Samuelson Response
Main Ideas
This article was about technology that creates new and expensive ways of
doing things that were once done inexpensively. The author mentions
such
retarded technology as electronic books and video press releases. He
states
that there are three things that contribute to the growth of retarded
technology: social status, adult play, and the Mount Everest effect (must
see what something will do no matter how inane or time consuming).
Gut Reaction
I haven’t really given a topic like this much thought. I
found it to be
interesting. I have often wonder what has happened to certain
new
technologies, why they were never fully developed and embraced,
and why we
practically worship some of the most stupidest things. Now I
know, at least
in part, why.
I liked how the article discussed the whole thing about libraries
converting to computers. Speaking from experience with our own college
library, it is tons easier to get the information needed from a book than it
is from a computer. It is simpler to find, you don’t have to
worry about
not being able to use a computer/not having one available, and you
don’t
have to worry about not having a computer. The downside, it isn’t
as
convenient to make copies as it is with a computer.
Questions
1. I’m curious as to what
other forms of retarded technology the class can
think of and why it is.
2. What do you think of schools transferring their libraries to e-files?