TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Technology And Society

Technology And Society

In today's western society we are bombarded with a myriad sources of technological communication systems i.e. Internet, mobile phones, personal computers, email, sms and much more. The Internet is an incredibly powerful medium in which we have developed a new form of communication with the world that also gives us access to unlimited information and exposes us to new realities that we would otherwise be ignorant to. Technology has propelled us into, what we now term, the information age and education has taken leaps and bounds into a completely new dimension.

In a technological age it is evident that we have become co-dependent on such innovative resources and as a result we notice a shift in our communication methods both on a personal and professional level. In this essay I will endeavour to explore the affects of current communication technologies in contemporary society and how it has effectively created a new culture of communication compared to a not so distant past we refer to as 'the old days'.

When we refer to the old days we usually associate it with old traditions or more specifically old ways of doing things. In the past 50 years the world has witnessed an explosion of innovative ideas leading to better, faster and easier ways of conducting our everyday lives. Keeping in touch has never been easier. In fact, it's only getting quicker. We can now send mail electronically which is received instantly by the recipient, we can contact anyone anywhere and at anytime, and we can access unlimited information anywhere in the world. These days we are able to do everything we need and want from the privacy of our own homes. With the invention of the Internet we can now conduct a business from home, pay all our bills online and even have our groceries and almost any other imaginable item delivered to our front door. We have developed faster methods of communication through the use of the Internet and mobile phones leaving us more time to do other things. It seems technology is propelling us into a world where convenience and time saving has become the dominant factor. In essence we have evolved into time conscious beings. So are we really saving time or are we just minimizing the time it takes on domestic duties and social responsibilities in order to focus our energies on making money? Most certainly government offices, major conglomerates and small businesses have increased productivity since this technological boom and no doubt profitability has increased 100-fold yet, ironically, it seems the world is in a hurry. Technology affords us more time to make more money! It certainly brings new light to the old (or respectively new) adage 'time is money'.

The way in which we live in our homes is also changing. Computers systems are prevalent throughout majority households. With a single touch of a keypad we can activate the home entertainment system to watch our favourite TV show or listen to ...