The reading “Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change” goes in-depth with five ideas and examples that Niel Postman felt we needed to know when it comes to technological change throughout time. The first idea was that all technological change is more like a trade-off. He states that every advantage when it comes to technology comes with a corresponding disadvantage. He also goes in-depth with how people don’t see how computers are liabilities. The second idea is that the advantages and disadvantages of new technology are not distributed evenly among certain groups and populations. He states how television may bring an end to school teachers due to the advancement of printing presses in the future. The third idea was in every technology there is a powerful idea such as ideas being hidden from our points of view. He also states how technology has a philosophy in how it makes people think, act, and confide in what they do. The fourth idea is that technology is not additive to its environment, television gave a new association to political campaigns but also churches, schools, and industries. Lastly, the fifth idea was that the media tends to become unreal such as technology not being a part of god’s plan and what he thought should be presented and acted on. Technology is more of a result of human creativity which can be good vs bad.
As I read this article and the points and ideas presented by Niel Postman it was interesting reading someone else’s point of view and the examples presented to back up what he was saying with a topic like technology where people have various opinions. I did see things from a whole different perspective. My thoughts towards technology before reading this and before reading the ideas definitely did change because as individuals in today’s society technology is something we are surrounded by and use in our everyday lives we don’t really see the negative impacts presented through it though. A point that was interesting to me was the fifth idea in where he explains how this wasn’t gods plan technology is more of a human creativity and technology is what we make it as humans ourselves.
Hey Hanna,
I really liked how you summarize each of the 5 steps and put it into perspective. I also throughly enjoyed your thoughts on neil postman ideas on new technologies and how it wasn’t gods plan but rather human creation.
I agree with how much we surround ourselves with technology that it seems so common but it will seem abnormal when there are people who deem themselves technophobes or those who do not like technology that much. This results in people naturally relying on technology when it is man-made.