Article Responses
Response 1-Witlod Rybczynski
"Controlling Technology Means Controlling Ourselves"
Main Ideas-How technology should help our lives. The author talks about why something's are invented to help us. This article talks about the flying machines, TVs and other things. A certain section talks about technology taking over people. This means that machines are replacing humans. Technology has changed over time and the world is learning to change with it. People want the most for their money and will replace the old for the new if they truly want it.
Gut Reaction-I think this article was more or less discussing ourselves. We should have self control as to what we do. I was watching TV and an commercial came on and a young man was yelling for help. I little girl climbs through a window to help him. She finds him sitting on his rear and he asks her to hand him the remote. She then leaves without handing him the remote for the TV. I believe if we are that lazy something needs to change. I myself know that having an old TV is different. I recently bought a new one after I found a new owner for my 70s TV set. I love my new TV but the old one was just fine.
Question-If there was no technology what would we do?
Response 2-George E. Brown, Jr.
"Technology's Dark Side"
Main Ideas—Technology takes a turn on people. This article talks about how in the 40's people lived with what they have. In today's world people just get mad if they can’t use the remote to do something. The telephone is now portable (cell). Medical technology is available to help the rich. Schools use computers now. The wealthier families have computers at home and the lower income families don’t. People are losing jobs due to technology because they replace humans. This article is mainly about how technology is supposed to help us but in return people still have problems with technology whether its having it or needing it.
Gut Reaction—I like this article. It is so realistic. I don't see why people can't get things that they need (medical). I thought that people are supposed to be treated fair. If I was dying and had no money would you let me die. That's just like babies born into poverty. They deserve the best just like our children have. I see this article as a sad but true life ordeal. This takes me to the 9-11 attacks. Money raised for the families is a good idea but what about the families that lost their jobs because of 9-11. (Please don't look at this statement as a negative thing, I just know so many people that lost their jobs because of 9-11 and have problems finding jobs)
Question— Why is technology available more for the high class society than for everyone? (medical)
Response 3-Robert J. Samuelson
"Technology in Reverse"
Main Ideas--Technology that can make our lives worse. The article states that some things are just cheaper to buy the old fashion way. Some examples include read paperback books for $20 instead of buying a reading computer for $9000 and each disc for $20. Reading press release is cheaper and easier to prepare compare to making a tape and taking more time to prepare it as well as more used. If there is money out there to spend, people will spend it on stupid inventions.
Gut Reaction--I see good and bad points to this article. The bad point is that I seem to be visual. I like watching movies. Another thing is that I comprehend slower than most people and books on tape help me a great deal. I believe that some cell phones can also serve as personal assistants. If you have a cell phone than put numbers in your phone book!
Question--I recently got a cell phone and was wondering besides personal chatting what else is your phone capable of doing. How can divorce rates plunge because of technology? If you marry the wrong person and figure out too late wouldn't you divorce anyways?
Response 4-Neil Postman
"Invisible Technologies"
Main Ideas—Languages are different from one another. People need to speak with whole understanding that not everyone will know what they are talking about but you should. In math the number zero is there for two reasons. The first is to make technology possible. The other is for the Hindu numbering system of statistics. Polling people is a part of statistics. The public opinion is how people understand what one likes or dislike. There are four problems with polling. The first is how questions are asked. The second is trying to make sense of what people answer in the polls. The third is not knowing what the people are like for example the person heritage. The last problem is polling can change leaders responsibilities.
Gut Reaction—I like this article because it talks about how language is a powerful instrument. It talks about how different languages are not always the same. I also like the culturally biased area on tests. I think that a lot of standardized tests are biased to other groups except Caucasians. I thought it was weird that the article had 'zero' in it. I just had a math lesson on it.
Question—I was wondering if all tests given that are standardized are viewed by other cultures. If different races are viewed what are the percentages compared to Caucasians.