Who else watched 'Upgrade me' last Thursday on BBC4?
I thought it was very good in pointing out how quickly we managed to collect a drawer full of obsolete technology just in the last quarter of the century. From walkman, VHS, palm pilot, old models of mobile phones...
Most impressive for me was how many school children (11-14 years) Simon Armitage spoke to owned a mobile phone. 49 out of 50. All of them had a digital camera. Owning a gadget was part of their identity. Comparing mobiles phones and its functions was part of their 'social dance'.
I wonder what type of technology was central in the life of older people to form their identity? Was it radio, moving images, records, household appliances? Probably all of those.
Was the notion of 'upgrading' also as strong as it is now? Most likely not, since technology usually was built to last rather than to be replaced.
In case you still want to catch it - view it on Iplayer
BBC summary
Poet and gadget lover Simon Armitage explores people's obsession with upgrading to the latest technological gadgetry.
Upgrade culture drives millions to purchase the latest phones, flatscreen TVs, laptops and MP3 players. But is it design, functionality, fashion or friends that makes people covet the upgrade, and how far does the choice of gadgets define identity? Simon journeys across Britain and to South Korea in search of answers. (R)
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