Over the past weeks we have all been discussing the possibilities, potentials, uses, etc. of new technologies and their role in a global culture. This has been a very interesting conversation that has brought out some interesting points and counter points. Panagokos and Horst discuss at length the old promise of the Internet as a medium to erase race, gender, class, etc. While we know that technology may not erase inequalities it does, to a certain extent, bring us together in a way like never before. As has been previously stated on the blog, it does allow people from around the globe to communicate in ways never dreamed possible before.
As we learn more about the ways various groups use technology, it is important to keep commenting on the state of technology in a global society. According to Escobar, different groups use or reject new technology based on various cultural, political and economic factors. Whether they utilize certain technologies may be effected by social standing, class, economic means, access (technological or political restrictions), and a host of other facts that fit into these classifications. At a time when cyber-culture was quickly emerging he termed this appropriation or rejection of new technology Cyberia. Cyber-technology and technology in general has emerged in unexpected ways and thus the way it is used needs to be studied as it emerges.
I think the web-comic above, brought to us by xkcd, nicely illustrates our obsession with new technology, how we use it, and the importance it plays in our imaginations. Sixty years ago the future looked like flying cars and cities on the moon instead, today we have wireless access to information around the world on hand held devices. And we always want more, we want new ways to use it. This is one of the important reasons why we must study how people use technologies in their everyday lives, because we may use old technologies in new ways or new technologies in old ways. Perhaps this is in our human nature, to always strive for more, to always be better. Either way our social reality is clearly always in flux based on new technologies.
Moore’s law is a predicted trend that can be used to explain how technology will continue to develop. This law states that computer technologies will double every 2 years; this has been happening and is expected to continue happening for a number of years. We know that new technologies will continue to develop at an alarming rate, and that is why they must constantly be studied, so that we can compare them to those that came before them and those that will come afterwards.
We may not have flying cars, but we have something a lot cooler: the Internet.
I think its interesting to look at the scope of youth's technological exposure. For instance, within our generation alone, we have seen the first computer come out, video gaming, now digital gaming, macbooks, ipads, smartphones. Technology has evolved so much within a span of 20 years.Now its interesting to see the generation of children growing up knowing how to use an iphone, accustomed to streaming shows and movies as oppose to cable tv. I'm interested to see how it will change from here.
ReplyDeleteYou touched briefly on the "ability" of the Internet to allow for the "erasure" (used very loosely) of hierarchical lines of class, race, gender etc. I think this is a very controversial issue - as is discussed at lengths by many scholars in academia. However, speaking clearly from an ideological, utopic, simple viewpoint, I do think the Internet allows us to "reconstruct" our identities and help blur those lines that can (and do) implicitly (and concsiously) divide us. Although there are many issues surrounding this technology, I do believe it has played a large role in our culture's strive toward acceptance - at least that is how I want to naively view it for the time being. I think, like anything, many negatives can be associated with the Internet, but all in all, I think this technology is super cool and much better than a flying car!
ReplyDelete...although a flying car would be pretty cool too!
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