Learning to Live within the Digital Age

Early Years - Before Social Networking 

In 2009, I graduated at London South Bank with Hons Degree in Game Cultures. 3 years prior that, I had studied fine art. During that time, I was free from having to use any social networking. As I generally wasn't interested and hadn't grasped the concept of what social networking was. At least not one that of which required you to navigate around a website, which sounds ever more absurd. 

Needless to say that I hadn't the need for a smartphone either, since they were overpriced and which for what was then, which is now known to be less optimised and being a luxury item for its time, it wasn't necessary. 

Remembering, while still at Art College, I followed a strict routine, the time that I would sleep and get up was set and carried out. Being a college student meant that you had very little time to socialise, and with anytime that was not spent either eating or sleeping was given to improve your craft. I manage to be quite successful in this area in that with the course of 18 months; I kept up the challenge set out by my then Art Teacher to draw everyday, this ultimately lead me to be a very competent artist. 

Each session purified my mind, filtering my thoughts. It allowed me to freely express myself the way I wanted without distraction. I was grateful for that. Finding the peace in the act itself with either painting or drawing, infatuated with mastering a technique that was solely mine. 

It wasn't till University till I started to use digital mediums. Relentless hours spent,  In facing the writing essays or be it in using a computer for digital painting and 3D modelling, level design work; taking hours to process and despite torture, it was hugely rewarding. I was reliant on a computer and the software that allowed me to manipulate time and space for me. 

Introduction to Social Networking

My first encounter with Social networking sites was from a classmate of mine. I remember him being so occupied on the site that I too was curious of it. I had then learnt that it was Facebook

Moments afterwards, he asked whether I use Facebook and whether I wanted to connect. I told him that I had the slightest clue what to do and was therefore uninterested.

Two years later, I felt the pressure of having to make a Facebook account to be able to share photos that were taken on a holiday trip. I remember the positive feelings of creating one and seeing the photos live online. The feeling to connect with people that I traveled with also drew me to social networking. I never looked back after that.

Joining Facebook at an early stage, I have seen its transformation. From its very early infantile stages to its progresses changes, it has been something that people have had to adapt to. With some casualties along the way, merely with the disapproval of the changes. Those that chose to continue using these sites adopted these changes. Such changes are now templates for other companies to follow and use. 

Semiotics 

One of the many aspects of studying Game Cultures was that it gave me the freedom to design the game that I loved to play. With the intention of designing games as intuitive as possible, it took me into studying semiotics. Design with a purpose and apply it with flow. 

In video games, we tend to discuss of flow to be one, if not the most important thing in video games, though this is always debatable with the genre type. What falls into this category is the level design and the ability to supply the player a  learning curve and only through persistent gameplay will you learn.

Introduction to smart phones

When I first encountered a smart phone, I was totally taken away with its abilities. What seemed to  struck me was its size and what seemed to be a miniature computer.

For many reasons, I didn't feel the need to have a smart phone till late 2010 and by that time, smart phone was pretty much easily accessible, different models such as Android as well as Apple was available on the market which made what is now a very competitive smartphone market. 

There were certain elements which I did find that was very useful to and for which I decided to get my very first smart phone. 

The idea that I would never be lost, that I would never disconnect from friends and family and more importantly, that I was always online. I had the internet in my hands and with a processing chip that was as fast as my powerful PC. I too felt powerful. 

How the Digital World has affected my Life

Over time, I grew distant from my X-Box. My relationship with my Fiancée opened up another world for me. I was never disinterested in video games, more so, I was engaged with social affairs.

Video games are addicted, spending countless hours playing and completing something of a 13-20 hour worth of gameplay and in some cases, even loosing weekends to, which was easily done. Though with its insanity, also came its positives. I was conscious of how much exercise I was receiving, the food that I consumed, mainly because I was spending ridiculously long hours playing video games.  Though,  what I don't tend to contemplate much nowadays, was the sheer amount of relentless hours in front of the TV screen battling monsters and solving puzzles. To fully complete a game was no easy task. 

Of course, I was aware of the seamless design that these games offered to its players and in many ways I wanted to be taken away into a world where I am familiar with, explore and conquer. To feel good about myself of achieving what seemed the impossible. Something that only the player will know and understand. It also gave me means to study video games and to learn how to think like a video game designer. Only the more you play will you no longer be surprised by its designer. Also an incentive for designers to create new games, new challenges. 

As smart phones became easily to access, so did social networking. Be it that you use Facebook, Twitter, Google Hangouts or even WhatsApp. What we shared is the commonality of interests. We look to share and also receive media from others. 

The thing about social networking is that it doesn't require you to fully immerse yourself for 13-20 hours. Rather, you come and go as you please, just enough time for you to read through what you have missed out on for the pass 10 mins and which by Twitter's standards, that could be a lot of 'News' to catch upon. 

Though, with the good also comes the bad. Free distributed media tends to lead to ads, which in a world that we live in now, seems to be the key to everyones soul. How strange it is to compare my days while I was still playing video games or even to that when I was very happily spending my days painting. In many ways, they are just collection of memories. 

With the world moving as such a fast pace, the pressure to be caught up with the latest mobile phone chips to your latest data services has never been so prevalent. The feeling of being left behind or to feel alienated. So instead, we all join into a mass grave site, already dug up for us, waiting for us to lunge ourselves into the pit. 

My smart phone provides a seamless transitions, that helps distracts my intentions of focus. I am not in control and I carry my mobile phone with me like an infectious disease.

Now a days, it seems as though that despite all my efforts, I am always drawn towards these social network sites with absolute no direction or purpose. One thing leads to another and before you know it,  hours are burnt; weekends over and Monday is hanging over you. All I feel is underachievement. 

How I am countering that right now

What it is that I am suffering from is real and I know that by removing myself from my smartphone will I be able to slowly ween off social networking sites. 

My efforts so far:

1. Replacing my smart phone for a feature phone

2. Installing  Focus Keeper App 

3. Disabling notifications 

4. Using my smart phone as a miniature computer