WRIT1152 Course Blog

These days, cell phones are not simply a mechanism for talking with someone. Cell phones, which are already being renamed to BlackBerry, Palm, or iPhone, are a little bit of everything rolled into one. Usually, a camera, GPS, internet, email notifications, alarms, etc... are included in a phone. They have not only changed the way we communicate, but have taken over people’s lives. Most people can’t leave their house without their phone or phones. It’s our connection with other people. Cell phones have paved the way for less person to person contact. People don’t have to go home anymore to check their email or calendars because it’s all in the palm of their hand. What will cell phones lead to next? Maybe in the future your phone will have a button to turn on the oven or lock your doors. It’s scary to think about.

The aspect of Postman’s writing that stood out in my mind was, “A new technology does not add or subtract something. It changes everything” ( pg.18). Changing one minute thing will have a domino effect. We can’t ignore the fact that technology does more than benefit our lives, it creates dampers. Take for instance food additives. New methods of preventing food spoilage have increased the shelf life of lots of foods. However, it has also decreased the nutritional value. Can this be an explanation for the obesity epidemic or has methods of transportation caused it? Nobody really knows, but I firmly believe that it has something to do with technology and how it’s shaping our society.