Socrates Exchange: Has technology helped or hurt us?

I can get back to 1982 by thinking of my two daughters as being ages 12 and 9. We had one phone in the house, no "sacrifice" to that. We had no TV - we were book readers instead and makers of art. Daughters rode bicycles a lot, and fished out back in a stocked stream, and swam in Baker River. On NHPR we heard stories and news. We read aloud - all of John Irving's books, Roald Dahl, several times Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, Treasure Island, all of Narnia series and Madeleine L'Engle. Hiked up Mt. Mooselauke a lot, and Welch / Dickey in Waterville Valley, Cardigain Mt. in Alexandria. Went to anti-nuclear protests, traveling by car and group bus. Went to movies about once a year. Had a vegetable garden and had chickens. Had a pony from 1981-1985. Heated with Defiant woodstove (heating me right now, too!) starting in 1978, so carried wood. Went out purchasing hay and bringing it home for the pony. Typed my poetry on a typewriter. Wrote my letters to the editor on a typewriter and sent them by Postal mail or, sometime, neighbor's fax machine. Now we have a computer. I still use mainly one landline phone. TV is mainly off. NHPR is always on. I buy books using half.com (use of computer) and write my letters to the editor on computer and send them via e-mail. Daughters send me their family photos via computer and to my husband's cell phone - he transfers them to my computer. I write to my old college roommate via computer / e-mail; whereas, it used to be letters by Postal service. I have to deliberately make serene time. I just had some this morning out in the warmth of this Nov. 13, with 14-year-old black Lab Trim, just stroking him and talking to him and feeling way slowed down, myself.

I agree with what you are saying completely, technology has allotted more time. Today one can travel the world from their computer desk. They can accomplish more stuff than ever! But my question is is that necessarily a good thing? How is it more helpful to us to have 10 rooms rather than 3? In my experiences as a college senior i have noticed that this technology has allowed for the ability to procrastinate beyond belief: in other words it makes us super lazy. It also creates more complications, you may have a gps but when it breaks do you still know how to use a map? You have a cell phone but when it breaks will your excuse be good enough for missing an important call from your boss?

I agree with your statement. It's unbelievable how dependent humans have become on cell phones, computers, and wireless internet. This is not to say that these technologies haven't helped us throughout the years. With the uses of these technologies, we have advanced in medical research, provided people with easier access to information in our world, and allowed for more ways of contact that we could ever dream of. However, technology has made the world a complicating place. Humans rely so heavily on these new advances that they are unable to see a life without a computer or a cell phone. A giant screen TV is nice, but is it always necessary? As a senior in college, I must admit that wireless internet has definitely helped me write a few papers from my room at 2:00 in the morning, but I feel that I would be completely lost if I did not have the option of Wi-Fi. Even I have become dependent on my cell phone and laptop. I wonder, myself, if our lives would be less stressful without the millions of new cell phones coming out each day or the fancy cars that talk to you. I think that as our world has grown, technology has grown with it and it is almost nearly impossible now to live without it.

It might help for us to focus on the question of modern technology. Technology itself seems to be fundamental to who we are as human beings--for without it, we would arguably look and behave no differently than animals. Hammers and knives, clay vessels, wheels and levers--these all count as technology, and where would we be without them? However, when it comes to modern technology, it appears that traditional forms of life that have sustained us are being disrupted. These include communal gatherings and associations. Is a chat room or facebook community a "communal gathering"? If it is, it is arguably a poor substitute, and a poor remedy for contemporary social alienations.

To say that technology is forcing us to act a certain way is false. When someone says that technology "hurts" us they are considering negative effects that result from its use. For example a person becoming stressed and overwhelmed by work demands because he is constantly connected to the internet and his email. In this case a person brings work with them wherever they go, on their blackberries or laptops, and as long as there is internet they can work. Now a person using this example would argue that the level of a person’s stress directly correlates with the technology being used, e.g. more connected to work = more stress because less down time. The problem with this argument however is that blaming technology will not solve the problem. Email isn’t going away, and neither is the internet. What needs to be blamed is the job that a person is working for. A person should ask themselves is the amount of work that my job demands from me reasonable? Is it fair to me that I must work on my off hours just because I have access to work content? With this consideration a person can then realize whether or not their job is fair. It is false to say that technology harms us in some way, what is actually harming us are the unreasonable expectations that people create for themselves and for others just because technology provides them with a new capacity.

I agree fully with you Ms.Paris, technology has its pros and cons. Much good has come out of technological advances making our daily lives easier. However, the real downfall that you mention is always being connected to e-mail and work. I feel like this is a serious problem with technology. Society and work demand that we stay connected in an ultra connected world. But what happened to spending time with the family and quality of life? Even though our quality of life has risen with e-mail, cell phones, texting and everything else, we have forgotten to spend time with each other. Being social nowadays is sitting at a computer typing on AIM or chatting online with Facebook. What happened to picking up the phone or going over to someone's house and socializing. Younger kids are not learning the social skills they need and our society is turning more individualistic by the minute. Some of the most precious times of our lives should be spent in quality time with our family and friends. I believe technology has put an extra strain on us always at us to stay connected. But the most important thing is to stay connected to those we care about and love!

My PSU students recently, one starting it and then more joining in, complained that they don't talk to each other and greet each other in passing, anymore. Everyone has a cell phone going to her / his ear. They feel more isolated. Some are fifth year students remembering that when they started university it was different (better) than it is now. Your comment about "not sitting on the porch with family and friends anymore," made me think of this.

I show the documentary "Story of the Weeping Camel" in my World Literature class. The story of a Mongol family living in the desert, we often discuss whether such a basic, simpler life is better than our own life, worse, or simply different.

I believe that technology has had a positive impact however there are always drawbacks. It has helped us in the health field as far as finding cures and helping injuries. In contrast, because we are able to find cures and treatments bacteria and viruses will over time become immuned to the antibiotics.

Another helpful thing about technology is communication whether it be by internet or cell phones. The drawbacks include spending too much time on the computer and not enough time for something like reading. As far as cell phones more and more young teens are getting in more car accidents because they are texting while driving and not paying attention to the road.

In the end, it seems to me that technology is more based on profit and bottom line than truly for justice. Let's face it, the intent of most technology being developed is to market and sell it, not to create peace or justice. I agree that we can take technology and use it as we see fit for whatever ends are important to the end user, but the origination of most technology isn't with justice, peace, and mutual understanding in the development stage.

The ethics involved with the use of technology should also be considered. I agree that technology alone is neither good nor bad. The intent with which the technology is used, however, makes all the difference. As a high school student, my generation, and I am guilty too, lacks ethics when it comes to copyrighted content. Some might think that this is minor offense, but really points to a deeper moral flaw.

Technology is good because it helps us connect with people around the world through social networks and stuff like that.

It might be bad because of stalkers and people like that.

Carolyn, I'm interested in your communications via Facebook. Would you say their of a high quality communication? Are is the contact more along the lines of "Hey, what's up," and "Nothing much here. Just finished doing my homework and now I'll watch tv."

I agree. As teenagers we never knew a time without technology. The oldest thing i remember are vcr's and the original nintendo 64s. However, as time progresses, we always seem to be tryig to improve on what we have already; vcr to dvd to blue ray, or nintendo 64 to gameboy to nintendo ds. This can be good with certain things like medicines and vaccinations and such but is it really necessary for entertainment purposes? While it does positively help the economy, it is only drawing us further in and requiring us to be that much more dependent on technologies we take for granted. For instance, I cannot go a weekend without my cellphone or the internet. I feel those things are a necessity to stay connected with the world around me. It cause us to have a need for the latest fad which goes out in a month and then we want the next one. Technologies can be useful, but it does have it's negative effects.

I too am a teenage surrounded in a sea of technology, and while I thoroughly enjoy the entertainment provided by the technology that surrounds my young naive life I also comprehend that there is a significant difference between "want" and "need." I feel its fair to say, in your case, that waiting to meet the people attending your summer program would not have proved torturous, that finding the time in a busy schedule to dial the digits of a loved one is possible, and it has made you procrastinate on your work. Years ago they managed to do all these things with little difficulty, so what makes it so hard now? I will agree they are all great benefits, most that I enjoy truly, but I also understand they are "wants" not "needs."

I can relate. I am soon graduating from Saint Anselm College and I too have lived in a time period where technology has been priority. I can remember the old apple computers that I had back in pre-school. Technology advancements have improved tremendously. With the explosion of computers, social networks like facebook and myspace has become the main communication method besides for talking on the telephone. This type of topic is similar to my senior thesis. Communication technology, like facebook or myspace, are creating problems but at the same time making our lives easier. I agree that facebook is the culprit for many of the student’s procrastination. I believe that there will always be a positive and negative side to and sort of technological advancement. It is mans responsibility to handle it appropriately.

Dorothy, your comment is a particularly solid one, in that we are able to stay in touch with others much more readily than without technology. I do wonder, however, if we would *make* the time for more visits if it weren't for the shortened, abbreviated connections made possible through technology. While the face-to-face time would not be of the same frequency, is the quality of interaction the same via both methods of staying in touch (technological and face to face)?

Dorothy, I agree that technology is a great way to stay in touch with people who live far away. I do think though that we take advantage of emails and facebook by comunicating with people from our own town this way. We could easily talk to someone who lives right down the street in person, but instead we email or IM them. Doing this takes away from the emotion of a conversation and can very often cause people to interpret the conversation the wrong way. I know a lot of times it's easier to just go online and talk to people, but I think it's important to talk in person.

Many of these other things which you name off benefit communication versus harming it (school, sports, and work). In all actuality, it all depends on the individual. Although we may try with our utmost effort to communicate face-to-face with our friends, colleagues, or just acquaintances that we run into, we simply just don't have time. Through technology, we are able to create a supplement speech in order to talk to them. Although technology could in fact be one of the causes of a person's failure to interact socially, it could also, and more frequently is, the the solution to the problem.

The difference between technology and the other aspects of life that may interrupt socialization is that with these other aspects it is considered appropriate to interrupt someone who is doing these things. If a person is reading a book, they can still hear you, and it is alright to ask them "What are you reading?" and strike up a conversation. If you ask someone listening to an iPod, they cannot hear you and will not respond. Your interruption is not appreciated and despite your, "I love that song" or "Oh, have you heard this song by the same author," the iPod listener will be more annoyed that you intruded on their music than appreciative that you are trying to interact with them. Yes, we can engross ourselves in anything, however, most of the technological developments are made to separate ourselves from others, rather than connect ourselves in a meaningful manner.

I agree with Dorothy. It is not necessarily the technology that has hurt us, it is more of what people choose to do with the technology that is placed in front of them. The cell phones, laptops, and game consoles are just some out of the very many advances in technology that most teenagers operate. It is not a problem if they use those devices every once in a while; it can even be beneficial at times. For example, the cell phone can help you keep in contact with friends and family, and the laptop can help with school as well as keeping in contact with loved ones as well. The problem comes into play when people are constantly using these devices. Some people are glued to their phones or are constantly playing games on their computer, and thats all they seem to know how to do. They need to find a balance and realize that there are other things to do that are more beneficial.

I cannot tell if you are actually typing in an illiterate fashion because technology has actually harmed your ability to type proper English or because you have chosen to prove a point about the inability for future generations to write appropriately. Either way, I think your message gives a very good point about what technology has to offer education. With the rise of spell check, people are losing their ability to spell correctly. Also, texting language is moving to the mainstream of written language. If this is truly how you write, I would suggest you find a good English teacher. If this is your way of proving a point, well done. Your point about needing to contact authorities is definitely an important concept to consider, while the importance of language comprehension is also an issue at hand when people become too addicted to technology. I hope that none of this comment offends you or anyone reading it.