Course MCM 0230: Digital Media

In “What is the Post-Digital,” Florian Cramer describes a phenomenon where the technologies that we use everyday and that essentially define our society will one day be seen as obsolete and will no longer be seen as “technology.” In the case of the typewriter, people were once excited by its newness and innovation, but in this day and age it serves no practical purpose, only used by “hipsters” as Cramer claims, or displayed in a museum. Its identity has completely changed. I remember when I was a kid, I remember playing internet games with my friends over dial-up. Images would take minutes to load, instead of instantly like today, and my connection would disconnect whenever my mom would answer the phone. Yet I was always excited to go online everyday after school. Kids today don’t have to deal with these issues today, and they would view the internet that we grew up with as a totally foreign object. It is fascinating to think that society’s view on dial-up will continue to change, and maybe someday future hipsters may use dial-up or emulate it for its artistic value or to make a social statement. Regardless, in the future, dial-up and modern day internet will take on new interpretations and will no longer be valued for its practicality or technological innovations. It is both thought provoking and scary to think that the technologies that we use everyday are dying and will be replaced.