In “The Judgment of Thamus”, Neil Postman claims that “every technology is both a burden and a blessing; not either-or, but this-and-that. …Nonetheless, we are currently surrounded by throngs of zealous Theuths, one-eyed prophets who see only what new technologies can do and are incapable of imagining what they will undo” (364). While the general population is aware of the idealistic possibilities of new technologies, they ignore or do not focus on what good these technologies can undo at the same time. It is hard to imagine life without technology because the society is so immersed within it. However, back in the days, people enjoyed a relatively slow-paced life without technology and spent a good bulk of their time outside of their homes, interacting with family, friends, and nature. Nowadays, technology has become so prevalent that it is hard to find an individual who does not interact with technology at least once a day. Technology has been predominantly beneficial for the society by allowing doctors to find cures for what used to be known as “fatal” diseases. It has also allowed people to communicate with each other within seconds, to travel across the country, and to buy almost anything without leaving the comforts of their homes. However, with the convenience and efficiency of technology, people have become ambitious multitasking individuals absorbed within their own private worlds.
The development of highly mobile and accessible technological devices, such as the laptop, smartphone, and iPod, has caused people to isolate themselves and spend progressively less time interacting with others. Robert Samuels’s “Breaking Down Borders: How Technology Transforms the Private and Public Realms” stresses how the development of technology has blurred the borders between public and private and caused people to become “so involved in their own mediated worlds that they forget where they actually are and what they are supposed to be doing”. New technology allows people to “personalize their own media and decide on their own what culture they want to consume” but it also prevents them from “seeing culture as a social and public activity” (361). It has become extremely easy for people to set up their own little private space, with their laptops, iPods, and earphones, within the larger public area. This allows them to express individuality through their “personal culture”, but also allows few opportunities for public interactions. This promotes isolation, which results in a sense of detachment from the rest of the world and negatively impacts the human lifestyle. Human beings are social animals whose thoughts and behaviors are primarily shaped through social learning and imitation. Therefore, not only is familial interaction vital for healthy socioemotional and language development within children, but social interaction is also important for an adult’s physical and emotional well-being.
Technology has become so prevalent that personal computers have also been introduced to classroom settings, where students typically benefit the most from peer interactions. In “The Judgment of Thamus”, Neil Postman discusses the many side effects of technological advancement he believes people should be aware of, one of them being the replacement of or competition with old technologies. He talks about how the introduction of computers into classrooms could meddle with orality, which he believes is the most effective way instruction and knowledge can be communicated. Postman writes, “orality stresses group learning, cooperation, and a sense of social responsibility… Now comes the computer, carrying anew the banner of private learning and individual problem-solving” (373). Private learning, through the computer, limits students to their own thoughts whereas peer interactions and in-class discussions encourage deeper, rather than more superficial, thinking. Orality not only allows successful students to act as role models, but also allows students to convey their own thoughts and knowledge to others, which promotes concise elaboration and, therefore, a better grasp on the material for the students themselves.
Not only has technology discouraged social interaction, but it has also encouraged a distractive method of attacking daily tasks and responsibilities. The society’s non-stop multitasking and ambitious needs to accomplish as much as they can within a given amount of time have actually caused people to become more distracted and unproductive, rather than efficient, with their time. In his essay, “Breaking Down Borders”, Samuels also stresses the breakdown of the barrier between work and play. While working or doing schoolwork, many people believe they can multitask and save time by simultaneously keeping in touch with their friends, filing taxes, making future plans, or completing other daily tasks. Samuels asserts that multitasking “prevents us from concentrating on any single activity” and this “constant switching between work and leisure activities creates a fragmented sense of self” (361). Ultimately, multitasking is not only inefficient, but it also encourages carelessness with work. This is because people are not placing their full attention on one task but, instead, are trying to juggle it with many other activities at the same time. As a result, their minds become scattered when they switch over from one task to another. Although many tasks can be completed this way, they are not completed at a very high quality.
Frontline’s Digital Nation documentary studies the effects of multitasking and finds a similar pattern amongst MIT and Stanford students. While students believe they are being productive by engaging in both academics and leisure activities, studies show that any form of multitasking actually results in inefficiency. Professor Clifford Nass of Stanford University claims that this has taken a toll on the students’ writing abilities. “Instead of writing an essay, [students] write in paragraphs. They write a paragraph and then they say, ‘Oh, now look at Facebook for a while’ or they write a paragraph and say, ‘Oh, a chance to play poker’. …So, what we are seeing is less of a notion of a big idea carried through and much more of little bursts and snippets.” Although the students have the ability to produce quality writing, there is a lack of connection between the body paragraphs of their essays. The constant distractions prevent a student’s brain from pursuing a linear thought and, therefore, prevent their thoughts and ideas from being further developed. These thoughts and ideas become cut short whenever students multitask or decide they deserve a short break.
In conclusion, the advancement of technology has altered our lifestyles by creating a world of isolation and distraction. Where there used to social interaction, we now have individuals isolated and consumed within their own world. Where there used to be a sense of peacefulness and focus, we now have hectic schedules filled with distractions. This not only affects our productiveness and efficiency, but it also affects our physical and emotional well-being. That said, with every new technological invention, we must learn to approach it with caution and critique its effects on our society. That way, when we hit something potentially threatening or damaging to the society, we will know how to react.
Reflection:
Honestly, for the longest time, I was one of those technophiles that Neil Postman talked about in “The Judgment of Thamus”. Prior to my psychology class (during my freshman year of undergrad), through which I was first exposed to the correlation between TV viewing and violent child behavior, I had never thought twice about watching TV or surfing the Internet. I had never considered the negative effects or burdens that technology could potentially bring upon us. I was pretty much ignorant. From then on, though, I started picking up on some of my own interesting habits and behaviors. I realized I was one of those people who had that multitasking syndrome. I would check my email, Facebook, or sports scores and browse through online clothing stores whenever I got the chance to. I would reward myself for every paragraph I wrote or every few pages of the text I read. Because of this, it took me a lot longer to finish my work than it could have taken me if I hadn’t been distracted by all those other activities. It’s so easy for us to forget to take a step back and observe our own behavior, but that is something I will be doing more often from now on.
Now that we have completed our third essay, I am finding it easier and easier to write. That’s not to say my writing has improved dramatically, but I think I have finally gotten back into the groove of writing. It had been a while since I had taken a writing class so it was hard for me to crank anything out at the beginning. Therefore, I was surprised at how much easier it was for me to write this last in-class essay compared to the very first one. Perhaps it was because we were given the prompt prior to the exam and I had prepared some of the material beforehand, but the in-class essay was definitely less stressful this time around.
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