"Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road." -- Stewart Brand
When I was looking around on the Internet about some of the material we talked about in class the last two weeks I came upon this quote by Stewart Brand. I found this quote to have a clear correlation with our material we talked about today in class. When I read this quote the for the first time I thought about how everyday the new computer I just bought is being outdated. The idea of new technology rolling over you makes that interpretation seem real. Many of us can turn on the television and find at least one new technological advancement that is supposedly going to make our lives much easier( The idea of Technologies Promise in Albert Borgmans Book). The only problem with this new device is once you buy that device its outdated and you have to look for an upgrade or worse off a new device to replace your old one. In my honest opinion I could not tell you all the new capabilities I have on my new lab top, but once I do it will probably be two years from now and many people will consider my computer an antique. So I think the whole idea of this quote is that many people who do not engage and try to understand all the new technologies in the world they will just get rolled over, because they will be incapable to adapt to our ever growing transition to new technology.
This whole idea goes back to our talking about the Device Paradigm. The idea that a device is taking over a focal thing. Our new technologies are taking over the important and significant aspects of our own character. Many of us can't begin to understand how to fix all of the devices in our household, let a lone tell you how that device even works. I don't necessarily find this to be an extreme issue, but I think that there does come a point were we need to understand what our own devices are and gain knowledge on how to fix those devices so we can make it significant to us. For example: ( You buy an old car, and want to restore this car to look the way it did thirty years ago. Many people would not be able to accomplish this sort of task without calling a mechanic or someone who possesses the proper skills to restore a car. I think that this antique car could become a focal thing because, If you don't understand how to restore this old car, but you know friends and family members that have an understanding of restoring a car, than this can become a real significant focal thing in your life. You gain skills and knowledge through your friends and family and gain a sense of comfort and conformity with the ones around you.) Instead of wanting to get the best new device that comes out we might want to stop and ask How do I fix this piece of Junk so one day we can gain the knowledge and skills to pass on to our kids or grand kids.
3 comments:
Allen brings up some great points in his blog. First, everyone is always concerned with having what is new and what is in. The cell phone that I currently have used to be the best phone in the store, and it is now about a year and a half old and there are already at least 5 phones that are just as capable as my phone, plus they can do a lot more. Another example would be the ps3 that I just recieved. Just seems like yesterday that ps2 was the in system, but when they came out with the ps3 the ps2 was just something of the past. I'm guessing within the next year or so a newer better system will come out and my ps3 will be worth nothing.
I agree that devices are taking over the focal points of our charcter. Technology, however, can help us to fix certain devices in our house. I see many people these days go to the internet when they do not know how to fix something or put something together. The internet allows us to look up how a certain thing needs to be fixed. I'm not exactly sure, but I think there are websites out there that can show you how to change your oil, or how to fix the motor. Technology in this sense can make our lives easier with other technological advances that may be giving us trouble.
An interesting take, but should we stop technology at some arbitrary point so no one needs to replace current technology? Henry Ford put a lot of blacksmiths out of business. No one needed their horse shoe'd anymore. 30 years ago we could work on our own cars, but they polluted the environment, and didn't last very long. Technology is what people make of it. I know people with 5 and 6 year old phones. I have a good friend who makes 6 figures a year that just bought his first computer last year, and uses it purely for communication purposes. Phone calls to New Zealand get expensive, now they're free online. If you have to keep up with the Jones', that's a personal issue of self control. Technology provides options. I love the fact that I can't work on the gross majority of electronics I employ daily. If I could, life would be much more difficult. Options lead to choices, choices lead to competition, competition leads to reduced prices, and reduced prices lead to a higher quality of life for everyone. I'm still unsure personally of the big issue this book is bringing up. I think it is much ado about nothing so far....
This is a very interesting post because about the computer being outdated I can relate. I just purchased a new computer becasue my 3 year old gateway that i got in 2007 stopped working. I tried everything to fix it and even took it to an expert and they couldn't fix it. I thought that i knew a little bit about fixing computers but I was wrong. So I agree with this post because if you do not have any expierience in computers then its going to be hard to fix one if they do fail. This can be said about any device that someone does not have experience in. Just like computers being outdated many other new technologies are being outdated which means more money that will be spent on newer technology. I hear people say "its not like how they used to make it." It seems like the newer technology is being made for certain periods so that there will have to be a replacement at one point.
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