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Effects of modern technology on society
Effects of modern technology on society
Effects of modern technology on society
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Gursel 1
Ezgi Gursel
Ms. Demma
English II
25 September 2014
Avoiding the Future: Technology and Society
"We have too many cell phones. We've got too many Internets. We have got to get rid of
those machines. We have too many machines now" (Ray Bradbury). Not only has Ray Bradbury
been famous for his imaginative and futuristic science fiction stories, he was also famous for
being a person of simplicity. He tried to prevent a future dominated by technology. In his stories,
Bradbury problematically portrays the future of technology, society, and family life. The themes
of the stories address the effects of technology.
The most important problem Bradbury addresses in his stories is the negative
consequences of technology. It has become a powerful centerpiece in
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lives, with its consequences being too heavy and dangerous. When technology becomes a centerpiece in lives, as demonstrated in all of the stories, societies can change. In "The Pedestrian," when the TV became a main feature, people started living in confinement away from nature and other human- beings. "The Pedestrian" describes how people were surprised and scared when Leonard Mead walked the streets: For long ago he had wisely changed to sneakers when strolling at night, because the dogs in intermittent squads would parallel his journey with barkings if he wore hard heels, and lights might click on and faces appear and an entire street be startled by the passing of a lone figure, himself, in the early November evening. (Bradbury, 1) Gursel 2 Although in a present society, Leonard Mead's actions may seem quite normal and be encouraged by others because he is walking, the norm for this future world is much different. The consequences of abusing and misusing technology are heavy. Not only can it alter the society negatively, but it can also destroy or harm it. For example, in "There Will Come Soft Rains," the reader can infer the inhabitants of Allendale, California, probably died due to an explosion or war: "The five spots of paint—the man, the woman, the children, the ball— remained. The rest was a thin charcoaled layer "(Bradbury, 1). Technology, either a nuclear reactor explosion or weapons of war, ended up killing the humans who created them. Technology can also be powerful. An example of a technology that was too powerful can be found in "A Sound of Thunder." The Time Machine allows its users to travel to any time-past or future-with several clicks of a button. It is so powerful it completely defied Time and, as Eckels and the other characters realized, changed History forever: "But the immediate thing was the sign painted on the office wall, the same sign he had read earlier today on first entering. Somehow, the sign had changed" (Bradbury, 9). While the main problem was caused directly by Eckels killing the butterfly, without the Time Machine, it certainly wouldn't have happened. As an effect of technology, Bradbury portrays problems in the society, environments, and individual characters of the story. In "The Pedestrian," Bradbury shows the effect of technology on people. During the night, people coop up in their homes and spend hours in front of the TV. They are almost living in complete isolation. Leonard Mead, although is not a heavy user of technology, lives in isolation too because the others are like the dead. Consequently, because of the ubiquity of technology, the characters in the stories begin to feel obsolete and unnecessary. In "The Veldt," Lydia is the only one who notices this problem directly. She says: Gursel 3 That's just it. I feel like I don't belong here. The house is wife and mother now, and nursemaid. Can I compete with an African veldt? Can I give a bath and scrub the children as efficiently or quickly as the automatic scrub bath can? I cannot. And it isn't just me. It's you.
You've been awfully nervous lately (Bradbury, 3).
In "The Pedestrian" this problem is also described. The police has been replaced with automated
cars who think and do all of the programmed actions. Technology has left nothing for humans to
do. No one realizes the effects of technology until it becomes too late aside from in "The
Pedestrian." They develop the technologies for positive intentions but don't realize when it gets
out of hand. George Hadley, in "The Veldt" had bought the nursery in good hopes to keep his
children entertained and educated from their imaginations. Even when Lydia had warned him
about the nursery, he was "filled with admiration for the mechanical genius who had conceived
this room" (Bradbury, 2). He thought that the nursery was a must-have for every home and didn't
notice how violent his children's imaginations were until much later. Leonard Mead is the
exception. He is the only one who remains mostly untouched from the changing society and
views technology, the TV specifically, negatively from the start.
In addition to problems in technology and society, the future life breaks the bonds in
family life; this can be seen in "The Veldt" especially. A major mistake in parenting done
by George and Lydia is how they are too lenient with their children and start spoiling them. ("But nothing's too good for our children," George had said" (Bradbury, 1). They give their children too much imagination and freedom than 10-year olds can handle. 'Pride, money and foolishness' is an important quote in "The Veldt" which explains why individuals make mistakes. Bradbury is trying to point out what could happen in the future when people's lives are filled with pride, money and foolishness. As more people are becoming richer, in part due to technology, they Gursel 4 have more pride in themselves which starts turning into foolishness. Foolishness allows people to make mistakes thinking that nothing is more powerful than themselves. When technology proves to be more influential and powerful they start making mistakes that could, in "The Veldt," cost them their lives. The inferior problem Bradbury envisions in the future is the result of what could happen when individuals in the society start concentrating more on technology rather than the world around them. George Hadley had, in fact, noticed the sudden changes in his children and the nursery long before Lydia had told him but didn't care to pay attention because he was busy. Lydia and George have let technology take over their children's lives by providing comfort and affection. "The parents have spent so little time with their children they really don't know them and they certainly have no control over them" ("Technology in "The Veldt"). The parents and the children hardly, from what the reader can assume, spend time communicating with each other. Lack of communication opens up problems and creates a chain reaction to the conflicts in the story. Many of the Bradbury stories share themes that can show the effects of technology. A theme about the future is that small mistakes can add up quickly. "A Sound of Thunder" the small mistake of getting on the Time Machine and stepping on the butterfly, multiplies immensely: "It fell to the floor, an exquisite thing, a small thing that could upset balances and knock down a line of small dominoes and then big dominoes and then gigantic dominoes, all down the years across Time" (Bradbury,10).The use of technology today can affect the future negatively. For example, pollution becomes an important problem when using a car. Carbon dioxide levels rise above normal and in the future, this can become a severe problem for the environment. A main theme and motif Bradbury uses in all of his works is death. Technology is compared to death. "The Pedestrian" viewers of the TV are like "phantoms." The characters in Gursel 5 "TWCSR," "The Veldt," and "A Sound of Thunder" have died as a result of technology. In "A Sound of Thunder," the death of the butterfly holds more importance than technology in the story. It signifies freedom and with its death, freedom is destroyed, a dictator-like Deutscher becomes president.In addition to death as a united theme, isolation and loneliness are one too, except in "A Sound of Thunder". Loneliness and isolation that comes with using technology is displayed several times. Leonard Mead is an outcast, who hasn't seen a person in over a decade. The house in "TWCSR" has been completely alone since the disaster that ravaged the entire city and its inhabitants. In "The Veldt" the isolation is rather more subtle. When looked at the story objectively, George and Lydia are alone. They don't have anybody who can understand their situation with the nursery and the children aside from Mr. McClean. Meanwhile, Peter and Wendy are entangled in their own isolation within. They go to carnivals across town but are lonely when at home. They are living in a household with parents who can't seem to understand their circumstances and why they value technology more than family. Only their imagination and technology entertains them. Technology provides nurturing and affection rather than from their parents. As readers of Bradbury's science fiction stories can examine, Bradbury portrays problems about the future, specifically its technology, society, and family life. Technology should be used to a limit and not to a point of becoming harmful or deadly to humans. As E.E. Cummings said, "progress is a comfortable disease"; it can make life convenient and effortless but can harm people along the way. Every innovation of technology makes people more like slaves who can't get out of the chains that hold them addicted. While technology is a progress of communication, it provides the reverse effect. As more cell phones, computers, and televisions come out, people spend less time with their family and friends. Not only does these Bradbury stories offer a Gursel 6 problematic view of the future and how the world today can prevent it, readers of his stories understand the value of the life they have today, family and friends around them, and the importance of communication between individuals
...ders to understand, revere, and love the natural world around them. His Grand Style made an emotional connection to the natural world through the written word of man possible.
In the story, ¨The Pedestrian,¨ the author Ray Bradbury uses society, his character, Mr. Leonard Mead and the setting to explain the theme, ¨Too much dehumanization and technology can really ruin a society.¨ Mr. Leonard Mead walks around the city every night for years, but one night would be different as one cop car roams around waiting to take the next person away.
One tool Bradbury uses the most is, Personification: Giving human characteristics to non-living things or ideas. The reader can find that tool in any of Bradbury’s stories. Particularly, the house in, (“The Veldt”) is personified. The family’s house consists
When George told the children he would turn off the nursery, they reacted much like teenage children when they get their phones taken away. “The two children were in hysterics. They screamed and pranced and threw things. They yelled and sobbed and swore and and jumped at the furniture.” Teenagers and their phones are inseparable. When you take a phone away, most people tend to get a little anxiety. It is interesting to think that when Ray Bradbury wrote the story in 1950 he predicted that children would be so connected with
Two Works Cited Mankind has made great leaps toward progress with inventions like the television. However, as children give up reading and playing outdoors to plug into the television set, one might wonder whether it is progress or regression. In "The Pedestrian," Ray Bradbury has chosen to make a statement on the effects of these improvements. Through characterization and imagery, he shows that if mankind advances to the point where society loses its humanity, then mankind may as well cease to exist.
Today’s world is full of robots that vacuum the floor and cars that talk to their drivers. People can ask their phones to send a text or play a song and a cheerful voice will oblige. Machines are taking over more and more tasks that are traditionally left to people, such as cleaning, navigating, and even scheduling meetings. In a world where technology is becoming increasingly human, questions arise about whether machines will eventually replace humankind altogether. In Ray Bradbury’s short stories, “The Veldt” and “August 2026,” he presents themes that technology will not only further replace the jobs of humans, but it will also outlast humankind as a whole. Although this is a plausible future, computers just cannot do certain human jobs.
He continues to talk to the car it asks him why he is talking and
Mankind has made great progression with inventions such as the television. However, as people dedicate less time to study or participate in sport, and dedicate more time to tune into their television, one might wonder if this is growth or decay. In "The Pedestrian", Ray Bradbury has decided to make a statement on the possible outcome of these advances. Through clever characterisation, themes and imagery, he shows that if society advances too greatly, then mankind may as well terminate itself. When walking one night, Mr Mead is abruptly stopped by a "metallic voice", for simply walking, but in this world of 2053 A.D, walking appears to be a felony. Mead is arrested and taken "To the Psychiatric Centre for Research on Regressive Tendencies".
In regards to his miserable depiction of the forthcoming society in his works, Ray Bradbury said that he "was not predicting the future, but was trying to prevent it” ("A Quote by Ray Bradbury"). Bradbury began to develop an opposition towards modernization owing to the burgeoning technological advancements of the early 1950s. He noticed how the world was beginning to hold focus on technology, such as new automobiles, innovative televisions, radios, and advanced weaponry. Bradbury’s writing soon focused on communities where technology was detrimental to the lives of the people by distracting them from their families, friends, and occupations. In towns where people are obsessed with technological ‘life-draining’ inventions and a city where intensely
he doesn't he even own one. This where you can see how he is different
his life where it has influences of his writing and how it did impact many people.
In the past 100 years, the world has completely turned around. The technological and computer revolutions have completely changed the way the world works. Henry Ford revolutionized factorial production through the creation of the assembly line. It increased efficiency and a basic standard of conformity among products, therefore making the company a lot more successful. The rest of the industry creating a nation-wide revolution based on efficiency adopted this new innovation. Following the innovation of the assembly line, a new era of development came into existence. In the 1970’s, computers were first introduced. Although they were as large as a room and could only play tic tac toe, they were the start of the technological revolution that made our society what it is today. Hundreds, if not thousands, of new inventions were thought of each year, creating new jobs and a new way of life. Records and files previously kept in file cabinets are now all computerized. Every person’s life is computerized: identification, police reports, one’s house and work. Almost every person has a computer, whether it is used for fun, school, Internet connection, graphic arts, or music. Computers have revolutionized our lives, whether that is a good or bad thing is the question. Do we create and control the computers, or have our own inventions taken such a hold on our lives, that they now control us? Aldous Huxley uses Henry Ford as the basis for an omni powerful leader who enforces the new values of efficiency through a totalitarian and mind-controlling government; subsequently, Huxley creates Brave New World to warn us of the effect that technology will have on our lives in the future.
Carl Sagan is known as one of the most famous scientists of all time. He revolutionized how the world looked at space and the search for intelligent life beyond our planet. The author of many books, he is most known for Contact (which was adapted into a movie) and for the PBS documentary Cosmos. As one of America's most famous astronomers and science-fiction writers, Carl Sagan turned a life of science into one of the most critically successful scientific careers of the 20th century.
Since the beginning of time, humans have thought and made many inventions. Repeatedly the newer one is better than the older. Our minds have created many remarkable things, however the best invention we ever created is the computer. computers are constantly growing and becoming better every day. Every day computers are capable of doing new things. Even though computers have helped us a lot in our daily lives, many jobs have been lost because of it, now the computer can do all of the things a man can do in seconds! Everything in the world relies on computers and if a universal threat happens in which all computers just malfunction then we are doomed. Computers need to be programmed to be able to work or else it would just be a useless chunk of metal. And we humans need tools to be able to live; we program the computer and it could do a lot of necessary functions that have to be done. It is like a mutual effect between us and he computer (s01821169 1).
Technology has brought us closer and squeezed the distances, but in reality, it has taken us away from each other. The rapid growth of technology has brought about significant changes in human lives, especially in their relationships. The latest technologies have turned this world into a “global village” but the way humans interact with each other, the types of relationships and their importance has changed a lot. The advancement in technology has brought us closer, but has also taken us apart. In the past, the means of communication were limited.