This piece is reposted from Pixels & Politics, originally published on July 31. Check out pixelsandpolitics.com for essays on technology, design, and growth marketing in the political industry.
Look, the Internet and its related technologies are a big deal, I get it.
In fact, the only person not to notice technology’s role in shaping our lives is likely to be found at the bottom of Mamie White’s mine shaft (she’s got three you know).
It’s gotten so bad that the average human being now carries at least 2.9 devices on them at all times.
In fact, there are now more people on this planet with a mobile phone than a toothbrush. Sad, especially during close conversations.
And, if those weren’t startling enough, in 2009 Google handled an estimated 1 billion search queries a day, generating almost 200 tons of CO2 and using more electricity in a year than almost two-thirds of the world’s nations.
So sorry Beyoncé, it’s obvious. Who runs the world? Tech…tech now runs the world.
Technology has even changed the way we elect our political leaders, or at least that’s what everyone in the news keeps telling me.
Every election cycle we are blessed to have some of the sharpest journalistic minds remind us that not only do they know where the cool kids hang out online, but our news media can predict how those technologies will change our vote.
You see, before the Internet, we were forced to actually understand our candidates.
We had to weigh things like their sociopolitical agendas, stances on democratic dogma, and plans for foreign policy…you know, the really boring stuff.
Luckily, technology saved us from that doldrum.
Now we can do cool things like Spotify the Election. Which can be helpful when there are more candidates in the race than Duggars on TV (too soon?).
I myself was lost until The Guardian thankfully decoded Hillary’s music playlist. There’s just something about an Arianna Grande track that makes me think things in the Middle East will be alright.
And this isn’t a new phenomenon.