Technopoly

After reading the first five chapters of Technopoly by Neil Postman, my initial reaction was, "This is entirely too much information to discuss in one blog."  He is amazingly successful at summarizing almost our entire history of human interaction with tecnology in ninetyone pages.  I have never before considered the negative aspects of such mainstays as writing, grading, and the mechanical clock.  I only considered their benefits. As a parent, there are two main technologies that have always been a sort of 'enemy' to my children, the television and the computer, and how they conflict with learning. (p.16)  I have always controlled the use of them in my home because they certainly effect a child's ability to develop reading skills, memory and concentration.  But even with that effort, it is impossible to seclude children, and people in general, from them.  In order for any of us to function in our society and in the future, we are forced to accept them as part of our culture.  As stated, "new technologies compete with old ones-for attention, for money, for prestige, but mostly for dominance of their world-view."(p.16)  We must conform or fall out of our own world and be left behind, with some of our traditions as mere memories.  For example, during my first writing class back in 2000, the professor asked us to write an essay.  As the whole class got up and sat at the computers, I picked up my pen and started writing.  The professor quickly informed me that I must use the computer (which I had never used to write before).  So, even if I had an appreciation for the tradition of hand-written papers, I had no choice but to conform, in order to keep up with the 'speed' of technology.  This is a minor example of how the 'meaning' of education has changed, as it it is discussed by Postman.  Just as some professors may question whether an online degree is actually the same as a traditional degree earned by attending actual classes.  The unfortunate truth is that because we live in this form of "technopoly", the definition of education is changing and professors have little or no control in sustaining tradition, that is if they want to remain a part of the institution of higher learning.  But I would like to fast-forward through our progress from a tool-using culture, to a technocracy, to the current technopoly as Postman states that we have entirely become. (p.48) I do agree that our society has lost control over the information that is spewed as us at a continuous and overwhelming rate.  However, I don't believe that people have let this situation entirely annihilate our traditional views.  There are still those who are battling for tradition.  Postman writes, "When the supply of information is no longer controllable, a general breakdown in psychic tranquillity and social purpose occurs."  It is that breakdown of tranquillity that people are now noticing.  Even the marketing companies see that people are longing for simplicity and still appreciate the skill of the tool and technocracy age.  Just recently there was a automobile commercial praising that this country was known for making things, for pride in our craftsmanship, and that is what their new truck is made from.  The ad agencies are appealing to our sense of tradition and old-time skill because they know that is what we value. Another company is sponsering a "project dinner-time", to promote families eating together and slowing down from our computer-paced lives.  This may seem slightly off-topic, but in a small way it shows that we have not yet succumbed to the "totalitarian technopoly". (p.51)