In this article "Liking is for Cowards. Go for What Hurts", Jonathan Franzen tries to give an overall view of the advantages and the disadvantages of new technology and particularly the ubiquitous computing devices. He compares his current BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Pearl that he previously owned. I agree with Franzen that the experience that one gets with new technology is marvelous regarding clarity, speedy regarding response and beguiling regarding the graphical outlook. He outlines precisely how new technology makes life easier compared to the previous one through late-model gadgets and the incredibly cool things that people do with these gadgets.
I agree with Franzen's argument that the ultimate goal of marketers is to discover what pleases the customers and respond well to this demand. He says that technology has become extremely adept at creating products that correspond to our fantasy and a closer observation of the latest technology and particularly for mobile technology shows that all the individual producers of technology-related gadgets are struggling to outdo one another. When one company releases a product, it forms a clear basis for the development of a more advanced one. Over a short period of the discovery of Android technology and Apple technology, phones, tablets and I pads began cropping up, and this accompanied an emergence of more versions of Android operating systems ranging from Android 2.3 all the way to the latest release of Android Marshmallow. In each stage of the development, just as Franzen points out in paragraph four, customers have been amazed by the advancement and from time to time use varying words to express their level of amazement as well as express how well the devices suit their needs. Similarly, the Apple Company has over time been top on the list of businesses that lead to the development of powerful, ubiquitous devices. These devices include; hand-held or even palmtops and though some of their customers possess earlier devices they still can afford to be left behind as the new devices come in and as well use similar names to express their joy and advancement.
Additionally, I agree with Franzen that the primary aim of technological progress is to change our world of hardships and full of storms with one that suits our needs and is less resistant to change. From an earlier experience, one had to spend a lot of time next to a telephone booth so as to receive a communication and also with the world of letters; one had to spend several weeks or probably even months to get a response from a recipient of a letter he or she had written. This was transformed to a level that was never imagined with responses being as speedy as a matter of several seconds from the time a request is sent. This transformation shows that a bit of enhancement was realized, and we encounter fewer hurdles than previously was.
Secondly, I totally agree with Franzen that considering in human terms, and imagining a person being defined by a desperation to be liked. You see a person with no integrity and with no center. This is very true as people have to appreciate you for who you are and not what they see in you. In reality, if a person likes you, the degree of acceptance to them may not necessarily be expressed using simple terms such as a click of a button. Believing that the likes that one obtains on Facebook or any other social media are a measure of who you are is surely narcissism. It shows you don't tolerate tarnishing of your self-image, and you can move to whichever extends to attract likes so as to raise your self-esteem.
On another point, I totally disagree with Franzen on the opinion that liking or disliking shows one's lack of integrity or even lack of center. From the article, it is evident from his article in paragraph ten whereby he says that person defined by likes on either Facebook or social media portray an aspect of narcissi or a person who cannot tolerate tarnishing of self-image. There is a misconception as this is just a single way through which human beings interact. In a case of Facebook, one does not necessarily have to like a picture or even a comment for it to remain there. The idea of liking is just a way of showing interaction and also a way of showing support for one another and even in the absence of the love, some of the posts on social media would still stand the test of time. Moreover, some of the posts may not be ethical, but though individuals may like them, it shows that individuals are exposing themselves so much to criticism or even exposing themselves to people who respect them.
In conclusion, Franzen clearly outlines key issues of concern in as far as new technology is concerned based. He describes the advantages we derive from this technology and I agree with him that new technology brings in more benefits than harm and let's be cautious about what we adopt as users.
Works cited
Franzen. .Liking is for Cowards. Go for What Hurts. May 28, 2011. Print
