Throughout
the ages, technologies and social changes have always been a perspective of
concern. The reality is that as technology changes so does the society around
it. Yes, I often get annoyed at people that stay glued to their phones and
other devices barely saying hello, but the reality is that these people are
very connected to a larger world. Through this bridge of technology we are able
see more of the world outside of our own immediate contexts. This happened with
the invention and dispersal of the automobile. The automobile allowed people to
explore more than just their home towns, and travel became a very important
mechanism in the 1940s and 1950s cultures as cars became more accessible. Look
at this forum, this is essentially a social media device that allows everyone
to complete the course in a fashion that is accommodating to everyone. Unlike
the conventional classroom, people all over the world can experience this
learning. The same is actually true for those on sites like Facebook and
Twitter. News, information and knowledge are readily sent throughout the world
for many people to see. The accessibility of this information is quite integral
in encompassing speed and efficiency. An excellent example of this is the
unfortunate death of Robin Williams. News programs have set times with limited
coverage, whereas social media sites can give a wide variety of topics and
subtopics. The news on his death was transmitted in minutes, and that ripple
effect of information was far faster than another means. This is where speed
and efficiency are quite useful. With our ever larger world, people are able to
connect with people that show similar interests and ideologies. There are
dating websites that yield great amounts of happiness. Before, people were
limited to their immediate contexts, so friends had to be within contact. Well,
now contact is even larger and expansive. People can meet friends that are
better suited, even though they are half way around the world. These
connections are generally stronger because they rely on substance rather than
proximity.
I completely agree with you there are so many positives to the change in technology. There have been so many important things happen because of our access to these things. The two things I really liked that you pointed out were how you get annoyed when people are glued to their phone because I feel the same. There is obviously a time and a place for you to be on your phone but it was refreshing that you pointed out they are connected to a larger world which is sometimes just as important as what’s immediately going on around them. The other thing I really liked was that you pointed out that this course is done through Google and can easily be taken no matter where your location. That is amazing and I’m sure people before technology would have killed for opportunities to learn as easily as we can.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that technology widens our world but you didn't quite explain the bad things of how social networking can narrow it. You did say about people being glued to their phones but there are a lot more negatives. Don't get me wrong, I love technology and being able to communicate with almost everyone in the world! But I think being able to do that can disrupt the things right in front of our face. Although there are so many positives, there's always a con with them.
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