Ayo Technology

Say I were stranded on an island or was suddenly homeless and there were only three possessions I would bring, the three things I couldn't live without.I would bring my cell phone, my laptop, and my Ipod in a heartbeat. Those are my three electronics I am completely dependent on. There I said. I admitted technology's profound influence on my life. It comes with being part of Generation Y, the Millennials. I even realize that after college while living in a cardboard box(not literally), and writing to make a living, 2 of these 3 electronics will be my chief means of communication/employment, the third solely for entertainment and inspiration purposes.

One of the topics that were discussed in my journalism classes was the rise of online journalism and the Internet's role in shaping journalism. Thanks to the Internet, news is available to us at our fingertips 24/7. Major news networks and newspapers update their websites continuously, often posting updates before they have time to be broadcasted on air. And now, Twitter, which has grown tremendously in popularity in the last few months, has joined the ranks and become a news outlet. Even I have a Twitter account, which I use to follow the latest news on my favorite celebrities as well as friends, Facebook still reigns supreme in friend following for me. Five years ago, Myspace fulfilled that role. Some people still have and maintain both accounts. Some out of nostalgia, some to keep in touch, some just because. Myspace is now used more by musicians and bands to update fans on their latest news. Their fan pages serve that same purpose and Facebook and Twitter essentially do the same thing. What it comes down to is that these three sites are social networking sites that share the ability for people to connect and communicate.

What I say I'm addicted to Facebook? It depends on how you define a Facebook addict. I visit the site and check my profile every day. It's usually one of the first things I do when I go online. Am I a junkie who can't go without my daily Facebook fix without feeling a sense of social disconnection? Yeah, I am. Even though I have text messaging and AIM to keep intouch with my friends, Facebook provides the kind of updates that text and instant messages can't fulfill. Facebook answers the "what's up and what did you do today's" for you. And for those people, who spam your news feed with hourly updates, there's Twitter, where one can feel no shame in being a status whore.