Plots made obsolete by technology

Nivarion · Nov 18, 2010

Phaeal said:
Heh, I had to rewrite my last book because while my male teenage protag was the sort to leave his cell phone on the charger, his female BFF had hers permanently attached. It was easy to get him into a situation where he didn't have his cell, but when she came to rescue him, there was no way she'd have left hers behind. So, what the hell, I just had to arrange things so that the help she called in didn't get there too soon.

Cell phones are a big pain to plotting, for sure. They're sort of a deus (or at least 911) ex machina beacon.

There's always that old saying. When seconds count, the police are minutes away.

Captcha · Nov 18, 2010

I had a situation where I wanted a character to not get information immediately, so I thought, okay, maybe he's forgotten his cell phone, and it actually turned into a pretty useful characterization point. I went back to the start of the book and made him forget his cell phone on several other occasions, and had other characters comment on how he didn't seem interested in connecting with them or anybody else, etc. I think it worked.

DancingMaenid · Nov 18, 2010

I guess it depends on what you mean by "plots."

I think most basic plots can work in almost any setting. But the setting is going to determine some of the particulars. The details can become obsolete, but rarely the stories themselves.

Torgo · Nov 18, 2010

I enjoyed the hell out of this YouTube video - a seemingly endless montage of clips from recent horror movies where OMG THERE'S NO CELLPHONE SIGNAL!!!

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

thothguard51 said:
There is also such a thing as technology overload...

I agree. People rely on technology more today than they rely on themselves or others. The gadgets get smaller and do more every time a new one comes out. Now we can carry more of them around with us than ever. We've fallen for advertising, plain and simple. "YOU deserve the best!" "Make YOUR life easier!" We've become so focused on ourselves and our need (lust, desire, demand, addiction... take your pick) for entertainment and convenience that we can't be bothered with others anymore. Not to mention that people will willingly leap further into debt just to have the latest and greatest next best thing.

Everywhere I go, people have earphones or a BlueTooth in their ear or their staring at tiny screens. Or both! Cell phones ring in business meetings, movie theatres, churches, during nights out with family or friends, in check out lanes where they hold up the lines, while their driving, etc., No one seems to draw the line anywhere. They do it because they can. And don't you dare mess with their "right" to do it no matter how inconsiderate or rude it is.

It's addiction but people won't admit that. It's breaking down community and people are now an island unto themselves.

This is why I'm not a fan of technology. I do NOT claim to be better than anybody. I'm the most imperfect person I know. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. If anything, my eyes are more open and I see it more than most people do because, for more than 10 years, I haven't owned a television, radio, stereo, DVDs, CDs, dishwasher, car, etc., Once these things were gone, it took 18 months for the effects of media, Hollywood and advertising to wear off of me. After that, I no longer had a desire to own any of these things. It's like watching zombies or people who are enslaved or people who chose the red pill instead of the blue one (Matrix reference for those who don't get that one). I was able to see with new eyes just how much people let others (advertising, media, Hollywood, government and peers) do their thinking for them. A lot of rationalizing goes on to make people feel better about themselves and the poor choices they make.

Without a life filled with technology and gadgets, I have more than enough time every day. Time to read, write, volunteer and have down time for myself. I see first-hand how much time technology steals from us.

That's why including much technology in my writing is challenging for me.

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

Kate_Sherwood said:
I had a situation where I wanted a character to not get information immediately, so I thought, okay, maybe he's forgotten his cell phone, and it actually turned into a pretty useful characterization point. I went back to the start of the book and made him forget his cell phone on several other occasions, and had other characters comment on how he didn't seem interested in connecting with them or anybody else, etc. I think it worked.

That sounds perfect. You found your solution and went back to set the precedence so it wasn't a matter of convenience for the writer. Great job!

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

Torgo said:
I enjoyed the hell out of this YouTube video - a seemingly endless montage of clips from recent horror movies where OMG THERE'S NO CELLPHONE SIGNAL!!!

That was pretty funny to watch a compilation like that. It makes what Jamesaritchie said ring true. You don't need paragraphs to explain a non-working phone. A simple sentence will do.

Cyia · Nov 18, 2010

Jack Parker said:
If anything, my eyes are more open and I see it more than most people do because, for more than 10 years, I haven't owned a television, radio, stereo, DVDs, CDs, dishwasher, car, etc., Once these things were gone, it took 18 months for the effects of media, Hollywood and advertising to wear off of me. After that, I no longer had a desire to own any of these things.

Dude, you own a computer. That gives you #'s 1-5 on your list in one package.

:tongue

whimsical rabbit · Nov 18, 2010

Ever heard of that saying? There's a problem for every solution.

Technology may have eliminated old challenges, but at the same time it can very well create new ones.

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

Cyia said:
Dude, you own a computer. That gives you #'s 1-5 on your list in one package.

True, it could. Other than the occasional YouTube video, I don't watch TV or movies on my computer. I've never been a big music person so I don't listen to any on my computer.

I use my computer for research, writing and reading headline news. And, now, having joined AW, to spend some time here learning from all of you.

Again, don't get me wrong. I may not personally like technology very much but I don't put people down for enjoying it. I don't think technology is all bad. The world has gained incredible strides with it along with having taken a few leaps backwards. What I dislike are the effects of technology as it continues to isolate people from community. This has led to a whole host of problems.

The disadvantage to my own viewpoint is that it makes including newer technology in my stories a real challenge. I can't imagine writing a scene where a character is playing Wii games when something happens.

benbradley · Nov 18, 2010

sleepsheep said:
I was thinking that a lot of my favorite works of fiction would not be possible in our modern technological world. For example, Gogol's "Inspector General" just could not happen in a world of cell phones and Wikipedia. I suppose some genres have the wonderful "technology doesn't work around magic" plot device, but generally, I think that having a culture of instant communications, where any bit of information can be easily looked up, makes a lot of the classic plots virtually impossible. What do you all think? What are some books you love that just wouldn't work in modern times?

Yeah, I'm so glad with all this information available that no one falls for scams anymore. :roll:

SPMiller · Nov 18, 2010

What are we going to call this worthless trope? No signal ex machina?

Sure, in story terms, we want our characters cut off from external support so that they must solve the problem on their own, but there are countless better ways of pulling that off than simply asserting from our position as Story-God that there will be no cell signal, or that the character somehow forgot to bring or charge her cell phone, or that something damaged or destroyed the cell phone, or some other coincidence.

As someone pointed out to me: before cell phones, landlines got cut. Fortuitous coincidences to further the plot have always been common, but if we write intelligently within the context of consensus reality, technology is not an enemy.

Or we can write historical and fantasy fiction instead. I guess that works, too.

Cyia · Nov 18, 2010

SPMiller said:
What are we going to call this worthless trope? No signal ex machina?

Instead of God In the Machine, perhaps "God Out of the Machine" since the signal, or power, disappears when needed instead of popping out of nowhere to help.

dirtsider · Nov 18, 2010

sleepsheep said:
Definitely. A lot of the urban fantasy books that I really like make it clear, early, quickly, and easily that technology breaks when magic is around. I'll totally buy that - it's not a huge demand on my suspension of disbelief faculties, really, and it doesn't disturb the flow of the narrative or the plot.

Actually, it's not so much that technology breaks when magic is around as the mindset of the mages. It's more that they're very secretive and don't want to get caught on camera. They don't put their lore out on the internet, partially because knowledge is power but also because having that information traced back to them could get them killed. (With good reason - there are secret societies willing to go to great lengths to suppress that kind of lore.)

MsGneiss · Nov 18, 2010

Jack Parker said:
What I dislike are the effects of technology as it continues to isolate people from community. This has led to a whole host of problems.

Strange - I feel quite the opposite. I feel like technology allows us to form communities (global communities at that) with much greater ease. Take AW, for example! I feel much more a part of something here on AW than I do at my local writer's group or book club. When I travel to parts of the world where I have no Internet access, I feel incredibly isolated.

(And, here, I mean computer-Internet technology, for I too have never really had a TV).

Devil Ledbetter · Nov 18, 2010

sleepsheep said:
Strange - I feel quite the opposite. I feel like technology allows us to form communities (global communities at that) with much greater ease. Take AW, for example! I feel much more a part of something here on AW than I do at my local writer's group or book club. When I travel to parts of the world where I have no Internet access, I feel incredibly isolated.

(And, here, I mean computer-Internet technology, for I too have never really had a TV).

I get what Jack Parker means. I was recently at a tradeshow and it was bizarre seeing so many people wandering around in a zombie-like daze, staring into their smartphones and scrolling, scrolling, scrolling, like their very lives depended on it. They've traveled hundreds or thousands of miles to meet people in their industry face to face, and yet they get there and completely zone out for the sake of whatever "more important" thing is happening on their phone.

I was near the front in a crowd at a rock concert. A couple pushed and shoved and crammed their way to stand in front of me. Then the female pulled out a cell phone and spent the rest of the concert texting and texting. It was sooo important to get close to the stage that she had to step all over me, but once she was there she paid zero attention to the concert while she zoned out and texted.

I have a Blackberry. I am not anti-technology. But I do think etiquette and common sense are severely lagging behind the technology. Some people are too stupid to realize they can put damned phone away and pay attention to what's in front of their face.

jaksen · Nov 18, 2010

Jack Parker said:
I agree. People rely on technology more today than they rely on themselves or others. The gadgets get smaller and do more every time a new one comes out. Now we can carry more of them around with us than ever. We've fallen for advertising, plain and simple. "YOU deserve the best!" "Make YOUR life easier!" We've become so focused on ourselves and our need (lust, desire, demand, addiction... take your pick) for entertainment and convenience that we can't be bothered with others anymore. Not to mention that people will willingly leap further into debt just to have the latest and greatest next best thing.

Everywhere I go, people have earphones or a BlueTooth in their ear or their staring at tiny screens. Or both! Cell phones ring in business meetings, movie theatres, churches, during nights out with family or friends, in check out lanes where they hold up the lines, while their driving, etc., No one seems to draw the line anywhere. They do it because they can. And don't you dare mess with their "right" to do it no matter how inconsiderate or rude it is.

It's addiction but people won't admit that. It's breaking down community and people are now an island unto themselves.

This is why I'm not a fan of technology. I do NOT claim to be better than anybody. I'm the most imperfect person I know. Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying. If anything, my eyes are more open and I see it more than most people do because, for more than 10 years, I haven't owned a television, radio, stereo, DVDs, CDs, dishwasher, car, etc., Once these things were gone, it took 18 months for the effects of media, Hollywood and advertising to wear off of me. After that, I no longer had a desire to own any of these things. It's like watching zombies or people who are enslaved or people who chose the red pill instead of the blue one (Matrix reference for those who don't get that one). I was able to see with new eyes just how much people let others (advertising, media, Hollywood, government and peers) do their thinking for them. A lot of rationalizing goes on to make people feel better about themselves and the poor choices they make.

Without a life filled with technology and gadgets, I have more than enough time every day. Time to read, write, volunteer and have down time for myself. I see first-hand how much time technology steals from us.

That's why including much technology in my writing is challenging for me.

Wow, I don't believe much of this at all. I was an introvert before PCs and cell phones and am still an introvert. I'm not big on community and never have been. I don't like to join groups and the fact I'm even on AW amazes me. I've never felt that technology solves my problems or makes me feel better about things. Technology is a tool and I choose to use it, or not.

I think you've made a lot of generalizations here. You use "we" a lot and made assumptions about how people use and feel about technology. (Who is the 'we' to whom you are referring?)

However, if leaving much of technology behind has made you happier and giving you a more fulfilled life, then that's great. For you.

Cyia · Nov 18, 2010

That's a similar phenomenon to what happened earlier this week when Bill Nye fainted during a presentation and, rather than help him, the audience started taking pictures and tweeting the incident in real time. It's like the general public have all turned into nature photogs, programmed not to stop filming no matter what happens with the lion and the gazelle.

In that regard, yes, technology can get out of hand, but that's on the shoulders of the people who don't know how to create their own boundaries. The worst one I've seen personally was a young mother in a chat whose baby fell off the bed onto the wood floor, and rather than stop chatting, she TOLD US "OMG, my baby just rolled off the bed and smacked his head on the floor!!!" Several people jumped in to tell her to get her butt away from the computer and check the baby for injuries; I'm not sure how long she would have stayed like that otherwise.

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

Hi sleepsheep. I'm talking more about the gadgets people carry around in public more than anything. People are attached to these things and completely ignore those around them. Politeness and courtesy fly out the window when these folks are so involved in their gadgets that they're walking into others (and blaming them), talking (and singing) too loudly, and holding up lines in stores because they only have one hand and 1/2 an ear available to finish what they're doing in the real world. Why? Because they're in their own little world and have all but checked-out of society. Other people exist to them only when they need a service. Otherwise they're just obstacles to grunt at and avoid.

Technology can be great. I think Devil Ledbetter clarified very well what I tried (ineffectively) to say...

Devil Ledbetter said:
I am not anti-technology. But I do think etiquette and common sense are severely lagging behind the technology. Some people are too stupid to realize they can put damned phone away and pay attention to what's in front of their face.

That's it exactly, Devil Ledbetter. It's mostly the lack of etiquette, courtesy, common sense, or the desire to even try to care about anyone else when their gadgets are turned on. They've checked-out from being part of society and retreated into their own world and rules.

And, yes, there are people who are considerate and polite about their gadgetry. At least they're showing some restraint and self-control. Even so, there just isn't a sense of familial community most of the time. It seems we only see it after a tragedy, like 9/11 or the trapped miners in Chile. And even then, it all dissipates shortly after, like a morning fog.

Communities exist online now. It's impersonal and sad to me.

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

jaksen said:
Wow, I don't believe much of this at all. I was an introvert before PCs and cell phones and am still an introvert. I'm not big on community and never have been. I don't like to join groups and the fact I'm even on AW amazes me. I've never felt that technology solves my problems or makes me feel better about things. Technology is a tool and I choose to use it, or not.

I think you've made a lot of generalizations here. You use "we" a lot and made assumptions about how people use and feel about technology. (Who is the 'we' to whom you are referring?)

However, if leaving much of technology behind has made you happier and giving you a more fulfilled life, then that's great. For you.

Not everyone's experiences are the same. You don't see it the way I do and that's fine. You're entitled. What I wrote is hardly Breaking News by any stretch. News reports, magazine articles, television episodes, etc., have all been done on exactly what I talked about, so they weren't generalizations. The difference between you and me is simply that I, apparently, feel more strongly about it than you do.

And, as I originally said, I've been out from under the thumb of Hollywood, media and advertising for over a decade. That effect has worn off and I can see it more clearly not having it streaming into my brain regularly like most people do. Unless a person has experienced it from the angle I'm coming from, I don't believe they can understand fully. I'm not trying to be high-and-mighty in saying that. But it's true. When you're immersed in something, others who are standing on the outside, looking in, gain a different perspective than the person in the middle of it. Especially if they've been where the other person is.

As for the word 'we' that I used, yes, it's a polite, less accusatory way of writing rather than excluding yourself or saying 'you' or 'other people' instead.

ETA: I wrote the above post yesterday. Just this morning on CNN's website, there's another story (video) about this very thing. (Adding to my point that what I said isn't just my opinion but fact.) Here's the link.

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

Cyia said:
That's a similar phenomenon to what happened earlier this week when Bill Nye fainted during a presentation and, rather than help him, the audience started taking pictures and tweeting the incident in real time. It's like the general public have all turned into nature photogs, programmed not to stop filming no matter what happens with the lion and the gazelle.

In that regard, yes, technology can get out of hand, but that's on the shoulders of the people who don't know how to create their own boundaries. The worst one I've seen personally was a young mother in a chat whose baby fell off the bed onto the wood floor, and rather than stop chatting, she TOLD US "OMG, my baby just rolled off the bed and smacked his head on the floor!!!" Several people jumped in to tell her to get her butt away from the computer and check the baby for injuries; I'm not sure how long she would have stayed like that otherwise.

The Bill Nye incident is the perfect example of what I was talking about regarding Hollywood, the media and advertising. We're all about being part of it, capturing the moment to put it on YouTube or to sell, instead of caring more about the person who was hurt or in trouble.

And yes, you're right, the onus is on each person as to how they act when they have these gadgets. But look at the examples they're given in media, tabloids, advertising, Hollywood, etc., Heck, just look at the Bill Nye incident.

MsGneiss · Nov 18, 2010

Jack Parker said:
Hi sleepsheep. I'm talking more about the gadgets people carry around in public more than anything. People are attached to these things and completely ignore those around them. Politeness and courtesy fly out the window when these folks are so involved in their gadgets that they're walking into others (and blaming them), talking (and singing) too loudly, and holding up lines in stores because they only have one hand and 1/2 an ear available to finish what they're doing in the real world. Why? Because they're in their own little world and have all but checked-out of society. Other people exist to them only when they need a service. Otherwise they're just obstacles to grunt at and avoid.

In that case, I think we agree. But, I think that all these people who are terribly rude and inconsiderate with their tech would be just as rude and inconsiderate without tech, just in a different way (although, perhaps tech makes the rudeness much more obvious and annoying). We do have laws that address this you know - in NYC you get huge fines (and points on your license) for using a cell phone while driving, which is, I think a very good idea. But in other cases, where tech use is merely annoying (and not necessarily dangerous to the lives of others) it really becomes a matter of common courtesy. Some people are nice and polite, and others are not.

Communities exist online now. It's impersonal and sad to me.

This, I'll have to disagree with. I think that the communities people form online are wonderful. I appreciate the global aspect of it, and I think that we are actually better off, as a society, because we have such easy access to people from all nations, religions, and walks of life. This sort of communication just wasn't possible before, and I think it's actually a very good thing.

Jack Parker · Nov 18, 2010

sleepsheep said:
In that case, I think we agree. But, I think that all these people who are terribly rude and inconsiderate with their tech would be just as rude and inconsiderate without tech, just in a different way (although, perhaps tech makes the rudeness much more obvious and annoying). We do have laws that address this you know - in NYC you get huge fines (and points on your license) for using a cell phone while driving, which is, I think a very good idea. But in other cases, where tech use is merely annoying (and not necessarily dangerous to the lives of others) it really becomes a matter of common courtesy. Some people are nice and polite, and others are not.

That's good to hear. Once again, people could learn from New York's example. Here in Minneapolis, rudeness abounds... in spades.

This, I'll have to disagree with. I think that the communities people form online are wonderful. I appreciate the global aspect of it, and I think that we are actually better off, as a society, because we have such easy access to people from all nations, religions, and walks of life. This sort of communication just wasn't possible before, and I think it's actually a very good thing.

Once again I failed to be clear. I think online communities can be great. That's why I created my first e-mail address to join AW. I saw the camaraderie and a kindredness among the users that I genuinely felt and wanted to be part of.

What I should have added to my statement is that online communities appear to have replaced communities in the 3D world. People have their short list of close friends and family but that's it. No more allowed. Strangers aren't given the time of day unless it's to grunt at them. The majority of people (according to polls) don't know their neighbors. People are suspicious of each other. If something, or someone, doesn't match-up to our own beliefs or way of thinking, they're bashed, ridiculed or ignored. That even applies to comments people leave online, like on YouTube for example. Yikes!

I'm sorry, sleepsheep, it wasn't my intention to lead the discussion down a rabbit trail. I apologize. I started out talking about why including technology in my writing is difficult for me. I think I started thinking out loud from then on! I'll be good and keep the conversation on topic from now on. :e2zipped:

dirtsider · Nov 19, 2010

Jack Parker said:
What I should have added to my statement is that online communities appear to have replaced communities in the 3D world. People have their short list of close friends and family but that's it. No more allowed. Strangers aren't given the time of day unless it's to grunt at them. The majority of people (according to polls) don't know their neighbors. People are suspicious of each other. If something, or someone, doesn't match-up to our own beliefs or way of thinking, they're bashed, ridiculed or ignored. That even applies to comments people leave online, like on YouTube for example. Yikes!

Funny thing is I recall a conversation about 10 years or so ago. I live in an apartment complex and at one point the landlords tried having a meet and greet. (Now they just have the annual pool party.) I mentioned to someone that I knew everyone in my side of my building (there are multiple buildings) by face, if not by name. We always nod a greeting to each other at very least. One of the people I was talking to sighed and said he didn't even know the people on his floor by face, let alone by name. I find that sad. Upside is, I still know the people on my side of the building, even though several people have moved out in those 10 years and others have moved in. We even try and do a group snow dig-out in the winters. It's our chance to chat with each other.

whimsical rabbit · Nov 19, 2010

Technology may be voluntarily used for the destruction of one's brain cells, or to save lives when many years ago it just wasn't possible. It's really the way you use it, and what you make of it.

I love my television set because I can watch DVDs, but I don't even own a television antenna (seriously), so I don't even watch TV programs. I love my internet connection because it's a beautiful cheap way to educate myself on important issues if I use it properly. I like finding articles that show me why homosexuality is biologically defined and not a 'deadly sin'. I like to read the same historical events from different perspectives with a single click and get rid of my chauvinisms and closed-mindedness, even more so when I know how sourcing works and how I can double-check the facts. I don't go around reading what pop starlet A wore at that party, or bitch and fight with people that called my favourite rock star 'talentless'.

As far as gadgets are concerned, I love the fact that I can load my music to a little device as opposed to having to carry around a whole tape recorder, while my eyes are always open to who's following me and whether there's a car coming behind me. My husband gave me an mp3 as a birthday present a few years back because he knows how I just love sinking into music, and I've never felt the urge to replace it with the massively expensive new iphone model.

Some say kindle may 'kill' literature. Fine, it's their opinion. I say kindle can save whole forests.

Technology can change our lives in the most fascinating, wonderful ways. You can still be a victim of mass consumption trends whether you buy the newest, coolest gadget or a pair of boots everybody wears. You can still be enslaved to mental inertia if all you do is window-shopping and beer-drinking. It really depends on the person, and how lazy he or she can be when it comes to self-reflecting. Just my opinion.

Plots made obsolete by technology

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