Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology (Pg xi-91)

Neil Postman's book, Technopoly: The Surrender of a Culture of Technology is an interesting read about a skeptic’s view of how technology’s emergence into the world, or rather a culture, is detrimental to its future. Starting with the introduction, Postman states, “The accusation can be made that the uncontrolled growth of technology destroys the vital sources of our humanity.” (Pg xii) He goes on to explain that a culture twined with too much technology is a culture without moral foundation. Interestingly enough, Postman admits that there is a line that separates the good and the bad technology; confirming that technology is both a friend and enemy with costs and benefits. This thought brings the author to chapter 1 where he discusses the Judgment of Thamus. He distinguishes two separate categories among society calling one side the Technophiles (those who only see the benefits of technology), and the skeptics (those who only see the harm of technology.) Upon accepting a technology however, both skeptics and technophiles much analyze the technology with their “eyes wide open.” (Pg. 7)

Absurdly, Postman observes an interesting theory. He tells us that those who cultivate competence in the use of a new technology will become an elite group—granted undeserved authority. Arguably, I cannot agree with this. I feel like those who do achieve competence in a technology are credited into this elite group and thus it is not underserved. Page 9 in the book describes this theory a little further. Harold Innis believed in what are called Knowledge Monopolies. This mindset creates a variable subset of winners and losers where the winners are competent and the losers are not. Then, he states that losers eventually succumb to learning a new technology leaving no more room for an incompetent subgroup. What I don’t understand about this proposed theory is why there cant be a balance between the two. Why cant there be one large group adding to universal knowledge?

Chapter 2 describes ‘tool using cultures’ as technology being integrated in culture, but not obstructing its prevalence. However, when tool-using cultures begin to take advantage of their tools, is when they begin to transform into technocracies. Postman declares that there is a difference between tool using cultures (Descartes, Galileo, Newton) and technocracies (beginning with innovators like Sir Frances Bacon.)

Chapter 3 describes the transition from a Technocracy to a Technopoly. On page 45, Postman says, “Technocracy gave us the idea of progress and the necessity loosened our bonds with tradition—whether political or spiritual.” He goes on to describe the beginning of the shift when Henry Ford started his industrial empire. Technopoly started in America for 4 main reasons. 1. “The Distrust of Constraints” 2. “The genius of American Capitalists” 3. The “convenience, comfort and speed” of technology and 4. The “devaluation of traditional beliefs.”

Chapter 4 describes the improbable world where human progress is taken over by technological progress. This is clearly stated on page 70, “cultures may also suffer grievously from information glut, information without meaning, information without controlled mechanisms.” Postman’s closing in Chapter 5 says that what technopolies want, they cannot have, and the consequences will follow later.

Computers: The Life Story of a Technology (Pg 85-149)

The second part of this book by Eric G. Swedin and David L. Ferro was a little more interesting in my opinion. While the first part of the book was of the coming of computers and the general background that they have, the second part of the book was more about the computers that we use today; or at least something that closely resembles what we use today. To be honest, I felt that the first part of the book was like reading a history book; the history of the computer that is, while the second part of the reading was much more translatable to the current generation.

The second part of Swedin and Ferro's book starts with chapter 5. Here, they introduce a common name to even the users of the current generation--Intel. Intel is as famous today as Swedin and Ferro described it to be in the past. They are a company that initially started the innovation of Microprocessors for the first hand held computers. The authors explain vividly the history if Intel; verifying that Ted Hoff was the initial creator of these Microprocessors and go on to explain how hobbyists like Gary Kildall strived to created the a variation of what we all know as the 'desktop.'

Swedin and Ferro continue their historical discussion by bringing up Altair created by Edward Roberts. The computer was one of the first that could be used at home and was quite expensive. Then a revelation of new technology introduced to the public, it was still by no means impressive to our standards today. The Altair came with 256 bytes of memory and peripheral devices were NOT included! However primal this device seemed to be, its fabrication laid out the foundation for the creation of Microsoft with Paul Allen and Bill Gates.

I really enjoy reading about the creating of Apple. I recently became a huge fan of Apple products. Skeptical at first, after plenty of research and a lot of saving, I finally decided to purchase a Mac Book Pro--I am satisfied to my fullest extent. I enjoyed reading about how the genius minds of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs came together to create the premises of such a terrific product. These two masterminds started out with simple, yet brilliant ideas including the popular arcade game, Breakout, and the invention of blue boxes. Eventually, they discovered their created invention, Apple.

I also found the history of Microsoft and their long term relationship with IBM. It was very early on when the two started to work cooperatively in recognition of the competition, mainly Apple. Together they created a power Operating System known as MS-Dos or PC-DOS. These popular and extremely powerful OS creations were the main driver in popularity in computers. One fact that I found incredible was that with the popularity rising in these machines, Time Magazine decided to name the PC as Man of the Year. This was the first time that the Man of the Year was not a 'Man.'

I thought that this was the major chunk in the second part of the reading that I found comparable and intriguing. The authors had an interesting read on the establishment of Wireless networks describing how AlohaNet was created by Norman Abramson and how he link a network through the Time Division Methods Access (TDMA.) When that failed because of AlohaNet's numberous terminals, innovators tried again with CDMA/CD. And thus lead to the creation of a network of computers no longer tied together with cables.

I'd also like to discuss Sedwin and Ferro's decription of the internet and how it was developed. He described how Tim Bemus Lee wanted to make information more accessable to the world. He did this with Computer Networking and Hypertext. With the creation of the internet followed Microsoft's attempt to maintain its stability as a technological monopoly; thus the creation of Internet Explorer.

Again, I found this second part of the reading to be much more interesting and enjoyable as you might be able to tell with the size of this blog entry. I liked discovering the past of the tools that we use today; a past that I can actually see, not something about Astrolabs or the Tally system. It was fun reading and I discovered a few things that I never knew before; things that will make me think next time I'm on the internet or in the Apple store.

Until next time...

Omegle

Hi all,

After yesterday's class discussion on social networks and telepresence on the web, I was intrigued and very taken back by the class experiment. I've never heard of chat roulette or omegle before and was interested. I noted the (hilarious) conversation we had in lecture and decided to have a little fun myself at home. What I found was interesting...

These social websites give courage and security to its users; however, these characteristics board a dangerously thin line with safety and uncensored vandalism. In the experiment I carried at home, I used Omegle and had to go through 8 users till I found a 'decent' conversation. In the first 8, all of the users were male, and they immediately requested my sex. As soon as I revealed myself as a male, FIVE of my conversations were disconnected. The other three asked if I was Bisexual. It wasn't until my 9th time on the site, where I found a decent conversation with a girl in Canada. She asked about accurate depictions of the popular MTV show, the Jersey Shore. We went on to discuss the racial disputes on the show, and admittedly had an intellectual conversation for about 30 minutes.

There are two sides that I would like to talk about in my experience with Omegle. First I'd like to say that this site, and many like it are extremely dangerous. The fact that there are 15-17 year old children on this website talking to threatening perverts is a scary thought. It took me 8 times to find a decent conversation with a decent human being. The fact that there are tons of people out there that use this website to take advantage of its' closed curtain is outrageous. Some may find it funny, but when you think about it; the ideals are far from funny. I used to wonder when I saw something on the news about children being kidnapped and how irresponsibly stupid they are for putting themselves in that position. The fact of the matter is, the irresponsibility lays with the parents for opening up this realm of insecurities and threats. How is an innocent 15 year old child able to defend him/herself from the deceiving minds of a public enemy, a night walker, or a spook?

The other side I'd like to discuss is a little more light-hearted. I'd like to discuss the genuine relationship that I DID establish with my Canadian buddy. You see, while it was very hard to come by, I had a very nice discussion with this girl, and to be honest, there wasn't much of a difference between a physical introduction and this one. Once we established our sexes, I asked her to "prove me wrong..and not talk about something absurd..." She simply replied "ok..." Skeptically, I asked a hetorical question, "is it possible to get a humane/civil conversation with decent people in this world?" and she delicately replied, "you're having one right now." I was taken back by such a remarkable response. Still on my toes, I carried our dialogue with intriguing Qs and As and interesting topics until it was time for me to end. The bottom line here is that I enjoyed our conversation and I thought it was an enlightening discovery to find that such a relationship could be created without the means of asking for a mere name! This leads me to discuss a topic that I am looking forward to hopefully talking about in class in the near future. Can cyber-relationships possible by legitimate? I know that there are a bunch of online dating sites and social matchmakers out there, and this one online conversation I had with an equivalent intellectual proved to me that these type of things have the potential to make people truly happy; to cut out social awkwardness, and dismiss shyness.

This is the end of this blog, and i'm sure I will have much more like it to come in the future. Peace to all you hopefuls out there. Give Omegle a shot, but be wary.

Computers: The Life story of a Technology (pgs 1-83)

Computers: The life story of a Technology by Eric G. Swedin and David L. Ferro is a book informing the reader about the historical past of computers. In the opening chapter, Swedin and Ferro discuss the primal ages of computers beginning with anthropologic discoveries such as the Antikythera Device and Astrolabes. Slowly, the authors build their discussion as they introduce the crucial role that computers and technology began to take in the modern world. They start by talking about the early parts of math development such as logarithms and algorithms; the authors explain the establishment of the decimal system and other important parts of math progress. Swedin and Ferro explain how elementary parts of the mathematical system lead to higher more advanced levels and eventually the industrial revolution where these systems of automata began to remove the human element! The authors soon begin to introduce the early mechanical computers—the ancient relatives of the computers we use today. They use IBM as the leader of the early computers and discuss the company’s efforts to create the first analytical machine. I learned something interesting in their chapter section about the development of technology in computer chips. The project was initiated by John Atanasoff and started the concept of ‘jogging’ in computers in his ABC computer. This section was appealing to me because a lot of the computers that we use today still have that same concept, but I’m sure at much higher processing levels.

Another part of the book that I found interesting was in the authors’ discussion in the role of computers in war. And how technologies such as ENIAC and enigma code were just a crucial part in combat and in winning. Other topics that I found interesting in the topic of War and computers were the British Bomb and Code Decryption. I was able to fully understand the idea of an arms race not in terms of how many guns you have but more what kind of technology you have.

The book was interesting and well written. I feel that I was given a very in depth lecture on the early ages of computers, and their rise to what they are today. I realized that the world wouldn’t be in the state it is in now without computers and I realized that they play such a crucial role in society’s efficiency and power. The World is only going to become more and more dependent on technology like this because in the end, who doesn’t want their life easier? Companies are looking to reduce labor, and replace it with capital; to make things faster, less error, and more competent then any human could every be.

Introduction

Hi,

My name is Justin Chu and I'm a senior here at Rutgers University. I'm majoring in Economics and minoring Philosophy. My interests include tennis, running, boxing, and philosophy. I have broken my five year tradition of going to the US Open every summer, but I still follow it avidly. I have 5' 9" and have a muscular build. I like going out to the bar with my friends and catching up with them. I'm friendly and outgoing, and love talking about business and current world affairs. I also have an insane movie IQ.

As far as keeping track of the amount of modern technology in my life? I'd say its normal. I mean, nowadays, who doesn't check facebook at at least twice a day (morning/night), who doesn't have an online bank account, and who doesn't use google to search for the answer for their everyday questions? I'd say that my top 5 sites are Facebook, nytimes, sakai, my online bank site, and my fraternity's forum. I check ALL of these sites compulsively simply because they are not a routine part of my lifestyle. Other pieces of technology would include my cell phone. In thinking about this assignment, I actually realized that I NEED my cell phone; and no, that is not an understatement. I have my emails, texts, calls, and entertainment on this thing, and I would be no where without it. So there it is, the two most valuable (materialistically speaking) things in my life right now.