In recent decades, humanity’s lives have been increasingly disrupted by the new technologies available to our race. As we are currently in the Digital Age, there are many questions that arise pertaining to our social structure, community and intellectual evolution as a people. The topic of focus is how the tools of the Digital Age affect American society. Up for debate are questions such as have we had enough time to study the side effects brought on by forces like the Internet, smart phones, or the massive digital data storage networks available to the common person. Does our disruptive technology harm our innate skill of adaptation as humans? There are altering views about technological consequences from different regions and cultures around …show more content…
In order to effectively reach my audience, my readers must know about the issues at hand with human-technological involvement and how the disruptive technologies connecting the world has indeed increased access to knowledge. Especially critical to my argument is convincing an audience with preconceived ideas that the modern-day technology is a pivotal tool that ensures the intellectual and societal growth present in the United States. This may be a threatening idea because it is shocking to imagine the difficulties life would present without the technologies like smartphones, GPS, or the Internet. Arising from my proposal is the issue of deciding between technology and nurturing human interaction, intellect, and social structures. This is an important topic for leaders, those who only know life with the recent technologies, and college students because the Digital Age affects us all and desensitizes us to interaction with one another. It is difficult for individuals to sift through and decide what is truly an innovation compared to what might be merely a harmful …show more content…
In my initial research, I have found articles and books that both promote and warn about the loss of critical thinking and adaptive responses. To answer the question are the tools that culminate the general description of the Digital Age harming Americans, it will be crucial to analyze the information that supports disruptive technologies and those that counter the benefits of such technologies. One source particularly interesting is the book The Shallows: What is the Internet Doing to Our Brains authored by Nicholas G. Carr. Carr who is an acclaimed technology and culture writer for various magazine and journal publishers in the United States. Another interesting source to consider using would be the article Is Technology Making Us Stupid (and Smarter)? Written by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic a Business Psychology Professor. Carl Zimmer introduced a counter-argument in his article, “How Google Is Making Us Smarter,” published by Discover Magazine, to the negative topics consistently covered by
Science and technology go hand in hand. Scientific discoveries result in technology advancements for the people. In today’s technological world, it has progressed to a whole new level. This type of modernization opened doors for new and improved computers, cell phones, medical treatment, and machinery. In a reference article, “Computers and the Internet in America: Modern World” by Christopher Cumo, he discusses how computers and the internet have impacted human life since the 20th century. Technology has always been a part of society and as
Everyday, our world gains a new technology advancement. At first it began with a computer being created in the year of 1822 by Charles Babbage. Which now turned into having an everything being held on a 4.7-inch screen device. Engagements with other individuals are different now. Preferably teenagers would rather create a group message than start a conversation. The amount of terrorist attacks and technology consumed on a daily basis created a suspicion upon the government. Fahrenheit 451 and Minority report authors both demonstrate their concern on the effect of technology and government have on our future.
Advancements in technology have strived to make life easier for so many people. In most cases, the advancements have achieved its goal, but in the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Nicholas Carr questions if the improvements in society have unintentionally hindered our thought process overall. Carr begins the article by providing personal instances when his concentration seemed to diminish due to the internet. He explains how he now loses interest when reading lengthy portions, his mind just can’t seem to remain connected to his readings. He then proceeds to talk about how today’s life is surrounded by the internet, and explains the pros and cons of it. The negative side of it is that his mind now wonders off when seeking information from
Humans have been creating tools that allow us to be do things that would be otherwise impossible since the beginning of our existence. The ability to use and develop new tools is what sets us apart from all other animals. Yet it seems that ever since these tools started being created there were also people that feared these new tools and claimed that they are bad for the human race. The present fear of new technology is illustrated in the essay “Is Google Making us Stupid?” by Nicholas Carr. In this essay Carr argues that the internet and other new technologies are changing the way we think in a negative way. Carr claims that new technology is making our generation stupid. In opposition the article “Smarter Than You Think” by Clive Thompson
We live in a time where technology is at the center of our society. We use technology on a daily basis, for the simplest tasks, or to aid us in our jobs, and don’t give a second thought to whether these tools are actually helping us. Writers such as Kevin Kelly and Clive Thompson argue that the use of technology actually helps us humans; whiles writers such as Nicholas Carr argue that technology affects people’s abilities to learn information negatively.
Technology has played a vital role in human progression over the past century, with new advancements like computers, smart phones, and orbiting satellites paving the way for a world more connected than ever before. The ease of accessing knowledge via these devices ensures that individuals can have the world at their fingertips, as any and all questions they may have can be answered in only a matter of seconds. Such a free flow of information requires little mental aptitude to understand and access, and some observers of this relatively new phenomenon are starting to ponder if technology is actually hurting us rather than aiding us. One such
Technology is one of the most important things in everyone’s life. Technology improves every day. in regards to today’s youth, they were born with all the new technological inventions as opposed to our parents. In “Quality Time, Redefined” by Alex Williams, published in the New York Times, the author talks about the positive and negative effects on technology. I enjoyed this reading because it related my personal day to day life. Even though some Americans acknowledge that technology is a part of their everyday life, they do not see the negative outcome of technology, they are blinded only by the positive aspects.
Google, the Internet, and advanced technology as a whole are disrupting the brain’s normal function and negatively affecting the way that people think. In Nicholas Carr’s publication titled “Is Google Making Us Stupid,” he contends that the Internet could potentially have damaging effects on cognition and mental functioning that weaken the capability to focus and deliberate (3). As an example, Carr used the company Google to show how its founders aspire to use information to master and control the specific ways in which people search and access resources on the web (7). Before the Internet, people relied on printed works, which offered a more prolonged and deeper way to obtain information. In addition, the Internet is worsening memory, cognitive
The topic of technology and our society has become a very controversial subject today. Many people believe that technology is an essential component of our modern world, helping us to improve communication from farther distances as well as giving us easy access to important information. On the other hand, there is the opinion that too much technology is affecting social interactions and our basic development. “Technology…is a queer thing, it brings you great gifts with one hand, and stabs you in the back with the other.” (Carrie Snow.) The CBC Documentary “Are We Digital Dummies” displayed the pros and cons when it comes to modern technology that we use in the western world everyday.
Digital revolution is exponentially accelerating the productivity of various outcomes in the society and also transforming the employment and economy of the world. In recent times, innovation in technology is inadvertently becoming the cause for chronic unemployment which in turn is drastically affecting the median household income. This book discusses such trends and outcomes in general and offers solutions to the problems faced by present and future generation of workers. Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee have discussed effects of machines on wealth distribution, economy and employment in a crisp, strong and insightful way.
Technology has more negative effects on today’s society than positive. Due to technology in the past few decades Canine Shock Collars have been increasingly popular. Students in school pay more attention to texting than they do their classes. Violent addictive video games have made their way into American homes. Parents encourage their children to not text as much, but them to face the problem of constant communication. The Internet gives the students easier ways to cheat in school, and reinforces laziness. Internet Porn gives every bored male a chance to look at the seediest film in the comfort of his own home. Technology has taken the innocence and mystery away from the American family.
Today, Americans are faced with the increasing change of technology in our everyday life. Sometimes the change happens and we do not realize how it affects our lives. I think it is always a good idea to talk to someone that is older than yourself, like your grandparents to remind you of the times in their younger years. Hopefully, that will open your eyes to the changes we face in this generation and the generation to come. In this chapter, the author explores the relationship of changing technology to changes in both the environment and social institutions.
Technology is changing how we think and act at younger ages. The term “technology” doesn’t only mean manufacturing processes and equipment necessary for production, it also defines a social space and could be a social problem which makes a real impact on social reality. Different types of social software affect a variety of aspects and have both positive and negative impacts. It's important to be aware of how a digitally-driven life is changing our education, sense of self, relationships, social interaction, consumerism, and ways of doing business around the world.
Is Google Making Us Stupid? - Magazine - The Atlantic. (n.d.). The Atlantic — News and analysis on politics, business, culture, technology, national, international, and life – TheAtlantic.com. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/6868/
Technology has changed modern society drastically, both positively and negatively. Technology has influenced every aspect of our life, making it simpler but not necessarily better. Albert Einstein was concerned about the advancement of technology. "I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction."1 Undoubtedly, what has changed the most are communication, the spread of information, and how business is practiced. Consequently, practically everyone knows how to use a computer, connect to the Internet, or use a smartphone. This is demonstrated by the way the Internet is used daily by millions of people to communicate, to sell, advertise, retrieve, and share information. Thanks to the Internet, information from anywhere in the world is at our fingertips. As a result, the advancement of technology has changed our life in many ways including; sharing of information, communication, business, education, social interaction, simplifying everyday tasks, replacing basic skills and jobs.