Culture is a term with many definitions. One of the definitions floating around states it comprises the characteristics of a particular group of nations or people.
It encompasses religion, music, customs, tradition, art and more. People of a specific culture seek to preserve it for future generations, which is why certain buildings still stand.
Art, literature, customs and traditions are there for future generations to venerate and pass on. Other people expose themselves to different cultures and take some of these elements as their own. They mix them with their cultures and create new ones in the process. New cultures emerge while others wither and die.
Museums witness a time long past and of objects relating to a different form of culture. As time moves along, different factors influence and change it. Technology comes to make life easier and shape culture into something new. It all started with a process called digitization.
The advancements in technology are responsible for digitization. Each human generation was looking to make life easier. You can see it in ancient civilizations, the Middle Ages, as well as modern society. Trains helped us travel from one country to another, and planes shortened the journey significantly. Large machines automated the production process.
In the search for a better tomorrow, man flew higher and higher. Computation became vital to technology, and the first computers came about. The rise of the Internet contributed to the inception of the digital age. Each generation after that contributed to digitization as the moving force in society. Cultures clashed and a new culture was born, a digital culture.
A Brief Overview of Digitization
Digitization is a byproduct of technological evolution. Turning various documents, images, sounds, and objects into digital format is the best definition of digitization. As things rapidly advance, more and more elements of society and culture become digital. We live in an age where, in some instances, people can only access digital data.
Hard copies, brochures, and related documents are slowly becoming things of the past, relics of a bygone future. On the other hand, digitization makes data available to anyone with an Internet connection. During this process, a new kind of culture emerges to sweep the masses – digital culture.
The Rise of Digital Culture
Digital culture entails some elements of digitization and traditional culture. It refers to various values and practices that arise due to digital technologies. Culture might be tied to a particular people or nation, but digital culture transcends borders.
It can refer to video games, work culture, photography and more. The groups with ties to these elements are the members of such a culture. Social media is a powerful digital culture tool, encompassing chatting and sharing images and videos. It creates a new type of individual called an influencer that doles out various dares and challenges for their followers to try. Sometimes, they’re successful; other times, they aren’t, but they get attention.
Digital culture takes some aspects of traditional culture and decides to bring them to life. Others might be forgotten if they can’t fit the digital format. Some elements are lost, while others take on digital form. Digitization shows no signs of slowing down, and its history will tell you why.
A Brief History of Digitization
The aim of digitization is to make more information available in a digital format. Thanks to various inventors, we’ve arrived at the starting point of digital culture.
We have Gottfried William Leibniz to thank for creating the first binary system in 1679. George Boole took it further by creating Boolean Algebra. Alec Revs achieved another milestone in digitization in 1938 by looking to digitize binary language. He discovered Pulse Code Modulation technology that took telecommunication to its next stage in the 50s.
John V. Atanasoff and Clifford Barry decided to build a digital calculating machine in 1940, which might be the first computer ever. Just three years later, SIGSALY came along, and it helped troops communicate effectively during the Second World War. It was digital transmission tech.
EDVAC and UNIVAC 1 were the first digital computers in 45 and 54, respectively. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company made another milestone in 1955, digitizing 600MB of data for over two million users.
IBM released the first disc-storage unit in 56. In the same year, it introduced the 305 and the 605 RAMACs that processed business and trade transactions. After a few years, the U.S. government implemented a Machine Readable Cataloging Records system for keeping track of various library sources. And 1969 was another critical year due to the invention of the Charge Coupled Device, which aided the rise of cameras, medical imaging and even telescopes.
Pulsar was invented in the 70s as the first digital watch. In 1982, the first compact disk emerged, and in 1991, Finland launched the first 2G network. Digital transmission of television networks became the norm in 1998. The 90s saw the invention of the Internet, a game changer for digitization.
The 2000s were another excellent digitalization era, as Google was invented in 2004. In 2008, Bitcoin came to the scene as a digital and cashless currency. Revenues from streamed films and songs became available in 2014. All these milestones contributed to the digital culture we’re part of today.
The Influence of Digital Culture
Thanks to the rise of PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and additional devices, the digital culture is thriving as a byproduct of digitization. People use various apps to chat with their friends, social media to see what’s new with their followers, and various streaming services when they’re looking to entertain themselves.
Work is rarely done without a mouse, pad or keyboard, and it’s getting more digital by the minute. As we know it, culture is slowly succumbing to the lull of digitization. The efficient cooling systems that let you work in peace replace the beeps and buzzes of past technologies. Every news station has a blog, and so does every influencer.
Traditional culture is becoming digital. To better understand the impact of digitization on traditional culture, you’ll need to look into the seven elements of culture. These are:
- Social Organization
- Language
- Customs and Traditions
- Religion
- Arts and Literature
- Forms of Government
- Economic Systems
Entertainment is an essential part of any society and culture and one of the most impacted sectors of digitization. Aside from this, religion, customs, economic systems, and society have changed much under the duress of digitization.
Impact on Society
The rise of digitization has prompted the rise of a different kind of people. Those that grew during the digitization process, and are familiar with it are called digital natives. They will improve their digital skills easily as new technologies come out.
However, there are those that weren’t born into the process, and will need to learn to adapt. Luckily, they can use various free online resources to learn the digital skills they need. The digital natives that have fully immersed themselves into digital work culture can become digital nomads. They have the following skills:
- Technical Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Communication Skills
- Adaptability
- Self-Motivation
- Financial Planning Skills
They can use these skills to move from one country to another and work remotely. Technology makes it convenient for them to work almost anywhere in the world with an Internet connection. They can also stay in touch with their friends, family, relatives and partners.
Impact on Language
The language got richer with more people connecting to the Internet. Internet Slang is exceptionally prominent nowadays, and anyone who doesn’t know it will have trouble understanding specific posts. Acronyms like FYI (For Your Information) and TLDR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) appear frequently in posts as there’s a younger generation of digital natives born into digitization.
On the other hand, you have thousands of apps that can teach you any language. All you need to do is download one or several, and you’re set. You’ll start with the alphabet, words, and sentences and acquire various reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills that will help you become a proficient speaker.
Impact on Entertainment
Entertainment is one of the sectors that adopted digitization early on. Films and TV Shows were shown in cinemas and on TV only for fans to buy them in box sets of CDs. In a digital nature, that’s all in the past, as countless streaming services are available today. Some of the most popular ones include:
- Netflix
- HBO Max
- Disney Plus
- Paramount Plus
- Amazon Prime
- Hulu
- Apple TV
Streaming is available to any individual. They can enjoy it on free platforms like YouTube and Twitch or create content on the same platforms. Twitch’s rise in popularity prompted many digital natives to become streamers and earn income by streaming.
Live streams prompt the rise of digital communities. Streamers will interact with their audiences during a stream and connect with them on social media. They can help them with various topics, and even educate them on certain subjects. The audience can contribute to the community and help expand it.
Gaming remains one of the most popular hobbies. They opt for online games like Fortnite, PUBG, Counter-Strike and more. These games allow them to enjoy their free time and compete as e-sports athletes. The number of gamers has grown significantly over the years. Although the majority of gamers nowadays prefer the mobile approach, the gaming industry is booming with new titles for their customers.
| Year | Number of Gamers | Increase Over Previous Year | Increase Over Previous Year (%) |
| 2015 | 2.03 billion | – | – |
| 2016 | 2.17 billion | 140 million | ↑ 6.9% |
| 2017 | 2.33 billion | 160 million | ↑ 7.37% |
| 2018 | 2.49 billion | 160 million | ↑ 6.87% |
| 2019 | 2.64 billion | 150 million | ↑ 6.02% |
| 2020 | 2.81 billion | 170 million | ↑ 6.44% |
| 2021 | 2.96 billion | 150 million | ↑ 5.34% |
| 2022 | 3.09 billion | 130 million | ↑ 4.39% |
| 2023 | 3.22 billion | 130 million | ↑ 4.21% |
| 2024 | 3.32 billion | 100 million | ↑ 3.11% |
Platformers are doing well on various websites, and so are online casinos. Digitization brought about the rise of online casinos in various corners of the world. Canada is one of the most potent markets, and punters can enjoy many online casinos. They can find such sites independently or go for reviews and decide that way. For example, they can opt for Canada’s one-stop site for casino venues and find what they’re looking for. They’ll get online casinos with games, bonuses, promotions, features and more. The platforms are secure and offer several banking options. Naturally, they need to enjoy them responsibly.
With these things in mind, it’s evident that entertainment will continue down the road of digitization.
Impact on Arts and Literature
Visiting a museum isn’t a weird feeling yet, as most of the big museums have apps visitors can use to navigate the various sections. Digital culture brings digital art and literature to life. With the rise of electronic books, all people need to read them is a tablet.
The feeling of smooth paper as you turn the page becomes a warm sensation as you swipe the screen. Artists create paintings and other works of art digitally due to the limitless potential of the digital world. (Non-fungible tokens) NFTs are just some examples of digital art.
Impact on Religion
Digitization allows people to connect online. People can use social media and religion to communicate with their flock. The pandemic prompted certain priests to stream their religious practices live to their members.
To connect further, they can create profiles on social media and communicate with other members of the clergy or parish. Digital versions of holy books are available for curious readers and those looking to join. In short, digitization enhances religion and gives it a new form.
Impact on Forms of Government
Many government institutions across the globe already offer digital services to their citizens. By fully adopting digitization, they can take society to the next level. A digital government can create secure and efficient systems.
Easy access to data can help officials make better decisions that take countries to the next level. If technology rises to a certain level, artificial intelligence and robots might do all the work, leaving humans free to enjoy their lives.
Impact on Economic Systems
Digitization changes the flow of any work environment. It’s much easier to organize meetings and projects when all the employees have access to digital devices and data. Offices automate the scheduling process with various apps so everyone gets notifications and no one is late.
However, digital tech moves fast, and policies and institutions must adapt. Some of the disparities between societal groups result as consequences of old policies. We can move to a better digital economy when these issues are resolved.
Impact on Customs and Traditions
Each culture has unique customs and traditions. Digitization can help preserve some of them. People can film certain customs and share them with friends and family. Digitization also allows live streaming, another way members of a single culture can connect.
On top of that, it can revive various locations. Designers can redevelop ancient structures and allow people to experience them in 3D virtual environments. With AI and VR, people from multiple cultures can connect and immerse themselves in many cultural customs.
Some aspects of traditions, such as cuisine, will remain in the real world, as digitization can’t possibly replicate them.
Pros and Cons of Digitalization on Culture
Digitization has positive and negative impacts on culture as a whole. Some values are kept, others are lost, and new ones are replaced. Digitization is excellent, but you must take it with a grain of salt.
| Pros and Cons of Culture Digitization | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Access to various cultures | Little to no face-to-face interactions |
| Preservation of some elements of cultural heritage | Reduced physical engagement |
| Limitless potential for creative expression | Spreading stereotypes and misinterpretation |
| Virtual cultural gatherings | Challenges to traditional ways of working |
| Cultural exchange | Decreased attention spans |
| New forms of government and economy | Economic disparity |
Final Words
Digitization is the proponent of digital culture. As such, it impacts various elements of traditional culture. New generations are born into the digital world and will continue to enhance it to another level.
Traditional elements of culture, such as arts and literature, customs, traditions, forms of government, economy and religion, adapt to digitization. The young and old must adapt too.
Moreover, digitization comes with several benefits and challenges that people must overcome. We’re already members of a digital culture, proving that digitization will continue its impact on culture.
