Apple and the Cocooning trend

[neildmitchell]

Many have read and/or replied to my thread
"Companies batteling over the living room"

One of the biggest established trends on the market front today, and still gathering momentum, is Cocooning
- the desire to perform the majority of social and cultural interactions (working, entertaining, relaxing, etc.) from home, rather than by going outside the home.

This is the battle over the Living room. This is where and why I feel so strongly that Apple along with others will be introducing ("Apple iBox with Airport remote")or redefining their products, products and services that offer something for everyone, approachable and usable by anyone ("the soccor moms and NASCAR dads and Britney girls, the Halo boys"), available from any room in the house (WiFi) and without leaving the house.

We already have services such as Netflix, Waiter on Wheels, online Grocery Store shopping with home delivery, online shopping, Postal services from home... All these services and businesses moving away from retail store fronts, products and services available online or by phone delivered/picked up to/from the home.

Whats your view on Apple, new unrealeased Apple products and services along with other companies and their products or services and the Cocooning trend ?
How will/has it transform society and social interaction? Have you already noticed a change in social interaction (a rise in ill-mannered people in stores and public, a rise in people you know on anti-depression pills, a rise in people seeking personal spirituality and moving away from traditional religion, or diagnosed with ADD from being over Mediated ...)

 

[_pb_boi]

Did this have to be a new thread?

 

[neildmitchell]

In this thread I am looking to get into how companies, technology, trends, marketing, advertising and consumerism shape/transform people and societies.

Example

An all in on product that will deliver a plethora of goods and services direct to the home (cocooners), is not such a great idea.
Humans are social beings, the disturbing trend of society becoming more recluse, can be more damaging then helpful. People are socializing with inanimate objects (computers), not people, when in a situation of social interaction such as grocery shopping in the real world instead of using the internet, there s a disturbing trend of people loosing their temper with store clerks when the clerk can not offer the shopper a direct Yes/No/Its right here answer......

The rise of Prozac and the other drugs on the market, is depression caused from people not having enough real world social interaction, spending too much time at home, in front of the computer or other appliances (TV)?

What is our opinion on A.D.D. and H.A.D.D, is it a biproduct of Western modern society? Information overload from the constant barage of attention seeking traditional and digital media formats (TV, radio, iPod and other music players, internet, games, magazines, email, cell phones...) Why do we not see A.D.D. as being a rampant problem in other countries such as ?Brazil?

Does technological advancements, bring prople and society closer or father apart. Benficial or detrimental to people,society and the world? Are there any technilogical advancements, that strengthen us or hurt us, if so which one(s) and why?

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

People are socializing with inanimate objects (computers), not people

Kind of reminds me of Chobits... But anyways, I don't see how the development of all-in-one multimedia devices is pushing people towards being less social. Not sure what you're trying to focus on, because the latter half of what you're saying goes towards saying that technology, overall, is affecting people adversely when it comes to social interaction.

Does technological advancements, bring prople and society closer or father apart. Benficial or detrimental to people,society and the world? Are there any technilogical advancements, that strengthen us or hurt us, if so which one(s) and why?

Technological advances do nothing to move people closer together or further apart. They allow for the potential. I would say, though, that most people have used the potential given by technological advances to become closer together, especially in communicating.

Carrier Pidgeon -> FedEx Sameday
Lighting torches on watchtowers -> Cellphones
Mule + Donkey -> McLauren F1
Papyrus -> Hello Kitty Stationary
Rosette Stone -> Google Language tools

It's so easy now to communicate and to move from place to place. I can log onto AIM and chat with several people at once. I can drive to other peoples' houses, instead of spending hours in transit. (a.k.a. walking miles and miles.) However, this is my choice, and my ability to make those choices is given by the potential generated by technological improvements. At the same time, some people choose to watch TV for hours on end. I live in American and it doesn't cease to amaze me how much time Americans can spend in front of television. But that's there choice, and their choice is given by technology's development of the television.

I think it's pretty straightforward. Not complicated, really, in deciding what technology has done to influence society today. I'm just doing what amounts to intellectual masteurbation by going through it piece-by-piece.

 

[neildmitchell]

I wouldnt narrow it down to one appliance, one technology, one service, and it also comes down to how and how much each of those are used throughout each day, week, month...

There was a story on the news a few weeks ago Asking people "Which was the largest group of kids to be expelled from school?" I was thinking 8th grade through high school sophmores. The answer was pre-schoolers, PRESCHOOLERS!
The story was not too in depth, just reporting that pre-schoolers had the highest rate of expulsion in S.F. . In the report the reasonthat led to the kids being expelled was because the kids didnt have the correct social skills required to behave normally in a social setting, wether it be listening to or respecting the teacher or sharing and playing nice with others...

I fear that this may be due to parents using technology as a replacement for social interaction, an outlet for their attention that the parent doesnt want tp be bothered with. Too many times I have seen a kid in a store want their parents attention, and a gadget (like leap frog)is shoved in front of their face to shut them up, or they are already busy in a world or their own with some sort of gadget. While technology such as Leap Frog is great on their own, and may help the kid to learn the ABCs, it doesnt teach the social skills required to function in society. I also feel that TV and DVD is also being used far too often by parents as a baby sitter, and with more and more cars coming equipped with TV/DVD ... Today I just saw a posting regarding Toyota (not a new idea, been a round for many years)

Japan's top automaker sees a declining birthrate and aging population leading to growing demand for robots that can help in tasks such as child care and nursing care, the report said.

Great robots for child care...

So besides kids...

An all-in-one by itself not a big threat, email, Instant messaging,Video chat, PDAs, Blackberries, portable game counsoles, MP3 players, TV, Movies, Radio, Web Surfing, blogs, in car TV/DVD... not a big threat by themselves.

Home delivery service by themselves are not a big threat either, online grocery shopping, Netflix, dowloadable movies....

Add them all together and I think we have a problem. Especially if the trend is cocooning. How much time does the typical office worker spend in front and use a computer, Blackberry, PDA... Then to go home and to be submerged TV, Movies, web surfing, Instant Messaging, video games.... Does the person eat with or without a family, infront of a TV or not, cooks dinner gets food delivery, or eats frozen food.... How much human to human social interaction and/or physical action does that person throught the day get probably not much.

You loose what you dont use. iChat is a great technology, but it doesnt help with required social skills to function normally in society. There is a certain amount of skills that people learn and deveolp throught a lifetime in dealing and interacting with other people. When more and more people rely on technology to communicate or to entertain, then may loose the social skills that are required.

I live in Silicon Valley, and have seen full grown adults throw full blown temper tantrums in a store over really small things, throw books at cashiers, many people bump into others while walking in a store or down the street without apologizing, one person scurried away like a timid mouse after I had asked him if he knew what time it was and proceeded to say while he fleed "Why are you talking to me" These are just a few of my observations.
I see some disturbing social behavior in areas of which I live, and maybe Silicon valley is an annomaly. Is it too much technology?

Technology is becoming a health risk, the Mayo clinic is working on the Office of the Future to help fight health risks and disease because people are using computers way too much and not getting the excercise they need. Rather disturbing that it has come down to people having to be on tred mills at work like hampsters in a running wheel. Too much technology?

Radio chips in Wal-Mart products, Grocery store memberships; tracking your purchases

National Identity Card! Are we doomed to live in 1984 if it is used for the wrong purposes?

Is modern Western society doomed to become Borg (Star Trek)like society.
Where we can not communicate with each other without a computer interface, and the government knows where we are and what we are doing?

Too much technology?

I could keep writing but I will end here for now

 

[_pb_boi]

Kudos to anyone that can work through the 'management speak' of this thread. Sounds like David Brent talking!

As for me; I give up. Not exactly sure what you're getting at, or why it concerns you enough to post

andy.

 

[applebum]

I wouldnt narrow it down to one appliance, one technology, one service, and it also comes down to how and how much each of those are used throughout each day, week, month...

There was a story on the news a few weeks ago Asking people "Which was the largest group of kids to be expelled from school?" I was thinking 8th grade through high school sophmores. The answer was pre-schoolers, PRESCHOOLERS!
The story was not too in depth, just reporting that pre-schoolers had the highest rate of expulsion in S.F. . In the report the reasonthat led to the kids being expelled was because the kids didnt have the correct social skills required to behave normally in a social setting, wether it be listening to or respecting the teacher or sharing and playing nice with others...

I fear that this may be due to parents using technology as a replacement for social interaction, an outlet for their attention that the parent doesnt want tp be bothered with. Too many times I have seen a kid in a store want their parents attention, and a gadget (like leap frog)is shoved in front of their face to shut them up, or they are already busy in a world or their own with some sort of gadget. While technology such as Leap Frog is great on their own, and may help the kid to learn the ABCs, it doesnt teach the social skills required to function in society. I also feel that TV and DVD is also being used far too often by parents as a baby sitter, and with more and more cars coming equipped with TV/DVD ... Today I just saw a posting regarding Toyota (not a new idea, been a round for many years) Great robots for child care...

So besides kids...

An all-in-one by itself not a big threat, email, Instant messaging,Video chat, PDAs, Blackberries, portable game counsoles, MP3 players, TV, Movies, Radio, Web Surfing, blogs, in car TV/DVD... not a big threat by themselves.

Home delivery service by themselves are not a big threat either, online grocery shopping, Netflix, dowloadable movies....

Add them all together and I think we have a problem. Especially if the trend is cocooning. How much time does the typical office worker spend in front and use a computer, Blackberry, PDA... Then to go home and to be submerged TV, Movies, web surfing, Instant Messaging, video games.... Does the person eat with or without a family, infront of a TV or not, cooks dinner gets food delivery, or eats frozen food.... How much human to human social interaction and/or physical action does that person throught the day get probably not much.

You loose what you dont use. iChat is a great technology, but it doesnt help with required social skills to function normally in society. There is a certain amount of skills that people learn and deveolp throught a lifetime in dealing and interacting with other people. When more and more people rely on technology to communicate or to entertain, then may loose the social skills that are required.

I live in Silicon Valley, and have seen full grown adults throw full blown temper tantrums in a store over really small things, throw books at cashiers, many people bump into others while walking in a store or down the street without apologizing, one person scurried away like a timid mouse after I had asked him if he knew what time it was and proceeded to say while he fleed "Why are you talking to me" These are just a few of my observations.
I see some disturbing social behavior in areas of which I live, and maybe Silicon valley is an annomaly. Is it too much technology?

Technology is becoming a health risk, the Mayo clinic is working on the Office of the Future to help fight health risks and disease because people are using computers way too much and not getting the excercise they need. Rather disturbing that it has come down to people having to be on tred mills at work like hampsters in a running wheel. Too much technology?

Radio chips in Wal-Mart products, Grocery store memberships; tracking your purchases

National Identity Card! Are we doomed to live in 1984 if it is used for the wrong purposes?

Is modern Western society doomed to become Borg (Star Trek)like society.
Where we can not communicate with each other without a computer interface, and the government knows where we are and what we are doing?

Too much technology?

I could keep writing but I will end here for now

I see what you are getting at - it is kind of like someone posting long rantings in a forum instead of getting out and have the conversation/debate with actual colleagues/friends.

 

[neildmitchell]

I view that society is depending too much on technology.
Example: A cashier that doesnt know how to give back correct change to a customer, because the register is down and doesnt have a calculator.

I view that technology can be more of a burden on society then not, when restraint is not used.

I am interested in how technology effects social interaction, society as a whole, and the future of western modern society and the world... how companies, technology, trends, marketing, advertising and consumerism shape/transform people and societies.

for this thread I am open to any ideas, thoughts, analysis,observations,debate ... as it relates to technology and society.

 

[applebum]

Half empty, half full

I view that society is depending too much on technology.
Example: A cashier that doesnt know how to give back correct change to a customer, because the register is down and doesnt have a calculator.

Sorry, that is a failing of the education system, not a result of technology. Technology makes much more knowledge available today than was ever available in the past. Lazy kids with poor education/parents will not use the technology unless it allows them to be lazier (calculator example). Technology not only gives more opportunity, it makes things easier as well.

I view that technology can be more of a burden on society then not, when restraint is not used.

See my comments above. Technology is not a burden if the user does not allow it to be. Technology can certainly unburden society. Take a shift worker with no college education. It is now easier for that person to get their degree (online) without having to give up the job. If you choose to only look at the negative, there is plenty to see. But the same is true of the positive. You could choose to only look at the positives of technology, and you would never run out of things to see.

I am interested in how technology effects social interaction, society as a whole, and the future of western modern society and the world... how companies, technology, trends, marketing, advertising and consumerism shape/transform people and societies.

for this thread I am open to any ideas, thoughts, analysis,observations,debate ... as it relates to technology and society.

I see the glass as overflowing, technology is a blessing. Take this forum - I would never have this conversation with you without technology. There are people from many different countries that I have communicated with simply by posting here. They have posted back. My world is bigger now...

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

people are using computers way too much and not getting the excercise they need.

Instead of typing 18 pages, you could be getting laid.

I think that the assumption that you're basing many things on is that technology forces people to react to it negatively. (i.e. using technology to replace natural interaction.) Again, this is not technology's fault. Alot of teenagers spend excessive periods of time playing computer games, missing out on other things. But it's their choice. People can choose to be active as well, and many people do choose that route.

I still don't see the problem with people using all-in-one technologies (even in excess) to become more efficient. I'd like to be able to talk to all of my friends at least once a week. But it's not practical for me to drive to the houses of several hundred people every week. Instead, I can just be more efficient and convey my thoughts through a messenger program. For business, I don't have to meet up with the other managers - I can just use video conferencing or a conference call and we can get matters addressed without a problem. Then with school, smalltalk, and business done quickly, I can hang out at friends' houses pretty much like normal - I doubt that I could do that without technology.

There's this slight assumption that there's a polarity between being tech-savvy and athletic. It's been going on since there were nerds and jocks. But it's really not true. I get home, hop on my computer to chat, make a few business calls, and then go play soccer and do some partying. Then I get home, and I might play a few games if I'm still sober.

More technology = get more work done in less time. Then, you can choose to satisfy yourself with other types of technolgy, or satisfy yourself in other ways like "normal interaction", or have a mixture. And you'll have more time to do what you want, too.

As for the people in Silicon Valley experiencing social-PMS, it might not be from their lack of social interaction. And if it is, it might not be from technology. What was it, ad hoc ergo propter hoc? Don't remember the phrase exactly, but just because "A" occurs with "B", it doesn't mean that "A" is a consequence of "B" - and also that if "A" does occur with "B" and is a consequence of "B", and if "B" occurs with "C", it doesn't mean that "B" is a consequence of "C" which also means that "A" isn't necessarily a consequence of "C". Maybe Silicon Valley has something in their water. Or maybe it's because Arnold is the governator over there. There are too many variables to assess before we can conclude that technology was at the root of the problems.

 

[Sparky22]

It's the habits

I agree with the original post. I also agree that it is not the fault of technology that people become recluses. I also agree that technology can put you in touch with others that you would not have been able to (e.g. in other countries) and that tech frees up your time so spend more of it with friends.

However, I do not believe that this is what happens with many people. I believe that the average person tends to gravitate to what is easiest for them to do and where there are fewer issues to deal with. It is easier to ichat, email and similar than to go to a friend's house . Anonymity and the ability to hide one's true self are very attractive to many. I believe that many will tend to use more of the technology and less of the social interaction; this will result in more of the same; it becomes more of a habit. Look at what has happened with TV! The average person spend far more time watching TV than visiting with other people or similar. Kids are watching more TV and playing video games by far than any other activity. I think cocooning will be same way. It will become habit.

 

[crowndiva]

Scary

People hiding in their homes, never having to leave if they chose not to do so, everythig can be deliver direct to them with a phone call or online, hiding away from society and the world, Collectively communicating with one another through computernetworks, creating their own world and society where the individual is not important. BORG!

I would love to meet the person(s) that made the socio observations visual.

*People working on brain downloads

*Robot workers -replacing humans at work, looking after the elderly and children (Bender from Futurama, surely not)

*Tech companies working on more and more devices&technology, feeding the fire of cocooning, helping people move away from the natural world.
(Why is it that the human race is disconnecting from nature) any Psych or Sociologists out there?

1984 Orwell, cocooning trend, Tech companies, Goverment National Identity Cards, Stem Cell research, test tube babies, nanotechnology, artificial body parts, plastic surgery, robot workers, brain downloads, and on and on, Oh MY!!!