How Technology Alters the Structure of Our Interests - Essay Example

?How Technology Alters the Structure of Our Interests Technology is a broad and complex field that that cannot easily be defined by a single concept or phrase. Yet it plays an important aspect in every part of our lives, particularly now, in the modern age. Technology has the ability to significantly alter the way that humans behave, and as a consequence can alter the structure of our interests. In general, technology can be considered as the way in which methods can be used to solve problems, such as the use of tools, systems or machines. More specifically, the term can be used to apply to a collection of procedures, tools or machinery. For example, some of the more prominent recent technological advances could be considered, the internet, nuclear weapons and cell phones. The impacts that technology has on human civilization are many and varied. As humans continue to adapt and improve technology, these effects are likely to become more pronounced. An example of the way in which technology has changed human systems is that of the creation of the wheel. The wheel was one of the earliest forms of technology that was invented, and with this technological advance came substantial changes. Prior to the invention of the wheel, our ancestors travelled by foot, however, once the wheel was developed methods of travelling changed. In turn, this led to the development of further technology, such as the development of the animal drawn cart and later trains and automobiles. As our ability to move increased, so too did the rate at which cultures intermingled. Consequently, cultures became less distinct, and interests became more shared among them. The invention of the wheel did not simply change methods of doing a task, but also altered the way that human interest was structured. Travel changed from being an almost impossible task to something that was easier to accomplish. As a consequence, people showed an increased desire to travel which in turn led to the development of more efficient vehicles. At its heart, technology is change that leads to change. The effect that these changes have can be either beneficial or detrimental to the human race, or in many cases both. While advances in technology have been behind the initiation of many brutal wars through the invention of weapons such as guns, bombs and missiles, it has also resulted in the creation of life saving medical and scientific advances. One important aspect in the way in which technology affects humans is the impact that it has on human interests. Due to the broad nature of technology, this impact can best be understood by examining in detail a single technological advance, the manner in which this has altered human behavior and interests and extrapolate from this example to technology in general. One of the most significant innovations of the modern era has been that of the internet. As it was developed and improved upon, the internet has proven to be a way to connect people to one another, breaking down barriers of communication and significantly changing the way that people interact with one another. It has also had a large effect on businesses, introducing a new arena for marketing and sales as well as to determine customer interest. The internet has substantially increased the availability of information and the way in which people access it. The Development of the Internet In 1966 the first computer network was developed by the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The network was designed as a defense project and was used for testing various concepts in computer science such as packet switching and routing, which were innovative at the time. ARPANET, as it became known, was highly successful, and the need to develop ways to link the individual networks together led to the development of an Internet Program. This program connected other networks to the ARPANET, and forms the basis of the Internet today . However, it wasn’t until 1974 that the term internet was first used, and at this time the word was simply an abbreviation of internetworking. In the late 1980s the term began to be used to refer to the global TCP/IP network that was beginning to form . Up until 1989, information available on the internet was entirely text. Currently, information is in the form of text, image, sound, video as well as other formats. As of 2007, approximately 35% of the information was text, 32% images and 29% video . The internet can be defined as a system of computer networks that are linked together through the internet protocol suite (TCP/IP). The network is currently used by billions of individual users and information is constantly being changed and added . As a consequence, it represents a vast source of information about any topic. The internet plays a large role in communication and the sharing of information. Any individual is able to create a website, which can contain any number of different pages, documents and links to other pages . As a consequence, the number of sites that are present online continues to rapidly grow. Search engines such as Google and Bing allow these sites to be examined for specific terms, thus creating the ability for users to find information that they desire and to navigate across different web pages and sites with varying content. Because of the large amount of data that is stored on the internet, it provides an easy and comprehensive source of information. Determining the legitimacy of information gathered from the internet is always important, as websites can be made by anyone. Nevertheless, there are many sources of highly accurate information that can be easily accessed. For example, most newspapers have an electronic version, which may contain part or all of the news that is covered in their print edition. Thus, people are able to gain knowledge of current events without purchasing newspapers or magazines. Likewise, many television news programs such as CNN post videos and reports online. For students and academics there are large collections of journal articles available as well as electronic copies of many books and textbooks. For someone interested in a particular restaurant, it is often as simple as inputting the name in a search engine, likewise finding a review on a product, or even the product itself is just as easy. Commercialization of the Internet From the business and economic perspective, the internet is a realm of many advantages. The ability to communicate worldwide for a relatively low price, especially compared to other types of media, resulted in the creation of many companies hoping to take advantage. The internet offered the advantage of being able to bypass many of the traditional barriers to business, as well as facilitating relationships between customers and sellers. Established businesses and new businesses alike used the internet as a means of advertising and communicating with consumers in order to increase interest and sales to their physical location. As internet technology has continued to develop, many companies now operate stores online, either in addition to physical stores or as an alternative. E-business has began to play a large role in the global economy . It consists of the sale of products and services in the online environment. This can include things such as ordering physical goods from an online store and having them delivered, ordering an electronic product such as software or music, the advertisement of new products or sales as well as many other types . Some companies focus solely on the electronic component of their business, while for others this is only a small part. The Starbucks chain is an example of a business that has successfully incorporated the internet into its everyday operation. The chain of coffee stores currently has more than 15,000 stores worldwide as well as a comprehensive site and electronic store. In their online store they sell many physical products including brewing items, coffee and tea . Their website is comprehensive, containing much information about the company, its aims, products that they sell as well as sales. Shopping over the internet is common, with many consumers using credit cards to purchase online products such as food, makeup, jewelry, clothing or software. Sites which sell secondhand goods are also common, with popular websites including EBay and Craigslist. Many fast food stores allow online ordering, and restaurants will often let you reserve a table online. Stores will often advertise specials online, and as a consequence consumers will often check the price of the same item at multiple locations before deciding where they will go to buy it. This has significantly increased consumer awareness and resulted in people spending more time trying to get a good deal. Portability of the Internet While the internet was first developed for the computer, there are now many different devices that have internet access. Incorporation of the internet into mobile phones began in the late 1990s, and currently most mobile phones have some form of internet access. Devices such as the iPod and iPad developed by Apple, and PDAs now have internet technology incorporated. In addition, the size and weight of laptops continues to decrease, with the release of many small tablets and netbooks designed to be lightweight and easy to transport. Some devices are designed to inherently access the internet, such as most mobile phones, through their own provider, while others rely on a WiFi signal. Consequently, many users look for WiFi hotspots. Such locations include coffee shops, hotels and motels. This has resulted in substantial changes in behavior and interests for people. The portability of such devices means that any information is easily accessible. It is not uncommon to see people use their phone to pull up a map of their current location, or to try and work out how to get to a particular place. Likewise, the use of the internet is replacing the need for books, with many people using ebook readers on various devices to read electronic versions of books rather than physical versions. Outbreak of Social Media Social media is a term that is unique to the internet age, and constitutes web-based technology which allows for the exchange and creation of content generated by users. It focuses on more than simply communication, but rather interaction between people and groups of people. There are a variety of different types of social media, which include networking sites such as MySpace, online games, blogs, collaborative projects such as Wikis and content communities such as YouTube. Many of these sites integrate with one another, for example most blogging sites allow you to link your writing to Facebook and Twitter. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter are highly popular ways for people to communicate and interact with one another. A survey found that 75% of internet users said that they had accessed social media in the second quarter of 2008, and the total number of active Facebook users was estimated at more than 175 million . Social media has bred a new kind of consumer, one that has opinions and is looking for interaction. For the most part, businesses have stayed out of the social media market, as they do not have the strategies in place to manage the type of consumers that are present on these sites . Currently, any businesses that do attempt to take advantage of the social media market are not successful, but it is likely that in the near future effective strategies will be developed that will allow this market to be used to full advantage by businesses. Social networking through social media requires a significant amount of time and effort on the part of the user. One must actively manage friends and communities on sites such as Facebook, and followers and posts on blogging sites such as Twitter and Wordpress. This results in people spending a large amount of time on these sites, looking at many different things such as posts by friends, updates and images, as well as playing mini games that these sites host. It is likely that social media technology will continue to become more integrated into other products. For example, Facebook is already integrated as a separate application in many Android phones and as an application on Apple products. Changes in Behavior and Interests Ironically, the advent of the internet, a network that has broken down barriers to communication worldwide, has both increased and decreased the level of communication. Email has replaced the written letter as a means of communication for many people due to its convenience. However, the consequence of this is that messages are shorter, less detailed, more about passing along specific information than in the act of communication itself. Social networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter have increased connectivity between people, yet people tend to spend less time with people physically as a consequence. Many users report addictions to social media, spending most of the time that they are on their computer on Facebook or similar sites, while they are meant to be working. T he portability of the internet has increased this, with people sitting at a bus stop or in a waiting room idly surfing the internet rather than talking to one another. It seems, while the internet has increased the ability for us to communicate with one another, the variety of distractions that it provides has decreased our desire to do so. The use of the internet has resulted in a wealth of readily available information that can be accessed from almost any location if one has the necessary device. The impact that this has had on human interests is large. It has given people the ability to keep constantly updated with news information, with gossip and with social events easily. This has been lifesaver in many situations. For example, the access to medical information from any location means that people are able to manage emergencies when they arise even if they have no access to medical facilities. However, it is more than just simple information that is available through the internet. The use of IP addresses to identify computers, the availability of public information on the internet and the difficulty of controlling anything that is posted online, means that personal information is often easily obtained. An example is scandal stories. For people who are well known, they face an ever present threat from the media. If they are involved in anything that is controversial or unusual, then details of this will be quickly published online. Although some sources of information online can be controlled many cannot, and stories often go ‘viral’, passing through different social media sites, from one users to the next, gaining in momentum and renown. Businesses and organizations often have reviews online, and there is always the risk of a dissatisfied customer writing a blog or a review that goes viral resulting in negative effects for the business, even if the story has no basis in reality. For individuals too, there is the risk of personal information being available online. For example, entering someone’s phone number into a search engine will bring up a number of sites which offer to give you details of the owner of the phone if you pay a certain fee. How much information these sites actually have on the person is a matter of debate, however, it is likely that it is more than the person themselves would be happy with. One change that has become prevalent since the advent of the internet and mass media in general has been sensationalism. This is a type of bias that occurs through reports of events and stories in order to increase the amount of people that view the article or story. With the prevalence of the internet, people are constantly bombarded with information on many different topics. In order for advertisers and reporters to gain people’s attention it is often necessary to hype the story, to omit facts or to make something appear more controversial than it is. While this occurred before the presence of the internet, substantial changes have been made with its birth. Information can now be gained almost instantaneously, as soon as a reporter or an individual publishes something online it is immediately available for others to read. Thus, while newspapers once had to wait till the next morning to share their store, platforms like Twitter, blogs and online newspapers allow for the information to be published as it is received. Consequently, the need for sensationalism has likewise increased and the exposure that people have to it increases as technology grows. Technology and Human Interests The use of technology, such as the internet, has become an integral part of our society. This acts both to the benefit and detriment of human kind. The positive effect of this is that new technology gives us the ability to do many more things. For example, as discussed above, the prevalence of the internet allows for the ready access to information, a decrease in the barriers to communication and the ability to purchase both products and services remotely. Other advances in technology have proven to be very important for quality of life, such as medical and scientific advances and increases in the efficiency of transportation and communication. We use technology in every aspect of our lives, from watching the news on television, using a fridge and an oven to make a meal, traveling from one location or even the clothes and shoes that we wear. One strong effect that technology has had on human interests has been to make people complacent. There is no longer a need to fight for survival in the same way that there has been in the past. Information is readily accessible, there is no need to spend substantial time preparing food if one does not desire to, due to the ready availability of premade meals and fast food. Medical technology is able to help alleviate many illnesses and problems, resulting in people taking less preventative measures and instead having an increased tendency to tend to illness or injury after it has occurred. One argument concerning this is autopilot in aviation technology. The development of autopilot has been significant in the area of aviation, because it reduces the workload of the pilot as well as eliminating the potential for errors in navigation and calculation. However, there is concern that the use of such technology reduces the ability of the pilot to respond in unusual or extreme circumstances. The pilot becomes unused to flying the plane of his own accord, and as a consequence, when he needs to make use of these abilities, his reaction time is decreased and his quality is reduced. In addition, there is a tendency to expect the autopilot to take care of things even when problems are occurring. This argument can be extended to technology in general. The automation of many different functions reduces the level of human knowledge and expertise. As a consequence, humans become complacent, expecting situations to continue in the manner that they have been, and not knowing how to act when problems occur. Closely related to complacency is reliance. A computer is a useful tool that makes many everyday tasks significantly easier, as well as allowing for a large number of scientific, medical and industrial breakthroughs. Many people who work in businesses use a computer for most of their day-to-day work, whether it is for balancing finances, communicating with clients, managing an online store, buying and selling stocks or many other uses. It is hard to imagine how many people would operate even for a day without access to a computer or to the internet. Imagine a disaster or a power failure. Suddenly, much of the technology that businesses and individuals relied on is no longer useful or present. What would we do? As a society we have become so interlinked to our technology that it is hard to imagine how we would function without it. Without the internet, many of the structures that we currently rely on for communication, for business and for interaction fall apart. We no longer have the ability to do many things that we are used to. In previous generations children would play outside for hours on end. Yet, if you deprive a child today of television and computers, they often do not know what to do or how to amuse themselves. This reliance on technology can be dangerous if significant changes occur, or if anything happens to disrupt our access to the benefits and advantages that we are used to. The prevalence of technology and way in which it makes life easier has led to an increased demand for convenience and speed in every aspect of society. For example, this desire drives the ever increasing speed and power of computers, and the increasing portability of laptop and mobile devices. As a consequence, people have grown used to instant gratification. The increasing speed at which society moves has significant reduced the patience that people have with one another and with businesses. They expect results now, with little regard for the process that is required. Conclusion From early technology such as the wheel to present day innovations of mobile phones, internet and computers, technology has had the ability to significantly adjust the priorities and interests of society. People once lived a slower life, with little means of travel beyond the next town, and limited methods of communication. Today’s world is fast paced, relying heavily on the electronics and innovations that surround us. Businesses are increasingly becoming centered online, with many consumers using websites as means of ordering, of determining what business to frequent and of getting in touch directly with the companies. Our development of technology has made many things possible, which were not imaginable in early civilizations. The world has become much smaller in effect, with transportation across the globe no longer being complex, and many barriers to communication having been broken down. Families on different sides of the world to each other are able to share news and information on clear connections almost instantaneously, whether it is through video calling, phone calls or email. Scientific and medical breakthroughs have also been possible, with a higher standard of living for many people and the ability to fix many more illnesses and injuries. However, technology has not come without a price. As we have developed dependence on technology it has influenced our interests. Our children have little interest in playing outside, and instead spend most of their time on video games or television. We have become so dependent on the internet and power, that it is difficult to know how business would function if we were to lose either one. We have become less patient, desiring fast results and instant gratification, and although we communicate more with those far away, we spend less time with those in our vicinity. Conclusion Read More