“Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change” Kaila Santiago

The “Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change” by Neil Postman urges us to be critical of technological advancement and consider who and what these technologies serve and the greater effects they have on culture and society. Firstly, technology comes at a cost; with every new “beneficial” technology, there is a disadvantage. Multiple examples of how new technologies have negatively affected culture and society are provided by Postman, such as the environmental effects of the automobile, issues of accessibility in literature, and the diminishment of faith as well as the spread of political propaganda through printing. Secondly, the idea that new technologies do not benefit all- It is necessary to consider those harmed. While technological advancements are advertised to everyday people as a means of convenience and entertainment, it pales in comparison to the benefits afforded to those in power. The small benefits granted to a majority of the population allow large corporations to manipulate, control, and invade the privacy of the general public. Thirdly, technology promotes and rewards specific values. Technology is dangerous in that it has the power to influence how we think. Those with technical minds are more likely to reduce people to data and information and in turn, are rewarded for their innovation. Fourthly, new technologies do not exist in a vacuum, they have a significant impact on culture and have a history of being used irresponsibly. One example used by Postman is how capitalists who control television with little thought, have reduced politics to a form of entertainment to turn a profit, much to the detriment of political discourse. Lastly, Postman explains how technology becomes “mythic” meaning new technologies are accepted as natural and therefore are not questioned. Technology is thought of as a gift and we rarely think of how new technologies are developed and for what purpose.

I found this reading to be very interesting and relevant to today despite coming out 25 years ago. While reading Postman’s writing, I thought about how it’s easy to accept new technologies and not think about how they came to be. For instance, Postman’s ideas can be related back to the history and advancement of modern medicine. Women found agency over their bodies through the creation of the oral contraceptive, however, we do not think about the history of eugenics and unethical research done on unsuspecting women. The polio vaccine and massive medical breakthroughs in the research of AIDS and cancer could have never been achieved without HeLa cells, but these cells were obtained without consent or compensation to the patient’s family. Scientist’s use HeLa cells to advance research, win awards, and gain prestige and private companies use them to develop pharmaceuticals and skincare, all while people of color struggle to afford the very products developed based on their history of exploitation. There are always winners and losers. Technology favors certain values and accomplishments. Postman’s two final thoughts were the most challenging and interesting to me as they were something I had never considered. The biggest (and most threatening) technological advancement recently has been artificial intelligence (AI). The discourse I mainly see surrounding AI is how it will take our jobs and not how it has the power to shape culture and possibly change everything forever. Currently, a computer lacks the ability to generate original thoughts the way that we humans do. Developing an AI that has the ability to think independently is dangerous and such technology should be developed and used cautiously, however, we’ve welcomed ChatGPT with open arms because it can write emails and do homework. Postman’s final idea that media tends to be mythic was the most difficult. Our smartphones are always listening but we’ve accepted this. As students and employees we are expected to manage our schedule, respond to emails in a timely manner, and have access to the internet- That’s just how it is. Overall, this reading forced me to think critically about my relationship to technology and be skeptical of new technologies.