The Power of Technology Over Humanity and Vice Versa

Some say necessity is the mother of all inventions. If that is true, then we are pampered because of the luxuries we posses. We can do mind boggling things that would have been unheard of 50 years ago. We can put a computer in a living cell, or create a whole different world with the help of technology. We have created electric cars, computers, and automated factories that can operate without needing any supervision. Soon we will be totally consumed by technology, and it will leave us behind if we do not know how to control it. If we master technology, it will help improve our standard of living.

We are able to do things with technology that ten years ago were thought impossible. We can create images of things that are better looking than in real life. We are able to talk to people half way around the world with a click of a button. We can get information from encyclopedias without ever having to turn a page. We are able to go shopping without ever leave your seat. Because of this so called freedom that comes with technology, comes great responsibility to use it for good of mankind. From the 1950 s until today, television has been the preferred media. Because it captures the minds of Americans, it is the preferred method of persuasion by political figures, and multinational corporate advertisers who have an interest in controlling public opinion. Newspapers and radio experienced this same history, but are now somewhat obsolete in the minds of the public opinion due to technology. Though I do not suspect television to become completely obsolete within the next 20 years, I do see the Internet being used by the same political figures, and multinational corporations for the same purposes only more efficiently.

The danger of the information age is that while in the short run it may be cheaper to replace workers with technology. In the long run it is potentially self-destructive because there will not be enough purchasing power to grow the economy. My feeling about the trend from unskilled labor to highly technical, skilled labor is a good one. Political action must be taken to ensure that this social evolution is beneficial to all of us, not just the politicians and company owners. Back in 1970, a high school diploma would be a ticket to a middle income bracket, a nice car in the driveway and a house in the suburbs. Today all it gets is a clunker parked on the street, and a dingy apartment in a low rent building. Of all the reasons given for the wage squeezes international competition, deregulation, the decline of unions and defense cuts technology is probably the most critical. It has favored the educated and the skilled and left behind those who did not given in to influencing power Digital media on CD-ROM and the Internet have empowered those who have mastered their use with an unbounded amount of information. They can be used to do anything from learning about a disease to finding out how all the political parties feel on an issue. Because of the large role that computers will play in the future, being informed about what is and will be happening in this field is critical for preparing us for the future. Due to the buying power of technology, more and more businesses are turning to technology to help them sell their product or service.

Technology is a very powerful force that cannot be suppressed for very long. Because of the role it plays in our world it also has the power to control it. If we let in to technology and abandon the old ways, we will be totally consumed by it. I feel that the advance of technology is a good trend for our society. However, it must be in conjunction with an advance in education so that society is able to master and understand technology. We should be the masters of technology, and not let it be the masters of us.