The Dystopian of Technology Essays

The Dystopian of Technology Essays The Dystopian of Technology Essay The Dystopian of Technology Essay Chloe Fenney Dr. Holland English IV AP: 1 11/15/11 The Dystopian of Technology As a human species, we are wired to survive. In the beginning, survival was simple; all we needed were the elements of nature and a few tools that abled us to obtain these essentials. Naturally, as we evolved so did our technological advancements. As time passes, the fine line between â€Å"needs† and â€Å"wants† starts to become unrecognizable. We have progressed to an age where complicated is the new simple and we have created a mindless routine of more taking and less giving. Superficial factors, born from our innovations, cloud our judgment and have detached us from healthy influences, including thoughts and emotion. Growing technology has fueled the fire for the need of an easier life with instant pleasures, and distanced individuals from becoming independent and excelling intellectually, spiritually, and practically. The essential purpose for technology is to make one’s life easier. Many modernizations have created a nasty habit for humankind to think that things should naturally come trouble-free. This starts to not only relate with physical labor, but emotional problems as well. With this strive for instantaneous gratification; the absence of struggles can lead to self-destructive behavior. The saying, â€Å"What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger,† expresses the theme of overcoming basic realities and unpleasant aspects of life can make an individual tougher as a result. In Ray Gradbury’s novel, â€Å"Fareheight 451†, the character Mildred is the perfect example of what happens when those feelings are oppressed. After attempting to commit suicide, Mildred has forgotten the whole event the next day and goes back to being consumed with the television and radio. Her feelings may be hidden away, but they have not disappeared and will most likely surface again. The one factor that makes a task easier is by making it go by faster. Our society is addicted to living fast-paced lives and getting as many things done as possible. There was a period where life was unhurried and time was not as well defined. As Geoffrey Godbey put it, Technology promised to make our lives easier, freeing up time for leisure pursuits. But the rapid pace of technological innovationand the millisecond processing capabilities of computers that can work virtually nonstophave compressed our perception of time,† With the advancement of technology our perception of time has changed. Our lives have become rushed, and things like work have rolled over personal activities and become our number one priority. With our energy and thoughts going towards things like our careers, not only do we not have time to spend with whomever is closets to us, there is rare occurrence throughout the day where one can think in depth about important matters whether It be personal or have to do with our whole population. In effect, there is no time to grow as a society. Another effect of technology is the rise of superficiality and decline of individuality. With the technology we have today, the spreading of concepts is rapid and effortless. Unfortunately, the ideas floating around are shallow and artificial. We have the wrong image of beauty, we believe the more we have the happier we will be, and our time is spent trying to live the lives of those we see in the media on TV, instead of living our own. The worst part about these philosophies is there is very little variability. Every day it seems as everyone wants more of the same things and uniqueness is lost. The constitution states, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness† (US Declaration Ind. We may be created equal, but we have the right to be different from the crowd. If there is no one to lead the way, or stand out from the crowd how can we grow? â€Å"The most dangerous enemy of truth and freedomthe solid unmoving cattle of the majority. † (Radbury,108) The promotion of individuality can keep us moving forward, verses uniformity keeping us stuck . This frivolity reflects in the technology through shows and movies we watch. As we gaze at movie stars living unrealistic lives, we desire to be like them. This desire creates confusion between what is real and what is not. Technology disconnects us from truth and we use this to escape the hardships of reality instead of facing them. Once you are trapped it is hard to escape the concern of surface appearances, fame, and sensationalism. This â€Å"fakeness† also can affect relationships. With the rise of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, there is a weakening in human contact. Communication is now done through messaging, comments, status updates, and most of all texting. Thirty Eight percent of college students cannot go 10 minutes without switching on some sort of electronic device. Students were asked to not use Media for twenty four hours. A large percentage of the students experienced symptoms similar to drug and alcohol withdrawal† (Dunn) Our nation, especially the younger generation, is addicted to technology and using it to communicate. With this addiction, there is an elimination of real interaction replac ed with superficial consultation. The most forbidding consequence of our developing technology is our ignorance developing more than our knowledge. The truth is elusive, and hard to grasp especially when technology can help spark false ideas and ways of thinking. In the movie â€Å"Minority Report,† a new system is created that helps the government foresee murders and stop them from happening. The crime rate drops 100 percent, so no questions are asked. The protagonist of the story John Anderson says, â€Å"There hasnt been a murder in 6 years. Theres nothing wrong with the system, it is perfect. (â€Å"Minority Report. †) As the movie goes on, Anderson’s ignorance, along with the society’s, is proven when there is a discovery to be an ironic flaw, the murder of a woman paving the way to the system’s success. Everyone was so blinded by the advancement, that there was no questions asked about how it came about. The abandonment of debate and interrogation can be extremely dangerous. Challenging ideas keeps things from being hidden away and society moving forward without any false positives. As a human race we started off with barely anything. We have built our ways up to be dominating forces with the will to survive anything. Technology has been a driving force in this effort. Improvements have done the impossible, ignited many inspiring events and movements throughout history, and pushed us as a civilization beyond our limits. As in many great things, there are flaws. Technology distances us from what is real in our lives, including things both painful and pleasurable. It takes away emotion and feeling and replaces it with superficial aspects of life. Fortunately, we do have the choice and the power to stop it. John M. Grohol says â€Å"Our brains on technology will take time to adapt, to learn and to grow. Most of us will find a way to integrate technology - such as the Internet or whatever new mobile phone comes out - in beneficial ways in our lives. But for some of us, it’ll take a little more time and skills learning† The nature of technology is positive and negative, beneficial and manipulative; it takes mankind’s determination and patience to go against the flaws of technology, and find meaningful ways to live.