Midterm Paper

Midterm Paper

Technology is a broad concept. It has been around for years making life easier every day. Technology ranges from assistive technology used for someone with a disability to transport technology used in cars and other forms of transportation. “The winners speak constantly of the Age of Information”, this quote meaning the more information we have, or are given, the more successful we will be. We will continue to pay for the better products because the bigger, the better. You pay more for the faster internet or the cable with more movie channels because you want more.

According to the Digital Divide Institute, “the digital divide is not simply about access to technology.” This quote going back to technological “losers” and “winners” beyond access. Technology can help people but it can also break people. You decide what you do with it, just make sure you are using it to your advantage and to its upmost potential.

I do believe that there are technological “losers” beyond basic access. The basic access, in my opinion, is the lack of access someone might have to the internet because of knowledge or finances. The true “losers” are those individuals who have the access and knowledge but don’t use it to their advantage. Technology has made an easier way of life for most and if it is there, use it. The winners of technology are people who use technology every day. For example, my sister sets reminders on her phone so he does not have to remember things on her own, depends on the calculator to solve her problems, and will text because she is shy and doesn’t have to talk face to face. As many would think that she probably over does it, she is using technology to its full purpose therefore she is winning. My dad on the other hand still writes things down but forgets where he put it or cannot find a pen at that exact moment. He is “losing” all of the advantages technology has to offer.

Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) is easily defined as communication used by means of computer technology. Opposite of face to face, computer mediated communication can be communication over a phone call, a picture shared, or even a quick text message. CMC takes away the personal feel that you can achieve with face to face communication. Humans communicate in different types of settings depends on not only the environment they are in, but it also includes the approach in which communication happens.

Flaming is a malicious interaction between two or more individuals using some sort of technology device; phones, iPads, laptops, etc. Most often the altercation involves the use of profanity. Flame wars attract many different users and usually starts with an original post and others start to comment. Take Facebook for example, I have seen many post here lately about gay marriage. Someone will post their opinion, whether they are for or against it, and others will start to comment with their own opinion even adding irrelevant information which can set someone over the edge. Some opinions are meant to be kept to yourself. Some people will try to diffuse the situation but once started, it is hard to contain. Hence the name, flame wars.

The printing press was an invention that helped change our society to a wider literate population. The impact of the printing press changed society in many ways. Individuals went from oral reading to silent reading. A major effect was that information was able to spread more quickly. Newspapers and books were being printed by the dozens and information was spreading like wildfire. One negative impact the printing press has was that it made it harder for the people of the church to monitor what was going into these books since this task was taken away from them. The printing press has not only one of the most important inventions created to this day, but it has helped mold the public’s opinion.

Thanks to modern technology, we generally live longer, healthier, cleaner, and physically easier lives than those individuals in the past. Yet we must acknowledge the problems caused by technology. A few include injuries or even deaths caused by transportation accidents, pollutions causing environment issues, medical technology and dilemmas, and confusion and frustration caused by unnecessarily complex consumer devices, to name but a few. Critics will continue to argue against technology because it is not perfect, nor will it ever be. It has made life easier, but some are just scared or not ready to make that change. You can be the smartest one at your company but if you are not willing to change when your company does, you could possibly find yourself unemployed.

The impact that e-books have had on today’s society is quite extraordinary. E-books are being used for not only personal use, but in schools as well. E-books, also known as electronic books, are just digital forms of books. While using e-books, you will find the more convenient it is to carry multiple books around while out running errands. Surprisingly, more books are being printed than the year before. E-books are coming to be a new trend in the world of information technologies. The amount of possibilities to teach and learn go beyond anything you can learn from a paper book. Although there is still lack in the advantages of e-books, there is more exploring that will be done.

References

Postman, Neil. "Five Things You Need to Know About Technological Change." (1998): n. pag. Web.

Steel, Melanie. "The Digital Dive: A Closer Look at Outcomes." (2013): 1-5. Print.