Navigating the Digital Waters

I really liked the video that Professor Burton had us watch for class this week. These people had a variety of homemade devices that enabled them to explore space, a frontier that is not fully conquered by man and probably never will be. We can similarly explore a frontier that has not been fully mastered: the online digital world. It is interesting to me that the web was created by humans, but now it has taken on its own life form and has almost outsmarted us in a way. It is ludicrous to think that you can become proficient in every type of technology. However, it is possible to become knowledgeable about a variety of different programs in order to be competent in the professional world. I have a few thoughts about how to go about doing this and why it it is so important.

1. How do I begin to explore the digital waters? Honestly, word of mouth is huge in this area. If multiple people are aware of a new technology, site, or app, then it is worth investigating to see what the hype is about. Another way is to find businesses that you are familiar with and see what kind of progress they are making on the technology front. For example, I really rely on Google Drive for my school work. When I downloaded the Google Drive app to my phone, I was able to have all my documents in the palm of my hand. I can check or make edits to things whenever I need to. It's great! There are also websites that recommend sites and apps to check out. Forbes puts out a Top 10 Apps to download. Here is one that focuses on business apps.

2. Why is it important to explore the possibilities in technology? My opinion is that the business, human interaction, politics, communication, and pretty much everything in the way of progress is globalizing through the web. The video below explains the global effects of spreading technology. I think that becoming proficient and knowledgeable is not only smart and helpful for our lives, but it is about to become necessary for our professional lives (if we're not there already). It will enable us to make significant changes worldwide. As Jared Cohen says, "What happens online has real world consequences, and what happens in real life has real online consequences." Accepting and embracing the possibilities in digital culture now will benefit us in the future as we go on to make a difference in the world.