Technology and Society - Term Paper Example

? TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY Introduction Technology and society are connected to formulate a culture which is a cyclic dependence formulated to affect society and its interconnected environment. This is a synergic relationship which mankind has researched and invented. This technique of inventing simple tools has continued to formulate into a new structure which is now considered as modern technology encompassing desktop, laptop, smart phones, internet etc. With minor changes in cell phones, internet access is also regarded as the examples of the cycle of coproduction. It is the need of people to be in contact with their family, friends or associates; this need resulted in research and development of cell phones. These technological advancements have influenced our society and also the daily working routines of every individual. The popularity and reliance on cell phone technology resulted in the development and introduction of additional features of cell phones (McDaniel). Impact of Technology on Society If we are to consider the impact of technology on society mostly it ends up talking only about the positive effects of the technology and how the technological advancements have made life easy for mankind. Internet is considered as an information resource and also regarded as a communication platform whereas in reality over the exposure of this technology has resulted in internet addiction. It is true that every other individual whether it is an adult or a child has become overly dependent on technological innovations (Lee, p. 1-6). For a second think of the days when people were not using computers and televisions and these modern means of transport. Human life can be analyzed as extremely restricted due to the unavailability of technological applications. Before the invention of these gadgets there was a lot of physical activity involved and life of a common man cannot be viewed as luxurious as of modern times. Although technology has its benefits but there are certain drawbacks too, exercise was previously integrated into the physical routines. The traditional lifestyle was much active and healthy in comparison to today’s lifestyle which leaves no time for exercise and leaves a person inactive and lazy. Everyone is obsessed with the world being at the fingertips. Technology is regarded as a fortunate thing to society whereas it is not regarded as a benefit. The internet has raised many unprincipled practices which include hacking, phishing and spamming. Along with this internet crime has raised to an extreme level. The internet is an open platform which has no rules and regulation regarding the content displayed on websites. But certain rules can be defined as government or national level for restricting access to illegal content. Youngsters are busy in spending their time on social networking sites, which has made them miss the joys of real social life (Betz). When there were no online messengers, email and cell phones life was quite simple and hassle free. Cellular technology has made it achievable for mankind to communicate over wireless media. Contact and message sharing has shrunk distances into phone calls and emails rather than meeting personally or writing letters. This technological advancement has removed the magic of excitement (Hoffman and Puchalski, p. 1- 13). Technology and Society by Raymond Williams According to Raymond Williams it is observed that televisions have altered the world and formed a new society which is now filled with steam engines, automobiles and atomic bombs. In addition to all this William has also discussed the historical and philosophical questions associated with television. The purpose of inventing television was to have it as a medium of news and entertainment and keep ourselves updated with recent happenings. Television was discovered as a medium to raise consumer economy by making promotions and marketing campaigns (Hanover). Technology and Society by Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim viewed society in its own right and identified certain patterns related to the experiences of individuals which are residing in a society. Durkheim believes that societies are held together with the help of mechanical stability and solidarity in which the laws are defined, tolerated and then re-derived from the necessity. Durkheim believed more in socializing and integrating into a segmentary society held together with solidarity. Durkheim pointed out that the internet will be threatening to increase anomic. This is because the intensive use of computers and handheld devices restricts a person from social relationships with others. Marx, Weber and Durkheim ascertained that new technology will offer several advantages but still it will not guarantee a better life. The productivity rate will increase but this will lead towards individualism and isolation of people (Macionis). Technology and Society by Emile Luddites It is observed that some sociologists have concerns regarding the effects of computer and internet on the society. Such critics are termed as Neo-Luddites who are a group of individuals from the nineteenth century. They were the rioters who initiated the war of technological advances in the textile industry. They were of the opinion that such advancements will be a threat to their livelihood. Luddites rejected such technological advancements and wanted to break all such norms which will deprive them from their work. Further they stated that communication will become easier, information will be stored readily and easily despite that computer technology and the internet has created loads of questions in their minds. The introduction of the Internet will make the world a small place but it will lead towards misery and loneliness and reduction in the well being of the individuals. Such people will have to face loads of stress while working alone on the system for hours without talking with anyone. Hence interpersonal communication is extremely necessary for the humans to survive healthy and enjoy the nature around them (Evans). Pros and Cons of Technology and how is it making our lives safer and how is it breaching our privacy Technology is a term well received in the modern world and there is no life without it. This is a statement that each one of you will agree with. Technology is being used everywhere be it in communication, education, entertainment, hospitals and where not. However with many pros it comes with cons too, however I feel the great advantage that we receive from it, it is wiser to give it a benefit of the doubt and ignore the cons. Pros of Technology Collectively technology has brought the world into one small device, it could be a cell phone or a laptop, iPad or a tablet it is advancing every day and thus making life easier for man. This is just one aspect there are thousands of technological advancements that have become part of our day to day life and are full of advantages and disadvantages. Communication The most prominent technological device which is ruling our lives is the cell phone and the great use of it has actually started controlling our lives too. Today you may see even a beggar holding a cell phone, one may wonder the poor guy has cash to buy a phone and still begs for money? That’s how technology has captured each one of us, distances through telephone and now cell phones have become so short, we get to see each other in a different place or continent through Skype or tango and still feel at home (Ng and Funk, p. 22-31). Education Secondly in the field of education the most prominent and popular academic institutes are being graded on the basis of which is providing the most modern technological teaching aids, both audio and visual, so technology has also become a sign of prestige and good reputation. Computers and internet have made an academic life of a student a great blessing where everything including research on specific topics, essays or thesis all can be accessed with much ease and to any book in the world is possible just by a mere click. Business In the world of business technology has played a vital part in the competitive circle amongst each other a very simple example that I also find interesting is how even making cakes in the bakery has become so techno savvy, to bake a good cake all that is required is the right time and temperature, with the making of temperature sensors, one can easily adjust the required timings and get the desired result without any risk or accident. With the help of technology one can gather all the database of a company or its employees in a database system and with just a click can access it either at day or night earlier keeping hard records was such a hassle so a lot of time, energy and space is saved through technology if put to good benefit (Aikenhead). Health There are many handheld devices that are being used for the health care purposes. These include the smart phones, tablets, chips and post operation devices like the inhalers and tracheotomy instruments. Most commonly used handheld device for the patient healthcare is the PDA’s or the personal data assistants. There are palmtop computers that are used to store information about medical procedures, medications, and patient histories, regulation of medicinal intake and internet services for being in touch with the medical practitioners. Now many companies have started designing PDA’s especially for medical unique needs. Doctors and patients both have the option of getting any related information on the desired diagnosis and its treatments. The PDA’s nowadays also help to record audit and surveillance data and synchronizes it with a remote server to communicate it to the managing authorities. Some studies also indicate the use of PDA’s in drug identification and compatibility (Goessl). Cons of Technology Technology has clearly simplified many things in our lives. However it has its cons too which are discussed below: Communication Cell phones have become a very integral part in building terrorist plans and these are widely used while planning such heinous activities, this could possibly be the worst use of technology. Education With things being so accessible and so not private there is big question of ethics and morality that also comes into question, as discussed in the field of communication the great advantages technology has brought to them, many times these communication gadgets have also been their partner in crime where these were used for cheating. Most of the information on the net is often incorrect but students approach the net first and then the book, this brings them to commit mistakes that only a teacher may correct (Ivers and Pierson). Several universities and colleges have also introduced the Bookless system of education which includes iPads technology. Mostly computer software designed are made for learning purposes, and these are the tools which are helpful in learning and increasing developmental learning skills. Moreover these software are aimed to nurture creativity and learn everything in a fun filled environment. Kids can learn, read and discover new things about history, science and other subjects merely with a click of a button. These platforms also provide kids a chance to collaborate, experience team building and respect for each other while learning (Goessl). Business The data which is collected in a database can easily be hacked and destroyed, since there are ever efficient hackers sitting around waiting to invade into others privacy and make them miserable. Every business can get the benefits of this advancement with the right size of budget and adequate knowledge of the field. The researchers have found that the organizations that opt for the IT investments are growing with a fast pace and getting the best return on investments. The increasing level and trust on these investments are derived from the success stories of the large organizations choosing IT as their first priority to get the competitive advantage and other benefits (Hanover). Health Obesity in children, youngsters and elders is also on the rise and the major reason underlying this phenomenon is spending time with technological advancements. Previously kids used to spend a lot of time in running, playing games outside, visiting neighbours and lots of outdoor stuff but now everything has been confined into the home and technology has become the substitute. General View of Technological Advancements These were just a few pros and cons of Technology and how are they affecting our lives. In general there are many advantages of technology which has made our lives safer too, in the field of medicine the introduction to Tele Medicine has proved to be of great use where doctors treating patients in rural or backward areas can easily communicate with the senior doctors anywhere in the world, they can easily communicate through computers and get all the required information through the net and treat their patients. Thus, making life safer and world a better place to live! For many elderly people and also ones who have sight problems a new technological gadget has come forward to help make their life safer, the Path lighter Cane that lights when you walk and it helps people see better. Other than that there is also a concept where technology has breached our lives and has left no privacy in it at all, also it has come in between human work labor thus minimizing the number of jobs that have been shifted onto huge machines (Lee). With greater use of Smart phones one sees that they have highly shattered the private life of an individual. Also through the use of smart phones and technological advancements most of the socializing is carried out in isolated surrounding where one time parks were considered as meeting places and seeing people in person the vast use of such gadgets have made an impact on these grounds. Another major disadvantage of technology is how people do not like to adopt a healthier lifestyle of interacting with one another and just prefers spending time all alone through technology and avoiding people around them. Many times the information required to access certain apps ask an individual to submit your confidential information which once shared can become fatal for you, many predators and hackers look for such people and take advantage of their innocence hence making technology another danger to people (Macionis). CIA FBI and Homeland Security Use of Technology CIA, FBI and Homeland Security are also making use of technological devices for making their security plans more secure and safe for the citizens. These intelligence agencies are using Facebook, Twitter and other social media websites for gathering intelligence information. Every other individual has compiled his/her related information onto such sites for the world to see. As this information is usually kept public various local and international agencies face no problem in gathering relevant information about a person they are inquiring. Moreover they can also extract any required information from such accounts even if they are kept hidden or private. Keeping all these aspects in view employers have also made it a practice to check their potential employee information on Facebook, Twitter etc. which can disclose several interesting information for them. Social Media is a huge platform where information stored in its database is created as a permanent record and it reflects about person’s present, past and future endeavors. The world in which we are residing privacy has become an entity of the earlier period hence it is necessary to think before making our personal information publicly on such social media platforms. The FBI has induced this in their policy to continuously check all social media platforms for keeping an eye all over the world. Moreover, the Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Caryn Wagner has publicly alleged that they will be collecting information from online social networking platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc. for law enforcement purposes. In order to accomplish these tasks their officials are making fake account and using them for monitoring social media platforms for gathering intelligent information (fbi.gov). Additional CIA, FBI and HomeLand Security have made substantial advances in the information technology which includes more than 1,000 contradictory terrorism and counter-intelligence FBI Headquarters employees are induced. These employees are provided access to Top Secret (TS) or Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) information at their desks. Further they have executed Wide Area Network and the Enterprise Operations Canter and for improving their data warehousing technology they have improvised various functions. This approach has radically reduced stove-piping and have decrease on man-hours that used to be dedicated to labour-intensive searches (lewrockwell.com). These agencies have deployed a Full Site Capability which includes almost 30,000 workstations which have been transformed to the new Trilogy based software solutions and new email organization. This will be used by these agencies for making their secure communication. The security departments have hired a permanent Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer, who supervise the growth and supervise of all IT projects and systems all through the FBI. One thing which is essential to mention is that Trilogy is not the FBI's sole IT system, there are numerous other systems being run by the FBI. Approximately they have over 200 information technology systems, all of which must be preserved, improved when required, and certified and endorsed for safety measures (Mueller). The increase representation of data available in digital format has turned out to be easier and quick replication and sharing of information. This has resulted into a positive and negative and positive effect on the provision of content. Moreover data can be extracted from online sources and then distributed in lower unit cost. Information technology has also raised concerns about a host about rational property defense and innovative apparatus and policies have to be designed for solving such issues. The dramatic rise in computing and communication power has elevated several concerns about privacy. These concerns are both public and private sectors. The data storage options have increased and information processing has also become fast. This all has created the prospects for law enforcement agencies to collect loads of detailed information of their citizens and devising policies accordingly. Until now no one is aware of the fact their data is utilized, shared or how this information can easily be misrepresented. Such issues have reduced the consumers' faith in online associations and communique and, thus, restrain the growth of electronic commerce. Cryptography has been introduced against such privacy attacks and it can also act as a barrier to criminal investigations. Conclusion In the end it can be ascertained that advance technology has provided man with utmost advantages there are many disadvantages that come with it too, but I also feel technology if rightly used can give you more advantages than disadvantages so again to make the best use of technology you have to accept it with its pros and cons but keep your brain working not to get oneself stuck in the latter. Moreover it is evident that humans have become more dependant on technology and less on their intellect. Computer technology and robotics are trying to substitute human intelligence with their artificial intelligence in many fields. It is clearly evident that technological progress creates a lot of dependence on technology. Moreover it is essential to have such advancements for competing with the world and having a vital infrastructure which ensures dependence on modern means of communication. Depending too much on technology has brought a lot of associated risks, for instance if there is a failure in the technological infrastructure of the systems connected it will be an entire crash of the economy and communal functionality. If for a minute we think of removing these technological advancements from our lives it will create a situation of black-out in which we cannot communicate through telephone service or cell phones, there will be no credit cards and we have to carry cash around, no electronic funds transfer system which will certainly create an economic disturbance position. But then again it is inevitable to stop technological reliance. Consequently, what must be careful in the exposure fetched from reliance on technologies with a decipherable likelihood of failure? This all will lead towards a no practical alternative at hand, and towering costs as a consequence of malfunction. The current computing upheaval has brought several economic and social impacts on contemporary society and necessitates severe social science exploration with the intention of managing its risks and hazards. Implementing such practices will be priceless for both social strategy and technology design. Moreover special resolution has to be made watchfully. The introduction of too many options and alternatives will bring troubles associated which will also become costly or difficult to alter in the future. Works Cited Aikenhead, Glen S. Views on Science Technology Society. 2010. 7 May 2013 . Betz, Frederick. Managing Technological Innovation: Competitive Advantage from Change. John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Evans, Mary. A Short History of Society: The Making of the Modern World. McGraw-Hill International, 2006. fbi.gov. FBI and Leadership. 2013. 7 May 2013 . Goessl, Leigh. Pros and cons of technology. 2010. 7 May 2013 . Hanover. Technology and Society. 2002. 7 May 2013 . Hoffman, Dr. Michael and Walter Puchalski. The Impact of a Technology on Society: From 1865 - 1960. 2004. 7 May 2013 . Ivers, Karen S. and Melissa Pierson. A teacher's guide to using technology in the classroom. Libraries Unlimited, 2003. Lee, Konsbruck Robert. Impacts of Information Technology on Society in the new Century. 2007. 7 May 2013 . lewrockwell.com. The FBI, the CIA, Homeland Security, the Federal Reserve and Potential Employers Are All Monitoring You on Facebook and Twitter. 2011. 7 May 2013 . Macionis. Sociology. New Delhi: Pearson Education India, 2006. McDaniel, James G. Advances in Information Technology and Communication. James G. McDaniel, 2009. Mueller, Robert S. Before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. 2004. 7 May 2013 . Ng, Pei-Sin and Jeffrey L. Funk. "When do new technologies become economically feasible?" Technology in Society (2013): 22–31. Read More