60 years ago, kids spent their free time after school walking to local record shops and listening to the just-released tunes of the 40’s. 25 years ago, the first video stores opened, beginning the era of the family “movie night.” And merely 2 months ago, I was able to visit my local Borders to grab a cup of coffee and browse books by my favorite author, surrounded by a quietly calm ambiance. But none of this is possible anymore. What happened?

Frankly, my friends, the media world has gone through a dramatic growth spurt over the past 30 years. As ways of life became more fast-paced and impatient, the world around us rushed to catch up with the main demand of the current generation: convenience.

With the introduction of new technology such as the Internet, people began taking the fast route rather than the scenic one. However, while new technologies are great for many things, they prevent people from finding the unexpected, change the corporate realm, and interfere with face-to-face conversation.

My dad’s most recent motto has been, “life’s about the journey you take, not the destination.” While at first I was hesitant to give agree with another one of his quirky quotes, I realized he might be right. I’ve discovered all of my favorite authors by picking up a random book, reading the back cover, and deciding it might be interesting. However, ever since the kindle, nook, and other electronic reading devices have been released, the buyer’s curiosity has been greatly suppressed.

People are much less likely to spend hours looking for books online than they would in a store, where losing track of time and commitments is typical (trust me, I have experience). This is just one example of how society’s desire for convenience limits the wonderful surprises found along the way, for if I had never happened to pick up the books that I did, I would have missed out on some of my favorite reads.

In addition to reducing everyday surprises, changes in media have already begun to impact the corporate world. Since the invention of the World Wide Web in 1991, businesses across the nation have felt repercussions.

The invention of iTunes and the iPod drove music out of storefronts, newspaper-printing industries have slowly declined, and video stores struggle to compete with strong opponents like Hulu and Netflix.

Another store that suffered at the hands of the new media world is Borders, whose bankruptcy signs stating “bookcases for sale too!” exemplified a company who failed to keep up with the growing demand for ebooks. However, this does not only affect Borders workers, but everyone else on their food chain as well.

Those who lost the sole bookstore in their town may need to resort to purchasing books online or even resort to e-readers themselves. Publishers, writers, and editors too will have a much more difficult time, for, as I said before, it’s much harder to get discovered online than in a store. And who knows, before we know it we might see the written word on the WWF’s list of endangered species.

Drastic media changes have limited face-to-face conversations. Phone calls turned into text messages, and now even board games like scrabble can be played on the iPad. After all, what’s the use in fighting over which movie to watch as a family when everyone can see their first choice so easily through online options?

Additionally, people with headphones stuck in their ears are much harder to approach than those without.

Also, I must admit that there are times when I look up and realize that my entire family surrounds me, yet everyone is crouched and staring at some sort of screen – I’m working on the latest chemistry Webassign, my mom is emailing schedules around, my dad is formatting last-minute slides for his presentation at work, and my two younger siblings are crouched over the family iPad, eagerly testing out the latest version of Angry Birds.
Well, I guess this is what “family time” has become then, right? Regardless, it seems that our world is trending towards one characterized by LED lights and touch screens rather than tangible interactions.

The “norm” of technology is so much different than that of 50, no even 10 years ago. Whether these “advancements” have impacted our society in a positive or negative way is your decision, but don’t freak out when paper and pen are only remembered in the history e-books.