“When we communicate
through telephone, radio, television, or computer, where we
are physically no longer determines where and who we are
socially.”
-- Joshua Meyrowitz
Calling somewhere to talk to a friend or family member is ancient history. Before mobile technology, communications was conducted as place to place. When people communicate via mobile phones the communications is person to person.
Mobile calls transform a 'non-place', like a train station, bus, airport, or road into a third place for chatting and playing (Wilken, 2008). In the past, someone that was at one of these places was unreachable and considered in between ‘places’.
Many people can now meet on a video conference at anytime, worldwide. In this case not everyone needs to be at the same place in order to be involved in the meeting. A number is dialed or an application is run on a mobile device and a connection is made.
Mobile technology has also made it possible for people to constantly work without being ‘at work’. Travel arrangements can be made and appointments can be set on the fly.
Does place need to be looked at in a different way or does it even exist anymore? The next time you call someone, ask yourself this question: Are you calling somewhere to talk to them or are you calling their pocket directly?
Michael
Reference:
Wilken, R. (2008). Mobilizing Place: Mobile Media, Peripatetics, and the Renegotiation of Urban Places. Journal Of Urban Technology, 15(3), 39- 55.doi:10.1080/10630730802677939
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