David Walter

October 30, 2017

Period 3
Synthesis

Adapting to Technological Advancements

From one of the first iterations of the internet in the late 60’s, to self driving cars and

microscopic robots in the 21st century, the past 50 years of technology has drastically changed

how society performs its everyday functions. With change, controversy has a tendency to follow

close behind; With half a century worth of advances, many people have conflicting arguments on

whether or not the new age of technology has a net benefit. Some frown upon the recent

everyday use of new technologies, especially when relating to youth. Others argue that

technology has changed their life for the better, that they couldn’t image life without it. It’s an

issue that has ensued for decades and continues to boil over even today. As a society, we have

arrived to a point where we must adapt to the changes of the world. With new processes comes

new tools for utilization, learning, and advancements. With technology at the forefront of our

lives, discovering new ways to harness the potential that technology has, while still minimizing

its negative impact, should be society's principal objective.

As said before, the evolution of technology has sparked concerns from many speculators

of technology. Esther Dyson and David Gelernter are both presenting clear and plausible

arguments for what technology has done to hinder the user.

In source C, Dyson has observed how technology has fundamentally altered our mind,

and our perception of time. Frequently using the phrase “thinking shorter”(Source C), Dyson

refers to how the automation that machines provide have allowed us to accomplish more work in

less time, “making every minute not used productively into an opportunity lost”(Source C). What
this has done is stretched our attention over multiple areas at one time. Dyson’s concerns are that

technology is making us think slower, shorter, “short-term” based(Source C), and stifled our

youth’s imaginations and attention spans. Unfortunately, technology has caused negative

changes to our minds that nothing else has ever done.

In Source E, Gelernter has similar concerns like those of Dyson; He first states what isn’t

the problem, “insufficient data”(Source E) or information/resources. Gelernter’s concerns point

at the “skill-free children”(Source E) that technology has produced. Metaphorically describing

the situation to giving kids scuba gear, “it’s irresponsible; they’ll drown”(Source E). According

to Gelernter, children’s shortening attention spans, lack of knowledge of older entertainment (ie

Symphonies, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, and books in general), and the internet’s “lies, garbage,

and pornography”(Source E), are all effects caused by lack of “quality control on the

Internet”(Source E). Our ignorance to change has made us irresponsible. For our society to

improve ourselves we must change our way of thinking towards technology. We must learn how

to use it responsibly and ensure it is helping rather than hurting.

Despite the negativity, technology has produced benefits to society as well. With new

opportunities that technology brings, it also brings fresh perspectives and ideas from those

willing to accept it.

In Source B, Kevin J. Delaney attributes the problem to the users of technology rather

than the technology itself. In Delaney’s excerpt, he quotes Tim Wilson’s view on the problem:

“how do we communicate with students today who have grown up with technology from the

beginning?”(Source B). Which points to us as a society to look inwards on ourselves as the users

who harness technology’s raw potential. While technology on our youth has shown to be
problematic, the problem is actually the way technology has been used and harnessed rather than

the technology itself.

In Source A, Empire High School has taken an initiative to try to benefit from the

opportunities technology brings to learning. The high school has taken a risk by replacing

student issued books with Apple iBooks to every student attending. “[The high school] was

designed specifically to have a textbook-free environment”(Source A). While this might not be

the solution to solve it all, it is a step in the right direction. With the changing world of

technology comes new problems, and with new problems comes new solutions. It seems silly to

try to solve a new problem with a solution to a problem from a different era. The same goes with

technology, Empire High has taken a risk in order to help solve the problem of technology. They

are trying CHANGE, they are changing the norm in order to find new solutions to new problems.

Technology has raised our students and our educators potential for success. In Source C

Esther Dyson points out that technology has made every minute not used productively an

opportunity lost. Later on in the excerpt Dyson further enhances this point “we can measure

more, over smaller chunks of time. From airline miles to calories (and carbs and fat grams), from

friends on Friendster to steps on a pedometer, from real-time stock prices to millions of burgers

consumed, we count things by the minute and the second”(Source C). Technology has given us

the ability to accomplish so much more than before. It is irresponsible for us to not take this

opportunity to boost our youth years ahead of what they could otherwise. It is a matter of how

we use this technology. “It’s a social problem, but I think it may also herald a mental

one”(Source C), today’s society is indeed information rich, which should in turn encourage us to

ensure the information is being harnessed correctly. Esther even goes to the extent to compare

technology misuse to “a sort of mental diabetes”(Source C). Similar to how the misuse of sugar
and fat filled foods are misused by people, so can technology. A healthy supplement of sugary

and/or fatty foods can help your body tremendously by supplying energy. Conversely, those

same fatty foods, if misused, can result in diabetes or other major health issues.

It is imperative that with new changes we invent new solutions. Both Esther Dyson and

David Gelernter gave excellent arguments as to why technology has hindered social interaction

and mental abilities. In contrast, Empire High School and those who embrace technology have

shown how we can create new ways to harness technology and its benefits. Neither side

addresses the holistic situation that we as a society face. It is so irresponsible to blame

technology for the shortcomings of its users. You don’t blame the oven when you leave food

cooking for too long. Yet, it is also ignorant to be complacent by technology's great capabilities,

while oblivious to its unintended byproducts. We need to take the advantages that technology

brings to the table and learn how to implement it efficiently and safely into our life - without the

unwanted handicap it can impede on our psyche. We CAN use technology as a tool to progress

as a society, if we can balance social interactions with progressive needs.