Project 3 : Technology Assignment - extra credit assignment (Kim Hye-Jin)

 

The technologies of the 20th and 21st centuries are closely related to our daily life. A day without technology was a new challenge and a very meaningful experience.

Let me introduce the methodology of my project. I chose this Thursday to do the project for the sake of observation because I didn’t have any classes. From morning to night, in chronological order of the day, I observed my life without technology and recorded it in a notebook.
 
The following is the description.
First of all, it's hard to get up in the morning without technology. Usually, I set the alarm on the mobile phone and wake up. However, there was no cell phone alarm, so I overslept until 11 o'clock and woke up.
 
When I usually make breakfast, I make it while watching a cooking video on YouTube. However, I didn't have a cell phone and a computer, so I didn't try new dishes, so I ate my favorite toast which I always make. I was disappointed that I couldn't try a new recipe without the media.
When I usually eat, I watch TV or listen to music through speakers. However, I couldn't use the TV and speakers, so I read a book while eating. It was reading in the morning after a very long time. It was refreshing to start the day with a book, not a media.
After eating, I usually make coffee with an electric coffee pot. I could use electricity, but I couldn't use the coffee pot, so I made coffee by boiling water directly with a pot. I was able to feel the convenience of the coffee pot.
After having coffee, I could use water when I took a shower, fortunately. However, when drying the hair, I could not use the hairdryer which is invented at the end of the 19th century. So it was allowed to dry naturally. With the technology, I can dry my hair quickly and neatly, so I felt the convenience of a dryer.
 
I couldn't use Wi-Fi or cell phone on the subway going to meet my friend at noon, so I went to the meeting place while watching the scenery of the subway. When I got on the subway, I was always busy looking at the inside of my phone, but I saw the scenery after a long time. I could feel the beauty of spring. I realized that I had long forgotten that the subway scenery was wonderful.
 
On the way to a restaurant where I was supposed to meet with my friend, I couldn't use the application to find the directions on my phone. So I looked at the small map I drew in advance the day before and went to the restaurant. If you use the application, you can check your current location, the distance remaining, and the time remaining. However, looking at the map to find the way did not offer any information about other details. I felt that the functions of the application permeate into my daily life.
 
While eating with my friend, I wanted to check the time, but I didn't have my phone, so I wore a wristwatch. The time and date could be checked by just touching the screen of the mobile phone, but it was inconvenient to prepare and wear a wristwatch.
Then, I went to a beautiful café with my friend. I wanted to take some photos but I couldn't take a picture because I didn't have a phone. I usually like to take pretty pictures and post them on my Instagram, but I couldn't. However, rather than focusing on taking pictures, I was able to fully enjoy spending time at the cafe with my friend.
 
When I got home, I started the report assignment. Since I did not have a computer, I wrote and organized the data by hand. Typing with a computer can be done right away, but it takes a long time to do it without a computer, and my hand hurts because I hold the pen for a long time.
 
After completing the assignment, I wanted to send and receive greetings with friends over the phone or via Kakao Talk. However, it was inconvenient that I couldn't reach a friend from a distance because I couldn’t use my phone. I realized that technology has always been backing up my relationships.
 
Finally, the end of the day ends by watching the news on TV, but I couldn't see the news, so I saw the newspaper that my dad bought. It has been a long time since I saw the newspaper, so it felt new.
In addition, I couldn't see Netflix on my computer, so I had a conversation with my family. I felt that I didn't have enough time to talk with my family because I spent too much time using the media. Thanks to a day of living without technology, I had precious time to talk and laugh with my family.
 
The following is an analysis of this day.
It felt like time went slowly because I lived without technology. My eyes were absorbed in the phone, the television, or the computer. But without the technology, I could fully enjoy my time. On the other hand, I realized the convenience of technology. It was a day when I could feel both of the strengths and the weaknesses of the technology.
 
This day was very qualitatively similar to that of the 19th century. I couldn't watch videos on TV, read news on my cell phone, and contact my friends at any time. However, in terms of basic food, clothing, and dwelling, it was a much better life than in the 19th century. Electricity and water were also used in the 19th century. But in the 21st century, it was a much more comfortable day than in the 19th century because it was a little more efficient and convenient.
 
But someone asks me ‘Could we live without our technology?’, I will answer that I can't. This is because there is a lot of preciousness in everyday life that technology brings. Technology improves our quality of life. Although you can survive without technology, you can live more humanly with it. Thanks to technology, we can add music or movies to our daily lives, and we can connect with loved ones more often. Above all, technology allows you to meet friends through video chat even in special situations like Coronavirus. It was a day that makes me realize the importance of technology that I took for granted.