Facebook, and the Destruction of Social Interaction.
I am a 22 year old, Trinidadian Industrial Design student at the SCAD, University for creative careers. About a year and some months ago I was introduced to Interaction design (IxD). I fell in love with it and quickly made it my minor. I began researching and writing intensively about my thoughts and ideas. As an upperclassman, I started preparing myself to leave. The big question was... leave with what? I currently run my own design business "aMorle Designs" and I am the co-founder of "SML Clothing" a joint collaboration with SISTM Mental Wear (Nicholas La Touche). My best friend Dan and I are in the process of creating his graphic novel... Verdacomb. He is a senior here at SCAD so he is working on his final animations for the graphic novel. I will be working on backgrounds and helping him with some concept work when he needs it. He is a hard worker and its coming out pretty sweet >>> check it out here @ DA Dan Berry's Portfolio Hopefully by the time he graduates we would start a creative venture of some sort. I choose not to give any details on that aspect because its a big deal for us. The idea is basically fusing all our companies into one collaborative energy strain. A conglomerate.
I always knew I was different, I knew this because I was observant. I believe that's what brought me to design. Observation, ubiquitous fascination with my surroundings, interaction with fellow man and studying/understanding culture. At SCAD I was immersed in an environment with creatives, just like myself. It provided an atmosphere that solidified my purpose.
As a designer it is my mission to revive the world of its faults, problems and mishaps. We are the architects of the new world. Currently we live in a world that is very destructive. It has reached a point where I have heard mention of mass genocide for balance of mankind, reoccur in conversation! These were conversations with intellects, men who thought. Although my views may have been different I was relative to their point. However we have destroyed enough... There is no point in eradicating the populous for it to be repopulated. We have to deal with the situation at hand.
If you have been living under a rock or on some desolate mountain top you are probably not aware of the global economic crisis. This is a problem, a problem that stems from greed and control. Mankind is no longer free. What makes matters even worse is what these "passions" have done to the human genome... We have become violent, selfish, individualistic and to a point, unapproachable. We live in a society where education is not encouraged. Hence the masses are ignorant. The Greeks believed that man was a slave if he was not educated, he was not considered free, incarcerated by the little that he knew. It took a while for the world to accept the earth was round. The issue of race has been discovered a years now, however we still try to categorize... even though there is only ONE race... the Human race. A race of species that are differentiated through ethnic variation. People somehow try to prove that we are different. This is because of ignorance.
Ignorance has made it possible for us to display our entire life for the world to see. Ignorance is what makes people feel comfortable with being ignored in conversation. Ignorance is what led us to powder up our profiles so we could have more ignorant friends we don't even talk to. Ignorance keeps us addicted... it feeds us... keeps us up at early hours of the morning. Ignorance distracts us from tasks at hand. IGNORANCE has trapped us in a virtual world neglecting the real world. The point I brought up earlier about mass genocide... This is essentially the same. A genocide of human consciousness.
In the year 2011. In this overpopulated planet, with our resources reaching the fringe. There is an epidemic that is far greater than anything... Its almost like a plague. We are losing our ability to interact. We no longer value experience in the real world. Appreciation has leveled itself down to a "like button" on the bottom right hand side of a picture, text or video. Why do you like this? Who know, who cares. When I tell people my best friend and I deleted facebook, the first reaction I get would probably have to be a gasp. Followed by a series of questions such as... "So how do I contact you?" or "How can I keep up with your designs?" I simply reply... "Exactly the same way you used to do it before facebook...email, text or how about a call so I can hear your voice and interpret your feelings better. You want to keep up to date with my status... There is twitter... You want to see my artwork, there is Deviant ART.
Facebook is like a cellphone with too many apps that has poor reception. In essence the primary function of the phone is clouded with useless peripherals. Facebook has always been a tool. And should be treated like one. I have realized that other sites have a purpose just as great or even better and more fulfilling than Facebook. Take twitter for example... Yes you can post a mindless random status however... I keep myself updated by following the news, thinkers, designers and creatives. Its also not something I can see myself getting addicted to... why? because it does one thing...relate your status. Now lets look at the interaction design of deviant art when you "favourite" (equivalent to the like button) something you are prompted to post a comment. That allows the user to explain why he/she liked the artwork, give feedback, relate or appreciate that piece. This is how virtual communication should be. as close to reality as possible. Things that actually affect you in the real world. Imagine an app or site connected to a pipe stream over your garden. Where you can water your plants at home from the office. Keep tabs on your orchids. Never have to worry about them drying up when you travel.
Please don't get me wrong. I am not telling you to delete your account... That's up to you. I find it amusing that people blatantly subject themselves to disclosing all their information. That information is being used, traded and monitored. If you pay close attention to your emails, ad banners and icons you slowly begin to realize that they all relate to you. You are a design student. You are going to see design ads... You live in Savannah you are going to get spam titled Hot Savannah Singles!!! You just got engaged...wedding ads from "House of brides" appear... No one really takes this into consideration, but this is a clear indication that you are always being watched. So go out and live life, read a book, travel, meet new friends and most importantly... THINK!
- Alix Morle
