Uphill Both Ways
Technology Then and Technology Now
One day, my generation will tell their grandchildren about the mystical land of phone books, dial-up internet, and when the pound sign existed as a pound sign. Not a hashtag.
Today's youth will never know life without Siri, Google, or iPhones. Back in my day, I had to work for my texts, pressing one key, multiple times, just for one letter. Well before T9.
We went outside. For information, we had to go to the library. We used The Dewey Decimal system. We read. Real books, with real pages. Always uphill, both ways, and forever snowing.
Although technology has many benefits, could it actually weaken America's culture? The days of remembering phone numbers have passed. Now, people refer to Google as their memory bank.
Quick Internet, Slow Minds
Nicholas Carr in his book, “The Shallows”, explains that if we do not use parts of the brain, those areas will deteriorate.
“Experiments show that just as the brain can build new or stronger circuits through physical or mental practice, those circuits can weaken or dissolve with neglect” (35).
Our minds remain damaged, even if we think we expand them with technology. We play a part in the death of our knowledge. Even with so much information always available. In the future, why will children have to learn to write or spell? Siri lies at your fingertips and autocorrect scans infinitely.
Lund Loves Latest Technologies
Unlike Carr, Pamela Lund thinks technology exists as a benefit to society. She explains in her book, “Massively Networked”, that these advances have positive effects. With new technologies, you can grow organs. You can also monitor your body.
“The technology to grow or print organs from scratch is worth noting as it has far-reaching implications for your health and longevity” (46).
For the terminally ill, organ-growing seems like a no-brainer. What does this mean for rest of the ‘healthy' population? If people know they can just 3D print a new lung, will they choose to smoke? What about drinking with disregard to your liver? No need for sunscreen if you can print new skin.
What will happen to health-consciousness? Maybe technology will allow for immortality. A population of bio-genetically upgraded people. Periodically we just need to upgrade our iOS system.
Works Cited
Carr, Nicholas G. The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. Print.
Lund, Pamela. Massively Networked: How the Convergence of Social Media and Technology Is Changing Your Life. San Francisco: PLI Media, 2012. Print.
