Nothing is inevitable

930 Words2 Pages

The common train of thought in a majority of the world today is that technology just progresses and we accept it and let it change the world around us. Thus a consequent train of thought is that we have no choice but to accept the change in technology. Some people, however, see the lack of necessity for some technological advances. Take for example the iPod or the cell phone, some people are perfectly happy with their old music player, such as a Walkman, or their older non smartphone instead of giving into the current iCraze. Some people do not see the need to have a phone that does everything that a computer does since they may already have a computer at home. Therefore, a person or culture must first accept a technology before it can change the world that they live in; and the culture is able to adapt the technology to fit its specific needs. According to Nye in his article “Does Technology Control Us,” the term “impact,” suggests, “machines inexorably impress change on society” (Nye 11). Many technology users see technology as something that by Nye’s definition, impacts society without the population’s consent to do so. However Nye also states that communities have the choice to adopt a powerful technology or resist it (Nye 2). Take for example the Mennonite and Amish cultures. Both of these cultures have refused to accept technologies because they do not wish to risk giving up the quality of life and community they have created. In this instance and others like it, technologies such as smart phones, tablets, and Facebook do not alter their life like they alter the lives of those who have chosen to let them impact their life.
Sawyer wrote an article about his findings in social informatics. One of his findings states, “The design, implementation, and uses of ICTs have reciprocal relationships with the larger social context” (Sawyer 3). Applying this finding to an

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