two types of disconnection enveloping our days: one between ourselves and our environment (e.g., pumping water vs. pumping iron) and one between ourselves and each other (e.g., individual distraction vs. global connection) with technology wedged in between in both cases. If our culture is essentially technology-driven, then what kind of culture emerges from such disconnections between our physical goals and our technologically enabled activities?
Questions Answered	How does technology divide us? How does technology bring us together? How do we maintain a proper tension between the two? What kind of culture are we creating with what we're using and designing? How does this affect the process of designing/choosing our technology?
Level	Intermediate
Category	Social Issues
Tags	Mobile Apps, social media, Web 3.0

Disconnecting the Dots: How Our Devices are Divisive