Tech-nono-gy

So while walking to school earlier on, I had an epiphany. Well, not so much an epiphany but a realisation.

Being a media student, I had to learn about technology and new media, and had to constantly be in touch with my creative side - with writing, filming and analysing literature texts.

And especially since I'm your typical Gen Y kid, I am obviously very in touch with the advancements in technology.

I remembered how fun came in a Lego box or a roll of Play-Doh, and not in an electronic gadget that is controlled with a simple touch or swipe.

So it is not a surprise when there were many reports about kids being too overly attached to these gadgets and how they were losing their creative juices.

I always found that to be true, but I just experienced it myself first hand.

And only when you really feel the effects hitting you, do you really think that it IS a problem that has to be recognised.

I was browsing through fashion accounts on Instagram for clothing inspiration.

Before I continue, no, I'm not embarrassed of it. If you know me, you would know that I'm quite a tardy person, and it's because I can't think of what to wear. 

So I follow such accounts on Instagram, or go onto Lookbook, and I even have an album which comprises of styles that I've saved in case of rainy days, which also happens to be everyday.

Oh by the way, I've found the trick to not be late because of lack of ideas on your wardrobe. Just prepare your outfit the day before.

Sadly, I'm usually too lazy and end up not doing that, unless on special occasions or events. So I'm still late for school and outings.

Anyway, my point is, I have gotten so used to just sitting in front of my opened wardrobe, which admittedly is bursting at it's seams, yet not knowing what to wear and just go onto Lookbook to find how to match what.

But today, it had failed me. So I ended up throwing together an outfit which is both comfortable and nice (IMO).

What I'm trying to say here is that what if one day, technology fails us in ways that are much larger than not knowing how to wear my sneakers?

Sure, we will then be pushed to do those things by our own instead.

But will it already be too late?

Will we have forgotten how we did things primally and manually?

Will we have lost our creativity in the process of convenience?

I know that technology has it's perks. Absolutely!

What I've learnt in life is that there's an advantage and disadvantage to everything.

Of course technology has brought great convenience and ease to us. It has also created more ways for us to be more creative.

But it has also made things so much easier that we've become so lazy to actually do things for ourselves. Rather, we wait for people to do it, and we just reap from it.

Think Google. Think Instagram. Think blogshops. Everything.

I'm not saying not to use technology, nor keep up with it. 

That's nuts.

I'm saying, embrace it, but do not let it's disadvantages outweigh it's benefits.

Maybe take a break from playing games on your iPad for a moment and read instead.

For me, I write. Well, type.

This is where I talk about stuff and it gets me thinking. It gives me a wider perspective on things when I write. I discover different things when I do.

I don't know if technology kills our creativity. I don't even know if creativity can be killed or not.

Maybe it can't. Maybe when we grow older, we just simply forget that we still have it.

Or maybe we have blocked it and pushed it into the deepest corner of our mind, and all we have to do is dust it off and release it.

I don't know.

This is a never ending argument with no possible conclusion.

But just know that we have no one to blame for it but ourselves.

We allowed ourselves to fill our time with mindless games and reality shows.

Do not blame it on someone else.

This is directed to people who feel that your creativity is restricted because of our education system.

I mean on a certain level, the education system in Singapore emphasises so heavily on academic that 'fun' subjects like Art are deemed less important.

But just because you doodled on your English assignment when you should have done it during your Art class doesn't mean that people are not creative.

It is also our responsibility to make sure that we're creatively active too.

As parents, you could enroll your kids in Arts lessons, Dance lessons or Music lessons.

As a student, you could choose an Arts CCA.

As an adult, you could partake in activities during your free time.

So I get that Singapore is very academic driven, and the whole discourse of paper chase. But if you're not trying to do something for yourself, don't push the blame to others because it's easy to do.

It is easy to just blame someone else than to get up and really do something.

I'm not condemning anyone for complaining either.

Heck, I complain. A LOT.

Like why do I have so many assignments, on my birthday even, why are they so difficult, why am I so broke.

All I can say to you is, just deal with it. Just fucking deal with it.

I will just have to spread out my work evenly and do them before my birthday.

I seek my tutor's help.

I stop shopping. I'm kidding, I still do. I just stop eating.

Simple?

Because I faced my problems and dealt with them.

So suck it up and stop blaming others and do something.