Introduction
Many people say today that we are living in a digital world, and soon enough we will become digital ourselves. But what exactly does it mean to be “digital?” What does it mean to be “analog?” And what are some examples of both? In this blog post, we will delve into these questions and find out if humans really are digital.
Analog Vs. Digital
So, what do the terms analog and digital even mean? In simple terms, analog is continuous, and digital is not. We think of digital as just being our screens and the social media on those screens, but it goes into the physical world as well. If something can just keep going without ever stopping or always being different, then it is analog. If there is a limit, it is digital.
Examples
You might still be confused. If you are (or even if you’re not) here are some examples for you.
Analog:
A drawing of a house. Not only can no one ever exactly copy another person’s drawing, that same person won’t ever be able to exactly draw the same house. Because the amount of different drawings is limitless, it is analog.
A high five is also analog. There is a limitless amount to the way you can high five, how much each hand is touching the other hand, and where each hand is touching the other. Because of this, it is analog.
Lastly, mailing a letter. There is a limitless number of ways you can go about mailing a letter, where you mail it, and the steps taken to mail it. Because of this, it is analog.
Digital:
Now for digital. The first example up is the Roman Alphabet. There is only a set number of letters before it ends. Because it has a limit, it is digital.
A light switch is also digital. There is either on or off. There is no other option. Because there is a limit, it is digital.
The third example for digital is a live play. Wait, what? you may be asking. Can’t that also be analog? You’re right! A play is digital because it has a set number of actions and words until it is over. The play ends, and so it is digital. And yet, there’s more. A play can be different between every run of it all over the world. That same play can be run by entirely different actors or with entirely different sets, and entirely different moods. It can also even be different between performances of the same production because no one does everything exactly as they did it the time before. That also makes it analog.
Summary
So are we in a digital age? The short answer is yes. Screens and the internet and social media swirl around us every day, and that’s the digital most people think about. The long answer? Digital extends far more than that. Things that have been digital and analog have existed for a long time before now and will continue to do so in the future. We are analog. Humans are continuous.