Who else agrees that technology has made and is continuing
to make its presence known in society today?
I’m speaking as if technology is a person, but when you think about it,
technology has become so well-known and important that it might as well be a
famous person. Winner even states in
the piece Do Artifacts Have Politics?
how technology is almost like another form of life. Everyone knows about technology. I don’t know one person who has never been in
contact with technology. Everyone I know
owns at least once piece of technology.
However,
when I hear the word “technology” I always instantly think cell phone,
computer, TV, DVD player, and iPod.
There are other forms of technology in this world. This seems sort of silly but I wanted to know
the exact definition of technology because I was starting to only think about
just that one side of technology. Technology in other words is the
creation of an invention that facilitates in solving a problem or reaching a
goal. There are certain forms of technology
that I keep forgetting are considered technology such as atomic bombs, rubber
bands, cars, dish washers, and bikes.
Does anyone
else forget that there are nuclear bombs that could go off at any second in
this world? It’s a terrifying thought but
it shouldn’t control my thought process every day. This relates to the political aspect of the
article because of how much power and authority technology has. Page 5 discusses how all of these new
technologies join society and they can either work with it or not. The atomic bomb can either stay dormant in
society or go off at any time, hopefully the former. It’s frightening to know how powerful
technology has become. A cell phone
seems so harmless and that’s a form of technology but then there is the atomic
bomb which can destroy people and places.
How many of you were in my place
and only thought of cell phones and computers when you heard the word
technology? I always instantly thought of
the electronic field of technology.
However, after opening my eyes to the realm of technology I can truly
see the vast presence it has in society today.
Technology is one of those aspects of life that will never stop
advancing or disappear. I believe that
people have the option to control how technology infiltrates and dictates their
lives. For instance, I choose to not let
electronic technology rule how I live each day of my life. I should not plan my days around checking my
phone, texting people, or refreshing Twitter.
I hate that my cell phone has become an outlet for when there is a pause
or break in my day. Whenever I take a
break from my homework, I reach for my phone to check and refresh. However, I want to know why I can’t just take
a break, get up from my desk, stretch, sit down, and relax? Why has technology become my outlet for a
mental break? It’s not like I actually enjoy refreshing those social media
sites if anything I don’t care about what is on there. I think it has just become a habit for many
people especially college students as we have related to and discussed in
class.
Do you
think you can challenge yourself to not reach for your phone all the time? I want to do that more often. I find it best to just leave my phone in my
room when I go to the dining hall because I can’t stand when everyone sits on
their phones after people are done eating.
I understand that technology and communication are important but so are
real life experiences. Hiding behind our
cell phones has become too routine among people and we all see it every
day. I feel like it secretly makes us
all mad when our friends sit on their phones, but they probably do it too. I want to challenge myself and you guys to
start a chain reaction among your friends to not rely on technology so
much. Can you go a few days without
watching TV? Can you delete Facebook for
the week? Will you put away your cell
phone until all of your homework is finished?
I think I will find myself a lot more productive if I push myself to do
this. Sure there will be lulls in the
day where I will want to sit on my phone but why not just sit and think in the
moment instead of sitting on your phone?
I see so many people walking to Wismer or walking to class looking at their
cell phones and missing out on what is happening in front of them.
Technology
is essential in society today and we obviously can’t just stop using it. However, we have the option to use it in a
wiser way. We should use technology to
benefit us in the most positive way. Advancing
technology is all about working together in a flowing society and having communication
among each other.
Bri I thought this was a really thought provoking article because I fall into the same trap that you do thinking of cell phones and computers as what technology is instead of thinking of the whole picture. I loved that you put rubber bands as a technology because I honestly would have never thought about that as being a technology, but it most certainly is.
ReplyDeleteSociety today is really run by devices and we see those as technology and not all of the things that are not in our daily lives. The atomic bomb was a very interesting point because I think you are right, after the Cold War not many people think about the fact that there are still these advanced bombs waiting somewhere in the world to be set off. It is really scary almost how much technology we have and do not use (in the case of the atom bomb i am glad we are not using it now though ha). I really enjoyed reading your blog because it made me think about what I can do to be thankful for all of the progress that we have made throughout history in the realm of technology.
Thanks Paige! It's the little things like rubber bands and something as simple as a can opener that can be classified as technology. It's amazing to think how much technology is around us! It's actually everywhere...
DeleteI really liked your post, Briana. I completely agree with your point about what pops in our minds when we hear the word technology. I too always think of my phone, my computer, and my TV, but I always forget about the truly important technological innovations. I'm glad you posted the definition of technology because I think we usually forget that technological innovations are not made to make our lives more fun or easier, but they are actually made to solve our problems.
ReplyDeleteI too plan certain parts of my day around checking my phone or using other devices. For example, during the media fast, I noticed that I do not go to sleep at night before checking every one of my social media sites. It was hard not to do that during the fast. The fact that they have become so engraved in our daily schedules shows just how much power they have over us, and that gives them the political power that was discussed in this week's reading.
I wish I would be able to put down my phone, stop texting, and/or stop checking Twitter to really take in the world around me, but I think that would be a challenge for everyone since they have so much power over us now.
Thanks for the reply Jordan! Yeah I agree that it would be challenge for all of us. I especially find it challenging considering I have an Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Snap chat. I don't think it helps that I just downloaded Flappy Bird either... But anyway, I agree with your point that because we devote so much of our time and thought to technology, especially electronic technology, we are giving it so much power to control us. Who knows what technology will do next? It's a scary thought!
DeleteBri, I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that to almost every answer you posed in your blog I had almost the same exact answer! For example, whenever I hear the word “technology” I also solely think of cell phones, TVs, and iPods. I suggested that you and I having the same answers to inquiries about technology could possibly be a bad thing as it implies that in today’s society, people of the same generation or similar social environment (average female college student), are trained and channeled in a way where there is one main way of thinking. We most likely have had similar experiences with technology, such as first received a cell phone in middle school, then probably received our very own laptop in high school, and so on. I’d speak for myself, but it is evident from your blog that you are similar to me in the sense that we overlook the other common technologies all around us that have always been a part of everyday life, like a simple washer machine. As it states in the article Do Artifacts Have Politics and you state in your blog, technology is similar to another form of life; I find this really scary. When will it get to the point where technology dominates humanity? Or has the time already arrived?
ReplyDeleteThanks Tor! I really agree too that we have similar views and ways of communicating. I feel like we both realize how much it controls our lives and hopefully we can have more control over how much we let social media and cell phones dominate our daily lives. To answer your question, I believe technology is in the midst of dominating humanity currently. I look around and technology is everywhere! I agree that the time has already arrived. I can't go a day without technology and I know I will never see a day without it. It's a pretty interesting thought and a frightening one too to see how present it is in our lives.
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