Technological Change: Bringing Progress & Change in Human Lifestyles - Essay Sample

Introduction

Currently, it will be great to recognize the fact that technological change has brought change in human being's lifestyle as a whole before looking into other details. Technology is the application of science in industrialization and business in general. Progress is the systematic change or growth from a lower level to a more advanced level. Technology is something that has brought a lot of changes in our lives, either on the appositive way or negative way depending on the type of new technology being referred to which may be of great impact to our environment (Paumgarten 2007). Engineers and scientists are always trying to carry out research and come up with new inventions to make our lives even more straightforward, easier and enjoyable for example, the invention of vehicles which led to us moving from one place to another with lots of ease (Paumgarten 2007).

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In America, most people believe that technological advancement over the years leads to progress in many sectors. However, this belief has faced some opposition from some people who thought that technology only leads to social development. Wendell Berry explains why he can't buy computers even in the present age, where technology has taken over almost the operation of everything around the world (Berry 2018). He says that as a farmer, he performs nearly all the works through horses, and also being a writer he prefers using a pencil or pen and paper in doing his writings, he prefers writing from his creativity and thoughts than depending on computers for guidance, his wife being his core adviser. He is afraid to lose his old fashion of doing things as new technology will replace the old, and also he termed new technology as being very expensive to adapt to. These reasons make him skeptical to accept new technology.

Well, Berry may be correct to some extent in his reasoning because in the past most of the works relied upon physical presence and effort different to a current error where everything is all about skills and knowledge and machine drive. Despite all these arising issues, technology has, with time undergone various changes and progress and to help understand this; it's better to review the industrial revolution since it started. The idea of growth in the modern world was developed during the political regime, by the French people and Americans, to gain both political and social freedom (Berry 2018). Hence the new knowledge was needed to effect the revolutionary struggle for the Americans. Technology progress is much of long term goal than short term, thus it takes time to achieve, that's why Jefferson in the early days when America wanted to establish a manufacturing industry he refuses and support the idea of coming up with innovations as a remedy to improve the quality of life of people (Berry 2018).

Technology progress took a different turn and perception by the people of the United States, as industrialization continued to grow. Their quest for more scientific and technological advancement increased, and things changed when manufacturing industries, started to be established spearheaded by Daniel Webster in Massachusetts. In the 1840s, he began by the construction of the railway line, this just acted as a door opener for the further technological development as regarded by Everett, and this shows accumulative progress (Marx 1987). Webster then blended technological progress with other future-oriented ideas like the conquest of nature that accelerated the progress process.

The political vision of progress became the intermediate reason for material advancement and technological spread to the rest of the other parts of the world, in the 18th century, thus this paved way for the technocrat ideas in the later centuries, who had a strong belief in science and technology, which if upheld the rest of the things follows. The government of U.S.A wanted to improve the economic condition of their country, global power, and productivity; this led to high demand for more advanced technology and scientific innovations. This means that more people were to undergo training, to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge, for the vision to be attained(Marx 1987).

Technology and progress is an idea that was first founded by philosophers like, Galileo, Kepler, Harvey, and Newton. Mechanical philosophy was the work of Newton which later gained momentum among the later spearheaders of the industrial revolution. Through these philosophers, the idea that technological progress was only meant for political liberation changed, and most people started, seeing science-based technology as the prime base for progress (Marx 1987). Franklin and Jefferson's view for the political and social aspirations provided a limited and non-progressive vision for the future, but that of the technocrats who believed in technological innovation and science base operations led to more significant changes and progression (Marx1987).

The importance and effect of technology can only be felt if social, political, and economic objectives are drafted in line with those objectives that existed since the time industrialization begun. Some technological innovations have exaggerated our life greatly for the past years, especially computers. It's true that networks provide us with a more comfortable experience. With computers, we can deal with several documents even quicker; we can utilize a computer to regulate machines to work, and also we can buy what we want through the Internet on computers.

Introduction and invention of computers just took place about 15 years ago, and since then, there has been a noticeable change in the way of life in itself (Thoreau 2005). And if we can compare the number of people who depended on computers when it was first initiated were many than the one in the earlier days. Today nearly everything we do revolves around computers, from listening to music, messaging, charting, watching, doing research and other essential functions. One would say that the development of computers has impacted the lives of human beings on the appositive way than negatively, the work which they should have been done by millions of people today can only be done by one computer within the shortest period ever. Controlling and launching of spaceships won't have been easy without the use of computers, research would have been very tiresome and hectic as one had to go through lots of sources like books to get the actual information, though with computers you open the internet all necessary sources needed are available at ones and speedy. Despite being used for word processing, computers serve as the center and brain behind inventing other technological gadgets of the present day. For example, nowadays a person can only sit on his/her car, and with the help of the computers, the person will drive the vehicle to the destination without getting lost or accident and researchers use it to study the whole earth including the moon just like the universe is a small village. They can also be utilized to save lives in hospitals, SWAT needs them to control robots, prevent bombs from exploding, and even in catching and investigating criminals (Thoreau 2005). The things that computers can do or solve many at times become tough to explain by human beings; they will watch numbers being on the screen and never get worried because computers will perform the tasks on their behalf. This means that machines can never be doubted and underestimated. As days pass by, not only are computers being developed to be more advanced but also, they are being reduced in size and weight. Some years back a single computer needed a larger room to fit and a lot of power to the driver it compared to personal computers today, and the work they could do was only simple arithmetic done by calculators nowadays (Thoreau 2005). Changes have been made, and some computers have become portable, light, and very small is the size. Computers are not only becoming faster every day, but they are also growing more modest in size.

Everything has a negative and positive effect; computers to have got some negative impact that it has brought with it. Original art is something that needs the physical participation of an artist and the ability to see and feel what the artist has to deliver personally, but nowadays most of the artists tend to most of the works of arts through computers (Thoreau 2005). In my opinion, machines may produce adorable, beautiful and attractive artworks, but this can be more boring and less innovative since everything the artists will be doing is to emulate programmed artwork, and computers don't create it imitates what has already been created. Artists need to exercise the ability of his critical thinking and the passion and feelings he/she has towards his/her work of art as this will help them to know whether they are good artists or they still need to do more of practice.

Computers have brought loneliness amongst most people. For example, most people will spend much of their time using their computers at home than going out and spending time with others and getting to know each other (Thoreau 2005). In life, no one can exist alone; we all need each other to survive. Hence, the essential part is to get to know each other and how to relate with them, but as long as one is hooked to the computer getting along with others become a problem.

They are the leading cause of laziness amongst most of the users. For an instant in the old day's researcher had to read several books to understand and write about the information they are researching on, but on the present days, researchers will only google and get the intended information instantly and proceed to copy it the way it is without even understanding it (Thoreau 2005).

Technology should be a means that help us to achieve what is necessary for our daily lives, and for survival, this does not mean that we should entirely rely on the computers for everything as that will take away our intelligence, ability to think and be creative (Surowiecki 2005). Everybody must learn to take advantage of the technology instead of the technology taking advantage on them; this will help in ensuring that we balance what requires our physical, mental and emotional engagement to be achieved perfectly.

It is worth noting that technology has also changed the workplace of people more excellently, this is essential because every family's well-being is entirely based on the kind of work the family members does, research has shown that nothing causes discomfort and quarrels in family-like unemployment. In the 19th and 20th centuries high mechanization of agriculture has made people not to do a lot of work in farms, but still, they had to face fierce industrial labor, which they were being paid well but was not pleasing at all (Surowiecki 2005). As much as technology increases the production workers, it as well reduces their superiority and ability as they entirely depend on the judgment of the computers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the progress that the technology has taken since the revolution of industries and agricultural practices till to date several change and developments have taken place. This is as a result of the hard work of the people like researchers, scientist, and engineers who had a long term objective for the world as a whole to better the lives of every person. Thus, the world has become more of a village that it used to be in the earlier days, and lives of people have been transformed for the better.

References

Berry, W., (2018). Why I am not going to buy a computer. Penguin UK. Retrieved from http://home.btconnect.com/tipiglen/berrynot.html.

Marx, L., (1987). Does improved technology mean progress? Technology Review, 90(1), 33-41.Retrieved fromhttp://w3.salemstate.edu/~cmauriello/Course%20Development/IDS271%20Readings...