Mass Media And Technology

 Mass Media And Technology

A writers technique : figures of speech core reading -1

Computer and the pursuit of happiness

                                      David Gelernter

·        This essay refuses the fact that 21st century is the age of information technology. The writer puts three questions:

a)     Are computer and the internet really responsible for the revolution of information technology?

b)    Whether the computer and the internet has really helped the human being over 50 years.

c)     Will the computer and the internet play significant change in the next fifty years?

 

In this essay the writer is writing the public opinion that the writers have brought revolution in information technology. According to the writer it is not only the computer and the internet that has played a significant role is making the age as information is but the other means like radio and television are equally responsible.

                   The writer clearly says that neither we are in information nor the computers and internet have brought revolutionary development in human history. The people claim that what counts in 21^st century is the information but they have been mistaken. In fact the materials which were important in the 20^th century are equally important even in the present time. The writer says,” virtual food make you feel full but it does not prevent from starving.” It clarifies that the artificial world or the abstract ideas can never help the human beings to live a natural life.

                   It is generally claimed that we have got sophisticated machines to create stone and deliver the information. However this claim is not able to process that the present generation is much happier than precious ones. No doubt the children of the present time enjoy their self in play with computers. But it does not necessarily mean that the past generations were not happy.

                   The writer believes that the computers and the internet have brought a radical change in science and engineering however it is just an evolution of the industrial age in other sector. Therefore 21th century is not a revolution but it is an evolution of the 20^th century.

                   Have computers been good or bad for making seems they were invented 50 years ago. Obviously information has enriched the life a moral human beings but it doesn't necessarily mean that wealthy people are happy. The writer compares the information technology with plumbing. In the industrial age the common place was the well where face to face communication was possible. But in 21st century the water has been brought to home with the help of plumbing. Undoubted, it is easy but not healthy. Truly speaking the computer and the internet have ignored help benefit. Moreover human desires are the same although the ways to fulfill them might be different. Therefore the life of the mankind hasn’t been changed by the computers and the internet.

# Will the computers and internet bring significant changes in the next 50 years?

          The writer doesn't clearly state that the computers and the internet have brought changes in the present time. This main argument is that the development of the information technology is continuous and there is no revolution yet all. He compares the development of information technology which breathing. Just as breathing supports the life, so does information technology. Besides there is no significant change in the structure of human desires but here might be in the days to come. Although the writer criticizes the role of the computers and the internet in his first 2 points he argues that the whole points should not be given only to the computes and the internet. But we have to see the contribution of the industrial age for the progress of the 21st century.

Themes

-         Possibilities and limitations of technology.

-         The nature of technological change.

-         The pros (adv) and cons (disadv) of the internet

-         Online shopping and education.

-         The difference between information and knowledge

-         The distinction between reality and virtual reality.

 

Three Questions

I.            Whether thanks to the computers and the internet.

II.            Whether computes have been beneficial or detrimental (harmful)

III.            Whether computers are likely to have positive or negative influence.

David Gelernter in this argumentative essay raises three questions about the use of computers and internet and address them in his own way. First question he raises is whether thanks to computer and internet we are now giving in a new information age? He answers this question negatively and says that we aren’t in an information age and computer and the internet aren’t a revolutionary development in human history except in science and engineering. He opines that we need food, clothing, sheltered and possession and this thing are need now. There is not any change in these matters. Brought by information age he says information age is the revolutionary development of industrial age.

The second question is whether computer have been beneficial, detrimental (harmful) to humanity over the last 50 years? Even this question, he, answers negatively. Though computers have generated lots of information and much wealth, human happiness has increased on the whole. New technologies have come into existence but social structure. They have engendered and haven’t necessarily improved the human element associated with old structure has decreased.

 

          The third question is whether computers are likely to have positive or negative influences over next half centuries (50 years). This question is answered rather positively. He says that technology will have little to do with human happiness in the future. Respite the new possibilities that new technologies introduce human uniqueness and happiness lie between technological strength, speed and intellect.

 

                  Response of Winn. F. Martin

·        Information technology has brought substantial changes in the western civilization.

·        Printing press has helped to throw off the monarchical systems.

·        Internet has challenged the policy of china.

·        The views of Gelernter are luddite

·        Internet has made possible for the direct voting systems.

·        Even a camel driver in the desert is not excluded from the world as he listens to the radio.

In this essay the writer Winn. F. Martin challenges the views of Gelernter and he strongly points but that information technology has brought revolutionary changes in the present time. The writer doesn't disagree the fact that the basic human beings are the same but the strongly argues that the way we get them is different. Especially in the western civilization information technology has played a significant role.

          It is the printing press that has helped to overflow the monarchical systems. Similarly the internet has challenged the secret policy of china due to which it is becoming democratic. Likewise the writer calls the ideas of Gelenter as being without   because he seems to be against the idea of industrialization. The writer gives an example of a camel driver in order to prove how information technology binds human being irrespective of the Geography.

          The most significant rule of the internet is in education system. In the present time a person can have foreign degree by staying on his over home. The education system has been globalized due to the internet. In fact the internet has become a public space for every month to meet and shake their opinion.

          Therefore computers and internet have become inhabitable part of modern human beings it is absolutely conservative feelings to under estimate the value of the computer and the internet improperly used it can be a boon but if it is misused, it can be a curse.

Compulsory English 202 TU 3 years Bachelor of Arts (Humanities) 2nd year New Direction