Technology as a Fashion Accessory and The Technology/Culture Feedback Cycle

In It’s Cool to be a Geek? Technology Influencing the Culture of Cool, I remarked on how smartphones are cool and, if you possessed a smartphone, your cool factor got a bit of a boost. And, because I am so kind, I even gave a bit of an explanation as to why smartphones are seen as cool. In summary, smartphones are cool because they symbolize wealth, hipness, and tech know-how (which is no longer considered “geeky”, at least not in the negative sense of the word). The geek is vindicated and his world is now a fashion accessory. This may be cause for a bit of resentment and weeping. How would you like it if something that you cared for deeply (say, technology), something that once meant social ostracism, now became something that merited acceptance and accolade? Not only that, but to have your passion be reduced to mere fashion accessory by mainstream society? Kind of a kick in the teeth if you ask me. But let’s look on the bright side of all this. This means the geek’s passions are no longer disparaged, at least, not as as they once were. It also means businesses are striving to produce even greater, more innovative, tech. So, fear not geeks, there are pluses to this fashion accessory trend. So, let’s take the time to examine this trend a bit more.

In the named post above, I observed that some technology was becoming more of a fashion accessory. Here, I’ll speculate that this trend will continue into our future. Today, technology isn’t just something you use. It’s also something you wear. Something you showoff. Something you aren’t afraid to take out in public, like the wrist calculator of yesteryear. This is an interesting, and recent trend within the tech industry.

I’m not the first to notice this trend, but it’s something that deserves to be pointed out over and over again.

Why do I think this technology as fashion accessory trend will continue into the future? This speculation is based on what I perceive to be a cause of technology as fashion accessory. That cause being the growing pervasiveness of tech in modern society. I riff on this chord quite a lot, almost to a sickening degree. But it’s incredibly important to understand how technology influences our culture and how our culture influences technology. This technology as fashion accessory trend is just a symptom of a larger phenomenon.

The above paragraph is a bit confusing to read (and this is largely due to my inability to write), so I want to better explain it here, with a flowchart!

I just knew I’d find a use for Visio 2013. Hopefully this flowchart illustrates what I mean when I say “technology influences cultures, culture influences technology”. I also threw in another factor that contributes to the presence of technology in pop-culture: profit. If businesses make money by introducing tech-themed gadgets (see the bracelet above) or technology, in general, into the culture, then you will see more tech introduced into pop-culture. If you want to see more tech in mainstream society, then vote with your wallet. Buy the gadgets, gizmos, and other tech produced by businesses. Send a message with your dollar that you want to see more tech in society.

Something I want to clear up about the flowchart is the arrow that points from the “influence” circle to the “Technology advances far beyond…” parallelogram. It’s true, as the arrow suggests, that pop-culture supports the advancement of technology. However, pop-culture also directs the advancement of technology. For example, think about the Apple iPhone, would it look the way it does (sleek, slim, and simple), if pop-culture (or, rather, the makers of that culture: mainstream society) didn’t want it to look that way? Again, culture influences tech and tech influences culture. That can’t be repeated enough. We’re stuck in a perpetual feedback cycle. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

What does the future hold for us? My guess: more of the same.

I probably could have broken this post up into two separate posts, but I was on such a roll that I couldn’t help but relate the technology as fashion trend to the tech/culture feedback cycle. Oh well, such is life.