Technology is a factor in society that every person appreciates. With technology we are able to appreciate the value of the assets we have due to their increase in performance and reliability. Technology has become very significant in the modern generation where without technology every aspect of life would be significantly affected. From our homes to our institutions, to schools, every infrastructure is need of the features of the technology. This development has caused many investors to cash in this opportunity. This has made the factor a significant force in driving lives in the modern generation.
With all its advantages, questions are raised on the disadvantages trends in technology cause on the society. Analysts have argued that for one thing to be effected another has to be eradicated. In regards to technology, what has to be eradicated is human activity in the society. Most human activities have been replaced by the ever growing trends in technology. For instance, in factories almost all operations have been computerized. This has been in done at the expense of human labor which completed the face of many companies (Behme, 2008). However, the effects of this move are significant as many companies have become more efficient in the provision of goods and services to the modernized society. It is these developments that create the question of whether or not technology has been of justice in our society. Should the society embrace or shun the technological trends? In the book Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology by Postman, the author tries to highlight the negative consequences of embracing technology.
Postman (1992) argues the rivalry between man and ad technology is one with an end result of both winners and losers. He argues this in referring to the consequences of having computers in our society. He argued that with the introduction of computer some folks have been rendered insignificant in society. However, he also recognizes the fact that computers have changed the life of few other people. In his argument he is justified to make these remarks since it is the face of many companies. A visit to modern factory and the majority of human laborers you will see are machine operators are instructors. Taking the same trip a century ago, the number of human resources exceeded the number of machinery in significant difference. Where did this people go? How are these people coping with life after been rendered jobless? These are question that justify Postman’s argument on this topic. According to Behme (2008)basing the corporate world on the significance of human resources, the society would not be enjoying the comfort experienced today. Regardless of its effects, the society needs to change: a change that will direct us towards civilization. With the introduction of computers it is an undisputed fact that the society has gained much more that it has lost. With computerization, the society has experienced changes in service delivery, security, quality products, easy and cheaper modes of shopping and jobs that have a less demanding on physicality. If the society treads by the recommendation of Postman, the modernized society would be ages back to be achieved. The society should also show positive acceptance to the technological trends. People should learn on how to operate computerized machinery in order to remain significant in the job market (Behme, 2008. The author further argues that the choices people make in life determine how well they fit in the competitive environment.
In another argument by Postman (1992) the television culture will turn school teachers to insignificant professional in society. Although he applauds the talent promoted by the television culture, his argument is not justified. Many academic institutions have opted to embrace digital learning. This is a learning mode that uses less physical contact by teachers. The efficiency of this learning mode is outstanding as it provides a depth of information from numerous sources. The results of embracing this culture are that many teachers have been rendered jobless. However, academic institutions still need instructors who are well informed on the digital technology. Behme (2008)argues that if teacher would be more informed on digital technology, they would still remain significant member of the society. If individuals would embrace technology more, the issues of loosing professional significance would not be a query. The positive effects of television are evident across all fronts of the society. The television is a source of livelihood for millions of people across the globe. It is with the television culture a 10 year old kid is able to showcase their talent to the world. Turning down this amazing trend would be a fatal to the digital generation who require the television culture to succeed.
Postman (1992) argues that the society has been highly dependable on technological tools which have created a culture of technopoly and technocracy. This is a classification of the society as a generation that is dictated by the trends in technology. In technocracy, the government is solely dependable on experts who make decisions by the use of technology. He defines technopoly as society that is shaped by technology: a society that has embraced technology as an affiliate culture. His arguments are valid if the modern society is anything to go by. The society we live in has strong ties with the technology wee experiencing. In referring to technocracy, governments have become dependable on technology. However, contrary to the argument by Postman, this move has made governments operations more effective. With the technological trend across the globe, criminal gangs have embraced the trend and come up with modern ways of committing crime. For governments to court this, they should embrace an equal depth in technology as their rivalries. Technocracy is the best strategies that governments have implemented in their operations. According to Behme (2008)technocracy is a tool that has enabled governments to deal with the most advanced levels of insecurity. For instance, terrorism has become a global fight as man governments have joined together to eradicate this act. This is only enabled through the use of modern technology. As Postman terms technocracy as inappropriate, one could counter that by arguing with the increase levels of government performance. Postman also portrays technopoly as an inappropriate tool in society. He argues that people have become slaves’ technology. Additionally, he argues that the levels on innovation has reduced due to the over reliance on technology. This assumption is inappropriate since it is an obvious fact that the levels of innovation have greatly increased in society. In words by Behme (2008)technopoly has become an act where people get innovations.
It is false to argue that there is uneasy tension in a society that has traditional culture, technopoly and technocracy. This assumption is argued by Postman who claims that the three aspects of the society cannot co-exist in on society. However, this can be proven by the fact that the modern generation enjoys more civilization as compared to centuries back where there was no technopoly and technocracy. Technology has played a major role in ensuring that the modern society have numerous things in common and thus create a society of a grater mutual understanding. In an argument by Behme (2008)the relationship between technopoly, technocracy and the people is a mutual relationship where each factor gains from the benefits of each factor. This is contrary to the argument by Postman who argues in the different direction.
In referring to George Shaw, Postman argues that the modern society has an allegiance to the authority of science. This assumption can be proved only to a certain point. Firstly, a person could argue that the modern society could never exist without science. Science has become the epitome of the society we live in. without science for a single day the world would not function effectively. The society has become more than dependable to technology and science. Postman (1992) claims that gone are the days when creativity formed the basis on inventions. He further argues that technology and science has taken over this task. This has forced many aspect of the society to be controlled by the technology and science. It can also be argued that the involvement of science in society has caused the human mentality to be over dependable on it. It is from this notion that the society gets is authority from science. We need science to be able to know the direction to follow or the decision s to make. This creates the issue of authority. If science prohibits an activity there is a more than half probability that the whole society will adhere to this instructions. This shows how much the society has given authority to science.
However, one could counter the above argument by stating that the authority given to science is for innovations and creativity only. According to Behme (2008)the society respects science but does not give authority to science. He further argues that the relationship between man and science is based only on benefits not on division of power. The society uses science to predict situation or alter these prediction so their favor. With science being an innovation by man, he could easily alter its functioning to suit his interest. This shows how much the difference in authority between man and science. However, one cannot rule out the fact that science controls our society to certain extents: an extent where human activities become nothing close to the creativity science provides. With the society headed to that point of no return to the normal culture, Postman’s assumption s on the authority of culture would be true and logical.
Postman (1992) argues that there is need to control information provided to support any theory. He supports his assumption by claiming that too much information destroys the meaning and the explanation towards a theory. These assumptions are true. In the modern society many theories have been established and from them depth information on the theories has also been provided. This has altered the understanding of the much information provided to suit these theories. According to Postman (1992) this fact has dimmed the level of understanding among people in society. For instance, if a scientist comes up with ten explanations to support his theory and work it would be difficult for his audience to relate to his work. What is needed is short precise information that explains the existence of a theory in a general perspective. The same assumptions are shared by Behme (2008)who claims with the levels of innovation and creativity rising the society has been exposed to a lot of information which are inclusive of unnecessary information. This hinders the effectiveness of understanding of the information provided. The author further argues that it would be effective if innovation were much involved in practical examples rather that information that would not be effective in educating the society.
Postman’s argument that the society has become too specialize should not be supported. According to Behme (2008) the society has still enough room for specialization. The modern generation is greatly dependent o innovation which gives the society a right to expand it specialization levels. There is nothing as too specialized as the trend the globe is taking is towards a complete digital world. There is no point in time that the society would have achieved its maximum innovation to a point that innovation is surplus. The society is evolving towards complete globalization which makes it impossible to have too much specialization at its disposal.
References
Behme, C. (2008). Review of 'Language, consciousness, culture: Essays on mental structure'. Philosophical Psychology, 21(2), 281-285
Postman, N. (1992). Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology. New York, NY: Vintage Books.
