Culture's Influence on Technology
Culture and technology are in a constantly expanding positive feedback loop. The greatest changes in human culture are almost always the result of a technological innovation. However, a technology capable of a cultural shift can only have come from the culture itself. Without the culture's choice to refine the technology, the practical applications would have been left as only fleeting ideas; technology will only be developed if the culture has some immediate and apparent use for it. Although a culture will develop a technology based on its inherent valence towards a particular application, that culture cannot possibly fathom the ultimate repercussions of its collective decision. The inherent multiplier effect in the feedback loop along with unforeseen applications of the technology will guide the "trajectories of cultural evolution" (Ehrlich 255) in completely unexpected ways. Even though cultures can and do have an effect on their course through history, it is only slight when compared to the monstrous effect that their technologies have on them.
The nature and importance of this type of self-propagating relationship are described in Paul Ehrlich's book "Human Nature: Genes, Culture, and the Human Prospect." Ehrlich describes his own opinion on human development and feedback loops in the following passage: "It is important to know what shapes the course of history, how that influences the evolution of our natures, and how that in turn feeds back on evolutionary history itself." (Ehrlich 254) The statement briefly describes the general form of the positive feedback loop for human development throughout history. The influences he refers to could be anything from the environment to culture...
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...e the resources and could not carry a kiln. They did, however, have an immediate and apparent use for the chariot, which could increase their speed and power by an innumerable factor.
Although culture is able to guide the technological innovations that are borne from it, humanity does not seem to have much of a say in its course through history. Each step through time is a result of an infinite amount of steps before it all pushing history towards an unknown end. Even the individual who invents an integral technology is only a very small ripple in a tide of inexorable humanity.
Works Cited:
Chant, Colin. "Chapter 2:Greece" in "Pre-Industrial Cities and Technology." Routledge Press, 1999. pp. 48-80.
Ehrlich,Paul R. "Ch. 11: Gods, Dive-Bombers, and Bureaucracy" in "Human Natures: Genes, Cultures, and the Human Prospect." Island Press, 2000. pp. 253-279.
A prevalent but highly economical constraint that has plagued inner city communities is a lack of financial income. Studies have identified “costs of registration, equipment and travel expenses”, as key determents of the lack of participation within recreational activities by lower and single income families (Hughes et al, 1992). Though many programs are offered for free, programs which require fees discourage youth in lower income families from participating (Torrance, 1998). Many Inner cities do not offer recreational programs for its residents within the community, forcing the residents to seek recreational activates elsewhere. This results in additional investments in both time and transportation cost, as many low income families cannot afford a car (Hughes et al, 1992). This causes a strain on single parent families with more than one child, as they struggle to find programs which are suitable for various ages in different locations (Hughes et al, 1992). Another socioeconomic constraint which has heavily impacted recreational activities throughout inner city communities, is a lack of facilities and space for community centers. Residents of low income communities often reside in neighborhoods which lack resources needed to facilitate positive recreational involvement. A study in regards to the
In “ The Fall of the House of Usher” we first meet the narrator of the story who gives us a description of the area and background information. The narrator describes his arrival on that day as dull, dark, and soundless, this gives off an ominous feeling in the story. When he first sets his sights on Usher’s house he feels fearful of it. When the narrator arrives he is escorted through the manor to finally reunite with his friend Roderick Usher. The narrator then explains to us about how he received an eerie letter from Usher stating that he was being plagued by a “mental disorder.”
Between 1996 and 2006, Canada 's teenage pregnancy rate steadily declined by 37%. However, since 2006, Canada 's teenage pregnancy rate has been on the rise, increasing from 27.9 pregnancies per 1,000 teens, to 28.2. This is of great concern to Canada, for teenage pregnancy has many health, social, and media issues. Therefore, teenage pregnancy in Canada requires a solution, that will prevent such pregnancies, and support the teen parents
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Do you think culture can affect a person’s view to others? Culture includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits brought upon a person. In this essay I have read three different stories on how culture can have a huge impact on someone’s life. In the text “Everyday Use “, “Two Ways to belong in America “and “An Indian Fathers Pleu” these three stories explain how culture affects how people view others. One’s culture can cause them to have disoriented vision towards another.
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Culture has a huge impact on how you see the world. Did you know in some cultures it is rude to fill your own glass with water, yes you think that's weird because culture tells you it is weird. Also in some other cultures if someone hands you a business card you shouldn't put it in your pocket they find that rude just like you find it weird. I think culture has a tremendous affect on how we see the world everything you see that people portray weird isn't to other places. Culture has the biggest impact on how you see the world. Although people have valid points about other things being the main reason on how people see the world it is always traced back to culture what is telling you how to look at the world.
Teenagers who become mothers have harsh prospects for the future. Teenagers obtaining abortions are 20% and girls under 15 accounts for 1.2%. They are much more likely to leave of school; receive insufficient prenatal care; rely on public assistance to raise a child; develop health problems; or en...
In “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, a man named Roderick Usher sent an urgent letter to the narrator- an old childhood friend, asking him to come to his home to keep him company. Roderick explained he has a nervous illness and would appreciate the presence of a supportive friend. Even though the narrator only remembers Usher as a childhood memory, he immediately left to go see him. His time at the House of Usher was terrifying. After always seeing the house as a mystery from the outside and knowing that their family always ended in an “unsatisfactory conclusion,” (Poe 2706) the narrator experienced the disturbing trapped inside life of Roderick Usher and his twin sister, Madeline.
The female teen stares into the eyes of her newborn son, not realizing the type of life her and her son will have in the near future. Katrina L. Burchett excellently explicates teenage pregnancy among female adolescents living with domestic problems in her book titled Choices. The various elements that aid to the wide range of teenage pregnancies in the world should all be taken in to consideration. Getting pregnant at an adult is no longer substantial or conventional in our society. Everyday, female young adults are getting pregnant, which is why it is a social issue for the youth today.
On September 9th, 2017 at approximately 7 p.m., I went to Gracedale Public Park to carefully conduct my observation on the individuals, who were at the park and their specific activities in the one hour of time. When I got there, the weather was beautiful with soft winds, a clear sky and with some dim sunlight. The park was full of people of all ages. Though, there were more kids than adults and some teenagers. There were many bicycles and strollers parked beside the tree I sat under. After a couple of minutes, the park filled up with more and more individuals and everyone seemed busy doing their own actions.
Human culture and technology are continually co-evolving in a dynamic relationship. All technologies (See Note 1) develop in a particular cultural context as the result of changing needs or constraints. But once developed, a technology changes the culture that gave it birth. When a technology spreads to another culture, the cultural context affects the speed or way in which the technology is adopted and how it is used. The diffusion of technologies to other cultures changes those other cultures as well. The changes in culture that one technology creates may then influence the development of another or different technology.
...crease the teen pregnancy rates. The study was carried out in a town with a population of 10,000 within a health center in a town 25 miles from a major Mid. The location of the health center was located 25 miles from a major Midwestern city. According to Crowley, 2001, the health center serves clients ages 12 through 20. Inclusion criteria were girls ages 13 through 18, and never being pregnant (p. 723). 202 girls agreed and were eligible to participate, with 148 as the final sample. There were 54 girls excluded because they were already pregnant. All participants spoke English or Spanish In conclusion teen pregnancy has been identified in literature as a problem for teenagers, their families, and society. The Nursing Model for Teen Pregnancy will guide the study. The model theorizes that developmental maturity is related to those at risk for teen pregnancy.
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Culture has been a part of our society, and way of life, forever. It is almost impossible to come up with an idea that isn’t influenced by culture. As new technology is introduced into a society, the culture reacts in a positive or negative way and is thus changed forever. Despite the fact that we cannot really ignore that there are a number of ways in which technology negatively impacts our society, for the better part it has greatly helped to make lives better. It has also helped us a great deal to be able to save on many resources such as time and money and these are great benefits that cannot be ignored. It has also worked well in bringing unity into the world by turning it into a global village which has in turn helped people to more easily overcome their cultural, racial and continental barriers. Like we saw in the case of Ireland where technological advancements have shaped and molded the country into a completely new one that is better than the one it was before. Technology is made and used in such a variety of ways because many people who use the technology of today come from all walks of life and have different necessities, so to compensate for that technology must adapt to all different cultures. Consequently, as cultures change so does the technology they develop. Ultimately, advances in technology directly affect how cultures evolve, complex interactions are all the result of the dynamic and perpetual relationship between technology and