Technology is an element of human existence that evolves according to generational progression. Every generation has approached technology and how it impacts their lives quite differently. Younger generations incessantly express their impatience with their predecessor’s deliberateness to integrate innovative technologies into their daily lives, while their predecessors are bewildered as to why their successors are so eager to incorporate such raw technologies. The common terminology used for this difference of opinion is known as a “generational gap”. Historically, we can observe this dispute through the information revolution initiated by Johannes Guttenberg, the inventor of the printing press. Guttenberg’s invention resulted in …show more content…
Their revelation: “The brain’s plasticity is not limited to the somatosensory cortex, the area that governs our sense of touch. It’s universal. Virtually all of our neural circuits—whether they’re involved in feeling, seeing, hearing, moving, thinking, learning, perceiving, or remembering—are subject to change.” (Carr, 26) Carr ultimately reveals that the brain is actually extremely malleable and highly adaptive. In addition, the brain’s cellular connections are constantly being enhanced due to the constant adaptations and restructurings. Ian Jukes, author of Understanding the Digital Generation, acknowledges the constant alterations of the brain cells as a product of two critical factors—first, the input of experiences we have, and second, the intensity and duration of those experiences. This theory can be confirmed by the famous study conducted by the University College of London who discovered: London cabdrivers had generally larger regions in their brain dedicated to spatial memory than an ordinary resident in London. Scientists concluded that the hippocampus region of the brain, which is associated with memory function, was larger in the taxi drivers than the residential drivers. In response to the University’s findings, Steven Johnson, author of
What if our life becomes fully dependent on the electronic devices in the future? “In Into the Electronic Millennium”, Birkerts discusses his concerns with the oncoming electronic world. Birkerts provides lots of cons about the electronic devices that can affect people's lives. The author’s intention for writing this essay is to make the audience aware of the significant changes that have started to occur as electronic technologies have developed. He uses various rhetorical devices to convey his arguments to the readers. Through this essay, he is trying to inform the academic community that the culture of printed words has ended in the society, while electronic technologies are starting to dominate. Birkerts uses anecdotes, juxtaposition,
As generations go by, our predecessors assume we are skipping out on important aspects of life just to get a few extra minutes on our devices. In Catherine Rampell’s “A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much”, it is said the older generations believe Generation Y is “coddled, disrespectful, narcissistic, and impatient” (Rampell 388). In all reality our generation is just doing what it has to in order to thrive in the world we live in, where technology is one of the largest parts of our everyday lives. If the older generations that criticize Generation Y had grown up in Generation Y they would realize the world we live in requires the use of technology. The advancement of society with technology has shaped Generation Y to be the people that they are, relying on technology; however, older generations believe Generation Y is lazy.
Yet and still, technology has given us many advances over the years. From the typewriter to the printing press, technological advances have made life easier and convenient. We might not see the benefit in the present moment, but eventually it’ll all become clear. For example, objectors of Gutenberg’s 15th century printing press argued that the easily accessibility
Nicholas Carr wrote an article, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” explaining the disadvantages of the internet, and Jamais Cascio wrote a counter article, “Get Smarter,” claiming how the technology and internet in today’s age is beneficial. Carr claims that humans have a different thought process and shorter attention span due to the internet. He believes that people are looking for shorter articles and quicker answers. Cascio believes that humans are evolving their thought process for the benefit of humanity. He states that the internet is in its early stages, and with time will improve our thought processes.
Jessica Sidon AP English Feb. 13, 2018 The Dumbest Generation? People know a day’s live in a generation where they rely on technology for an everyday basis, and some might even say that they cannot live without it. Technology is very effective and useful, however it can be the reason why this generation is considered “The Dumbest Generation. With there being valuable reasons to why it’s not making us “dumber” their is more valid reasonings to why it actually is.
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”
Here’s something to think about; if you’re a part of the older generation what true motivating factors do you have to use new technology if their life has been fine without it? If you’re taught something new like access
The video on Brain Science was extremely interesting to me, especially because I have always thought of myself as “not a math person”. I think one of the most important concepts from the video is that our brains change depending on how we are using them. We lose synaptic connections if we are not using that part of the brain as much, and on the contrary, we can make new connections if we are often using another part of the brain. This was shown by an example of cab drivers in London. In London, cab drivers have to go through such extensive training (learning hundreds of routes, street names, etc.) and must pass a test before they can operate as a certain cab driver. Because of this, their hippocampus grows to accommodate all of the use that
“Man is a slow, sloppy, and brilliant thinker; computers are fast, accurate, and stupid” –John Pfeiffer. The purpose of technology is to make human life easier, performing simple, medial tasks. Our society has reached a problem, however, that technology is taking over human purpose: computers are thinking, instead of humans making discoveries and ideas for themselves. While knowledge continues to progress, the nature of it becomes significantly more mechanical and technological. In Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, Robin Sloan argues that people need to open themselves up to new innovations and technological changes in order for society to progress; however, too much advancement in technology can have the opposite effect, as
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.
Throughout this essay I will be discussing how the digital age has transformed society in many ways. The digital age also known as the information age, is the evolution of technology in daily life and social organizations have led to the fact that the modernization of information and communication processes has become the driving force of social evolution.” This is a time period in which we live in now where Internet and email are available; this is an example of the digital age. The Information Age is the idea that access to and the control of information is the defining characteristic of this current era in human civilization.
Further neuroscience research shows that extensive use of the internet may physically be changing our brains. Our minds adapt to new ideas and concept everyday and when introduced to a new task or job, our brains change as “new neural pathways that give instructions to our bodies” (“What…Plasticity?”) open up. Brain plasticity, “the capacity of the brain to change with learning” (Michelon) can occur at any age and is responsible for instructing our brains to perform a task. New neural wires are created when you learn something new, but those same connections can also be destroyed, for instance when you forget a person’s name, signaling the failing of a person’s memory (“What…Plasticity?”). The more time spent on the Internet, the more our brains grow more accustomed to processing simplified snippets of information very quickly, and because Internet articles become easier to read and skim over, it appeals more to the mind than denser and longer printed text.
In this article, Prensky starts by stating obvious differences between this generation, and the ones that precede it. Today, "Digital Natives" or another popular term "Millennials" lives are proof of the impact of technology. They watch more TV, play more video games, and have mastered the art of multitasking constantly being surrounded by gizmos and gadgets. The author describes
Technology has been involved in people’s lives forever, especially in the Millennial Generation. This generation consists of individuals born between the years of 1982-2004. The articles “The Flight From Conversation,” “Teens and Technology 2013,” and “Leading The Charge For Change” deals with teens interacting with technology today.Each article has different topics, but they connect through the over dependence of teens to technology. The Millennial Generation becomes less and less in touch with the real world and morphs into a quasi-reality.
Today, the world is much different than it was fifteen years ago, much less fifty years ago. The progression of technology has been even more significant than ever before in the last several years, but has ultimately lead us astray from our core character. The production of cell phones, social media updates, websites, and technological tools is constant, but these new and improved technologies have left the world with very few longstanding advancements. Though the internet has brought the world innumerable innovative opportunities, life before technology was much more efficient, filled with many more promising benefits: responsibility, socialization skills, and controversy.