Andrew Mcafee's Race Against The Machine

Technology has always been a controversial subject between conservative people and innovators. Some people believe that it is a great tool to connect cultures and improve education and innovation in our society today, but others view it as a menace in our lives. “Growing Up Tethered” by Sherry Turkle and “George Orwell...Meet Mark Zuckerberg” by Lori Andrews both view technology as a dangerous tool. They believe in the many drawbacks of technology and the harm it can do to our lives with no explanation of the positive effects it has had on our society. “Our Future Selves” by Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen plays the role of a positive look at technology and its role in our lives today. It gives examples of how advancing technology helps us and improves so many peoples’s lives. We can use Schmidt and Cohen’s essay as a lens to view the other two texts and gain a different understanding of what they are writing about.

In Nicholas Carr’s essay “All Can Be Lost: The Risk of Putting Our Knowledge in the Hands of Machine’s” he brings up the ethical problem of technology. Technology is all around today, but people are starting to wonder if this surplus of technology is starting to make the world less smart. Carr’s primary argument is as technology becomes more prevalent, people are losing knowledge to do certain tasks. Carr claims this is bad because people are putting their lives at risk and dying due to this lack of knowledge. People are starting to get lazier because of technology. They start to care less and think they are gaining something extra by using the technology, when, in fact it is the exact opposite. Carr states, “most of us want to believe that automation frees us to spend our time on higher pursuits but doesn’t otherwise alter the way we behave or think. That view is a fallacy” (5). This fallacy is affecting how people think and how current children are being taught in schools. Children as young as preschoolers are now starting to use tablets and computers for learning instead of having a teacher doing their job fully and actually teaching them. Instead of adding something to a task or helping to get it accomplished technology, “alters the character of the entire task, including the roles, attitudes, and skills of the people taking part” (5). Throughout his entire essay, Carr argues mostly why he believes too much technology could be harmful in the long run, but also states

Modern technology has seen many debates about its usefulness, its relevance, and its impact on society. Two main parties have bound together, one arguing that the impact of modern technological advancements has had a positive effect on society, while the other side believes that it only makes things worse. In their argumentative pieces, Charles Seife and Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen address the issue of technology in the modern world, although their arguments vary drastically, through the use of various rhetorical devices.

Imagine the impact technological innovations have had on society? How much did technology influence society a decade ago, and how much does it influence society now? Technology was created from humans to become a more efficient specie. Although technology has advanced society with respect to technology and efficiency, it has also created problems not previously seen because of the use of technology. Edward Tenner, a writer and technology consultant, wrote an article titled “Another Look Back, and a Look Ahead” published in 1996. In his article Tenner argues, through the use of the rhetorical appeal ethos, compare and contrast, and cause and effect, that society is advancing at an alarming rate and suggests a “retreating from intensity”

For as long as humans have existed technology has played an integral role in the survival of our species. As mankind evolved from the refuge seeking hunter gatherers we once were to the global masters of change we are today, so did our tools. Our kin has managed to transform ordinary conductive materials into artificially intelligent computational platforms that are within a finger’s reach. All of that change has come with a cost. A society focused on constant technological progress has indirectly wreaked havoc on multiple balances ranging from diverse ecosystems to the human attention span. Stephen Vincent Benet imagines a dystopic world where humans are as dull as the machines around them in his poem “A Metropolitan Nightmare.”

Technology has made great advances on a global scale, especially within the last half century. Works of fiction and informational texts have addressed the numerous uses of modern innovation. These technological advances have the potential to make one’s personal life better, but could be detrimental to the world as a whole.

He then composites a list of all these great inventions that we have come up with, like our modern PlayStation that has technologically advanced so much that it is more powerful than a military supercomputer from 1996. With all the advances in computers and electronic gadgets, it miscommunicates some of the unspoken things. A main concern that was brought up was that Americans are losing jobs to computers, and how even though we are making more money than ever, it seems to not be from working hard at an occupation. This is where Erik Brynjolfsson emphasizes that what people begin to see technology as, is more of a competition other than a helpful resource. This type of thinking is what causes technology to stagnate and fall into

Amber Case believes that we shouldd not be in fear that machines are taking over, but that they are making us more human. Even if technology has made it easier to connect to one another I would have to disagree. Technology has had the opposite effect in my opinion. Because of the fact that its so easy, and we have so many social media outlets, it makes every thing seem synthetic. You can go online and become someone who your really not. People have gone as far as "Cat fishing" other people for their own pleasure. I find it hard to see what is so human about that. Technology has taken the feeling of being a real "Human" l person, allowing you to become whom ever you like. Technology has interfered with people doing it the old

Ever since the Industrial Revolution man has become more and more dependent on technology. The advancements in technology during the industrial revolution that started in the 1760’s in England transformed the economy of Europe from an agrarian, handicraft economy to an economy dominated by industry and machine manufacturing (Encyclopedia Brittanica, 2015). In the Microprocessor Revolution of the second half of the twentieth century, the microprocessor was created and since then businesses around the world have become more and more dependent in the use of computers for their daily operations (Mack, 2005). Such change brought on by the use of technology has influenced nearly everything we do in our daily lives. The world’s economy has changed

Hirsch brings up an interesting point on Kelly’s article about not taking the opportunity to consider the other side of the argument, shows he is biased in favor of technology. Throughout the article he talks about the impact robots will have on the world, but what about the negativity it will bring? It can be a good thing that robots will be able to take over some hard labor work in factories, but will the workers be replaced to an easier position? For some people, doing hard labor work is better than not having a job at all. Kelly speaks, “ Humans can weave cotton cloth with great effort, but automated looms make perfect cloth today for a few cents” (306). Kelly keeps thinking about how fast and cheap robots will do the labor work, but robots

Everyone thinks in 2050 we will be in flying cars and everything will be run by robots, but is that really what everyone wants? Think of the wrongs with everything being run by machines. It will only make America lazier, and we do not need that. Yes, machines make our lives easier sometimes, but I think people should look at the problems that occur with these "high tech" gadgets. In this essay I will explain why machines make it difficult for us to prosper as humans and what effects it will have on us in the long run.

In the modern day, it’s easy to see man’s need for technology. The need to surpass previous limits is what drives society today in such a technologically advanced world. Although we continuously push for newer, faster, more powerful computers and components, we barely stop and think about how society in turn affects its development.

Max Berry’s novel, Machine Man, is a reflection of how, despite how helpful technology can become, society will not benefit should it come to rely on technology so heavily. Technology is a gift that should not be taken for granted. People should never allow technology to control them, and should prepare themselves should they have to go without it. The increasing reliance on technology and focus on technological advancements will eventually lead to humanity’s downfall.

Throughout history, new technology has always had an economic impact, each technology differing in significance of impact. In some cases this impact may not be as drastic as it appears at first glance, and in others, it may be more so. The personal computer, first introduced in 1975, has certainly had an impact on the economy of the developed world in which it is, including the United States. However, there are those out three who believe that the personal computer has not had as great an impact on economics in the United States as it would appear at first glance. The personal computer has certainly affected the economy, but the questions of “How much?”, and “Who” remain.

Technology is continuously developing and has begun creating shortcuts for the American society. As a society we need to find a balance between our technological use and our everyday life. In my opinion, society has become too dependent on technology. The more advanced technology becomes, the more it seems to be gaining control over our lives. Even though technology is offering society many beneficial qualities; it also is causing many negative effects to occur. Technology is affecting society socially, mentally, and physically.