The invention of technology is one that truly revolutionized the world's way of living as it has penetrated various fields such as communication, medicine, transportation, manufacturing, and so many more. Although technology has caused an immense amount of growth in these fields, there has also been a great deal of negative consequences. As I take the time to reflect upon technology as an entity and the relationship majority hold with technology, I see the relationship as one that is extremely unhealthy.
The video that sparked my train of thought regarding the matter of society's relationship with technology was Julian West's, Mad World Remix of Moby, that illustrates a society that is consumed by technology. From this video I was able to get a new perspective on how much time people are wasting on their technological devices. I believe individuals are wasting their lives online as humans are losing the ability to be present and mindful of what is occurring in the current moment. In contrast of experiencing moments as they occur, society seems to be infatuated with what others are doing, and are looking for the next thing to come. In order to learn more about the effects technology is having on our world today I began researching and looking at previous studies.
Aoife McLoughlin executed research and wrote an article on the concept of one's perception of time in relation to one's use of technology. In the article, "Time Flies: When You're Having phone", McLoughlin discovers that despite technology being a creation that is intended to make tasks more efficient, it creates a misconception of time amongst users. In this study, people were given a survey to gauge the amount of technology they use daily and then were given tasks to do, followed with the question of how much time they thought had passed while doing the tasks. The results showed that those who use a greater amount of technological devices had a greater overestimation of the time that had passed. The great lesson that came from this study was the manner technology has in encouraged fast paced living as one is able to do so much at the tip of their fingers. As a result, there is a dramatized sense of pressure for people to keep up with this fast pace of life in which they lose track of time.
Another aspect that technology has negatively effected is the ability for one to focus and pay attention. For example, the rise of ADHD has been reaching new highs and a huge driving factor of this has been technology. The area I was extremely interested in knowing more about was relationship between technology in places of learning.
Professors, Helen Hembrooke and Geri Gay at Cornell University and published the article, "The Laptop and the Lecture: The Effects of Multitasking in Learning Environments", in which they study this topic in great detail. The study consisted of two groups of students attending the exact same lecture then being tested on the content taught afterwards. One group was allowed to use their laptops during it where as the other group was not. The results proved that students who were utilizing their laptops were more likely to take part in multi-tasking, distracting them from the course content at hand resulting in lower grades.
Unlike other blog posts this one has not only forced me to become more informed on a certain matter but has additionally forced me to carry out introspection. I have never taken the time to deeply acknowledge the relationship I carry with technology however that has changed. To start off my self reflection I have taken the time to evaluate my digital foot print. Currently I am active on platforms TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Snapchat with majority of my accounts being public. If an employer were to look me up online I would feel at ease knowing I have been cognizant of everything I post.
Although I have been consistently mindful of what I post, I have not been attentive to my use of such apps. I specifically struggle with constantly using TikTok as I average an hour a day on the app. It is concerning to think that I spend an hour a day watching 15-30 second videos. Additionally, it is disappointing that I am spending this amount of time on an app that is contributing nothing to my intelligence. Now that I am aware of this I am going to limit my time on the app or hopefully delete it.
Technology is something unavoidable as it is continuing to be more and more relied upon, however it is up to the person who uses it to be mindful of it's possible effects. To whomever is reading this, put limits on your technology use and take the time to live life through your personal experiences rather than living through a screen.
One may believe they have a strong understanding regarding a certain topic which is exactly how I felt about the concept of a whistleblower, until I listened to my fellow classmate's EOTO presentation. Hay's Turner dissected the concept of a whistleblower in her presentation, and did so in a manner that was captivating and informative, causing me to have revelations about the topic.
A whistleblower refers to someone who makes confidential information public without permission, typically with the intent to expose unjust actions. The reasoning behind a whistle being symbolic of this act is because of the manner in which a whistle is used to captivate those around it, which is exactly what whistleblowers are attempting to do. The foundation of this concept is a means of prioritizing the interests of the people therefore, holding organizations and higher ups accountable for actions that may be wrong.
In order to encourage the class to conceptualize what a whistle blower truly is, Turner explained the situation regarding whistle blower, Edward Snowden. Snowden worked for the National Security Agency and exposed the U.S. government for surveilling American citizens. What really took me aback was the outcome of this situation, as the government was violating American's constitutional right to privacy yet there was no form of accountability for the government. Contrary to the U.S. government being punished, Snowden was punished, as he was charged for three different criminal charges as well as possibly 30 years in jail. Although these were the charges, Snowden did escape to Russia where he now resides in order to avoid these charges.
Through this instance, I was able to learn about the importance of having good reason and intent to bring about a positive impact when whistleblowing. For example, Snowden claims his intention was to expose the federal government for its constitutional violation. The most impactful takeaway for me regarding whistleblowing, is the conflict between government interest versus public interest as these matters often go head to head when a whistleblower steps forward.
Artificial intelligence is a term that has been around for quite some time and has been a concept that has been greatly anticipated, and today society is facing it's rapid rise. There is no area of life that is safe from the incorporation of AI as it is visibly becoming a global marvel infiltrating every industry.
In my previous knowledge of AI, I saw it as a very black and white matter, in which I thought of AI to only be a tool for individuals to use as a means of assistance, however the documentary, In the Age of AI has vastly changed my perception of AI. The manner in which every industry is finding ways to use AI and dispose of human roles in the work place is quite alarming, as the priority of the workplace has become efficiency with no regard to the role of humans. Computer scientist, Jerry Kaplan brought to light issues of AI being a driving force in inequality for Americans as opportunities are being taken by AI rather than citizens. This has posed a moral issue as to what is more important for individuals who are pushing for AI, is capital more important or society more important?
Another concept I found to be fascinating was Shoshana Zuboff's concept, surveillance capitalism ,which highlights the societal shift from industrial capitalism to a new form of capitalism. At the basis of understanding this concept, one must shift their previous perceptions of the relationship between social media and a person. Zuboff challenges the idea of individuals merely using social media as she offers the insight that these platforms are using their users as apps to collect endless data on each person.
Industrial capitalism highlights the component of labor and how it generates capital, however now there is the growing issue in which "private human experiences"(Zuboff), are being translated into free concepts. In addition to labor becoming free through AI, there are scandals that have risen consisting of the violation of privacy through AI as well as attempts to manipulate the public's views using AI, such as during the Cambridge Analytica scandal. During this scandal, Facebook compromised 87 million Facebook user's information in which the company, Cambridge Analytica would then delve into in order to establish ways to politically influence people.
Applying what we know about human experiences being monetized and dissected on top of scandals that have unfolded as a result of these actions has cause me to be opposed to the vast incorporation of AI. Not to say AI does not have its positives, however, I think it is crucial for the public to push for boundaries regarding AI before it takes over all roles in society.
Individuals across the country have more and more of their lives tied to technology, hence the issue of online privacy continues to be one of high relevance. Different political climates as well as matters of national security have often been used as reasons behind mass surveillance and data-mining that is continued to be pushed by the national government.
The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks brought the concept of national security to the limelight in which the U.S. government reacted by creating and implementing the Total Information Awareness program. The Bush administration was the driving force in this task as they were pushed for the incorporation of this system across all government agencies. The Total Information Awareness program makes it so one's information is shared and analyzed across various databases which may then profile potential threats. It is important to note that the information that is being accessed includes private information in addition to public information.
Although at the time, Total Information Awareness was introduced as a means of national protection, it is now clear that there were other underlying intentions as it has lead to issues of violating one's right to privacy. Total Information Awareness was established created 2002 and since that year it has been on an upward trajectory in the creation of manners the government is able to track everything it is doing.
In order to understand the extent of information the government is able to collect about one should take into account TIA technologies. For starters, "genysis" is a form of technology that allows a mass amount of data to be built upon about a subject. In addition, Human identification has been a very prominent tool as this uses, "automated biometric identification technologies", to identify and individual. Another tool that is heavily is the, "effective affordable reusable speech-to-text" in which technology is used to translate informal communication amongst individuals whether it be over a phone call, broadcast, or text, and makes sense of it so the information can be used.
It is widely known that almost all of one's actions via technology and online are being tracked, whether by the government or by companies such as Google.When comparing the Total Information Awareness, to the fourth amendment of the constitution it is clear this is not constitutional as the program allows, "warrantless surveillance", which raises additional concern as to how the premise of this program is still very much an issue today.
Another constitutional violation that author, Elliot Cohen, points out is the violation of the First Amendment. There are clearly no limits for those who are being watched and this includes journalists. This raises additional concern as people may be less likely to cooperate with journalists for fear that any information exchanged is being followed by the government. In turn this may cause interference in the collection of information for the press and allowing the public to be made aware of things occurring. In Elliot Cohen's book, "Mass Surveillance and State Control", there are countless pieces of information that brings great awareness for themes that are more relevant today, more than ever.
Have you ever wondered how a new product or invention grew to be such a vital part of society? For example the telephone, how did something that was never utilized become a must have for day to day life? E.M. Rogers created the Diffusion of Innovation theory that can help us answer these questions and break down the adoption of a product into phases. The Diffusion of Innovation Theory allows us to elaborate upon the process of diffusion of a product or concept amongst a culture or society.
The invention of the telephone through the Diffusion Theory:
Stage 1: Innovators
For every new concept there has to be individuals willing to be pioneers in discovering and creating something that has yet to exist. In the invention of the telephone, the innovators and pioneers of this groundbreaking communication invention were Alexander Bell and Thomas Edison. In 1876 Alexander Bell was able to create the first telephone as a result of discovering that sound-waves emit electricity. Thomas Edison shortly after, joined the innovative efforts by making improvements to the original model of the telephone.
Stage 2: Early adopters
The second phase in the Diffusion of Innovation model is Early adopters, in which these are people open minded and willing to change, they are visionaries. A prominent early adopter of the telephone was Gardiner Greene Hubbard , who helped Alexander Bell establish the Bell Telephone Company. This was the first telephone company to ever be created and they were a driving force in making the telephone available to the public.
Stage 3: Early Majority
The early majority refers to people who may be skeptical however, still are early in comparison to the rest of society in utilizing the new product and/or concept. The early majority in regard to the telephone were businesses as they were the first to partake in the commercialization of the product. Specifically, the E.T. Holmes Burglar company was the first office to have telephones installed in order to have greater efficiency in communication.
Stage 4: Late Majority
The late majority consists of people who 'drag their feet', as they are reluctant to adapt to the change. The late majority wishes to have the majority of the population to act as a testament that the new invention functions properly before they use it themselves. The late majority for the use of the telephone involved lower class individuals who did not have the disposable income to afford the telephone as they needed to be shown that it would be a necessity.
Stage 5: Laggards
Laggards refers to those who are extremely weary of change and anything new as they are tied to their traditions and habits. Laggards for the telephone included the older population as they were so set in their ways of living. Having this technological advancement was difficult for them to fathom as they had spent their whole lives functioning without it.
The telephone was a product that was rapidly adopted through the nation as it enhanced the fundamental need to communicate. I personally believe that the positive effects of the telephone outweigh the negative as this made it possible for people to communicate in the present moment.
Recently, the topic of War has once again taken center stage in the United States as our country has involved itself into other country's wars. Two wars that are unfolding in this very moment include the war between Ukraine and Russia, and the Hamas-Israel war.
According to PBS, the United States has allocated over $75 billion dollars to Ukraine in efforts to aid them in this war. In addition, the Biden administration is currently working towards allocating inventory from the Drawdown of Security that is said to be worth up to $125 million and they are also investing $300 million into the Ukraine Security Assistance initiative. As for the Hamas-Israel war, the Biden administration has recently asked Congress for $14 billion in order to support Israel.
As these Wars continue to unfold, the Biden Administration continues to intervene by sending money and supplies to support Israel and Ukraine. In the United States, one of the jobs of American citizens is to keep the government in check, as this is one of the beauties of our democracy. With this sentiment in mind, one must remember that disagreeing with the government is part of the checks and balances system, as we have a right to not agree with every action our government undertakes.
When listening, watching, and reading the news there hardly seems to be any antiwar voices, despite the fact that war is a controversial topic. Recently, I have come to learn about the news platforms, "The American Conservative", and "Anti War news", and it shocked me to know I had never heard of or seen either platforms.
When reflecting on why one has to go to obscure platforms to listen to anti war opinions I think this has to do with our nation's history. This pattern is connected to the early establishment of our nation. For example, the Espionage Act of 1917 which essentially punished government employees who were against the war. On top of this, seeing how the Biden administration participated in censorship of Covid-19, I believe it is not a coincidence that antiwar voices are not easily found online. I truly believe there are manners that make it so anti war voices are being made hard to find for the public. Knowing this, I will be more mindful when looking at sources and thoroughly searching, as I want to be able to take into account a variety of views.
The invention of the telephone is one that revolutionized the field of communication and over the centuries has been transformed in unimaginable ways
The invention of the telephone is one that revolutionized the field of communication and over the centuries has been transformed in unimaginable ways. The image above illustrates what the first ever telephone to successfully transmit sound waves looked like. According to Britannica, Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876, in which he filed a patent in February, but did not have the product functioning until the month of March.
Alexander Bell accomplished the ability of noise to be relayed by discovering that noise makes sound waves. Sound waves omit electric vibrations out of a transmitter which allows the sound waves to travel to other connected receivers(Britannica). What one should keep in mind is that this invention did not work for long distances as it's power source was an electromagnet which was fueled by one's vocal vibrations(Britannica). However, later down the road others invented telephones with stronger power sources allowing the person to communicate over greater distances.
During the 1870's the Reconstruction Era was continuing to unfold in which the United States continued to face polarizing Civil Rights issues. The main form of communication during this time was the telegraph and writing letters. In hopes of improving the feasibility and efficiency of communication, Alexander Bell decided to work towards improving the telegraph but instead unintentionally invented the telephone.
As a result of Bell's groundbreaking invention, the Bell Telephone Company was created in 1877, with the hopes of making the telephone available to the public. During this time, telephones were mainly prioritized and used for businesses(Grant and Meadows 15). After 6 months of the telephone existing, a total 1,300 were being used(Grant and Meadows 15).
Thomas Edison's version of a telephone
Soon after Bell's original telephone creation, Thomas Edison created another version of a Telephone that made it so the piece intended to speak and the piece intended for listening were separate (Forrester 2). As a result of separating these two key components, a person using the telephone could hear the other person more clearly. Thomas Edison was not the only inventor that built off of Alexander Bell's original telephone invention, as this creation continued to evolve.
During the 1890's Almon Strowger created the automatic telephone which made the communication process even more easier(Forrester 2). As a result of this, instead of having a physical person facilitate the call you are making and connecting you to the other line, it could be done automatically(Britannica).
Brittanica defines a telephone as a product that allows for the, "simultaneous transmission and reception of the human voice". Reading how revolutionary this product was puts into perspective the historical impact it had, as now in days it is a product is incorporated in every day life. The telephone solved communication problems of timeliness, misinterpretation, and a general sense of connection. Even today the telephone is greatly appreciated as it gave people the ability to directly speak to one another.
Sources
Borth, David E.. "telephone". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/technology/telephone. Accessed 7 November 2023.
Forrester, Rochelle. “Invention of the telephone.” SSRN Electronic Journal, Jan. 2020, pp. 1–5, https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3513276.
Grant, August E, and Jennifer H Meadows . Communication Technology Update . 10th ed., Elsevier Inc, 2006.
Hochfelder, David. "Alexander Graham Bell". Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-Graham-Bell. Accessed 7 November 2023.
