Response 3

Response 3

Postman explains that America had become a “technopoly;” a technopoly is a categorization of a culture that technology, particularly: inventions to make like seem easier, more productive, less confrontational (not participatory,) providing an answer to all questions asked—specifically thought-driven, existential, sometimes unexplainable occurrences—beliefs that have controlled societies actions for centuries, became disproven through science, and it’s attack on faith and anything that was not accepted as “set in stone” through “scientific methods” was open to opposition of existence. A technopoly is scientists and experts deciding that “technique of any kind can do out thinking for us[…]” (52). A technopoly is, as Postman aptly called, “The surrender of Culture to A Technology,” where our thoughts are controlled, and decided, by technical machinery and digital devices. We have given technology the last word on what is to be thought, done, and shared.

In a technocracy, the people of all economic statuses understood the importance of culture, such as religion, tradition, familial upbringing; whereas in a Technopoly these things are irrelevant, thrown out, and looked at as un-useful, therefore, unnecessary. I find that if even one of these elements—take religion for example, were tantamount in importance to the invention of new technology, than the current police state the Crimethinc article discusses would have a threat against their modes of control, and a large group of people that would be wielding influential power would have to be convinced or silenced. As that being my belief, I do think the current police state is an inevitable cause of living in a Technopoly. If the police can’t control the situation, then there’s the military, ultimately leading to our corporate structures through government.