Becoming Less of a Human: It’s A Choice Matter

Technology is known as the use of scientific knowledge to technicality. In simpler words, technology make our life easier. For instance, if before we had to wash our clothes manually using our hands now we have washing machine to do it for us. If before we need to write letters and wait for days to get the reply, technology brings us all sorts of medium for us to connect to other people in a blink of an eye. If we were to think logically, after the emergence of vast technology, we are able to save our precious time more. More times means more opportunity for us to live our life. However, some argue that technology has lead to lack of humanity.

From my point of view, it is not technology that made people less human but the person that uses technology determines it themselves. Yes, it is true that some studies have said that technology does make people less human. However, we are given choice either to indulge ourselves totally in technology or only use it when we really need to or maybe set a level of to what extent should we use the technology. Let’s look into few examples of technology that’s most used.

First is the internet. After the existence of internet, we are able to connect to other people across the globe within seconds, we are able to search almost anything using it. Knowledge and entertainment are overflowing with the help of the internet. Not only that, it enabled people to share, do mapping, online business, online shopping and so forth.

Sherry Turkle, the author of Alone Together, said that after the new virtual world emergence, she started to throw pizza parties to meet new people and share their life stories after the internet was introduced to them. This shows that because of this emerging technology, there are some people who took it as a chance to get to know real people face-to-face, regardless of what the reasons are but it does made people get to know each other not only virtual but also in reality. Another obvious example is when people use the internet to do online business or coaching. They primarily use the internet to get to know each other in the coaching session but later they develop some sort of bond to each other. Some even have gatherings in reality just to strengthen their bonds.

Quoting Dr Cindy Bunin, a professor who teaches parents about the effects of technology, "You become less human because you're constantly isolated and with no emotional feedback, and you may start to feel depressed,” she said. This statement may refer to when people use the social media as a form of self-isolation. However, not all cases are the same. According to Global Web Index, among the top reasons why people use social media is to stay in touch with what their friends are doing. This shows that people are still keen to care about others.

Another example is smartphone. This creation of technology works like our personal assistant. From saving our contacts to reminding us on birthdays. Last time, before smartphone was introduced, it was quite hard for people to organize things at one place and to make it convenient and mobile were even harder. Thus, we might forget some of the important things in our lives such as the special days that we should celebrate with our families or even to wish ‘Happy Birthday’ to our family and friends. With smartphone, we are able to get reminders and at least we are able to wish it on time. Even though it is just through any calls or instant messaging, still we are able to make people smile, as saying goes it is the thought that counts.

Online gaming is another child of technology which caters players of all age. Some studies said that people who engage in online gaming have the tendency to isolate themselves from the reality world. But again, it all depends on the person itself. I take as a close example, my brother who is 28 years old and are still playing online games. I used to have the thoughts that he was going to be so obsessed in the gaming world that he forgets all the values of life. But what came to my surprise is that he actually made friends out of the game. I even met some of his gaming friends which are very helpful and friendly.

Lastly, everything comes with pros and cons so do technology. I’ve seen people in my life becoming less human because of technology and also, I’ve seen people becoming more of a human after the advancement of technology. I believe we cannot blame technology for making us less human because we ourselves are the ones who actually adds the value to our lives and the people around us. We make our own choices of how we want to use technology. What say you?

New Technology & New Media: A New History.

“Victory for human civilization”

Today homo sapiens are on the cloud nine celebrating the world of interconnectedness. However, of this algorithm-based technology, the initial interpretation on human needs and necessities have signified us that there are significant of intangible forces in driving digital technology revolution.

I shall delve on how our world history is contracted into global community through technology in order to outline the unseen predicament. According to Samovar, Porter, McDaniel, et. al (2013), global community has been occurred since centuries, which later has been internalised the workforce industry. It has driven people over the world to become more aware of social and economic discourses through new media technology. 

To draw the relation between how technology is subjected into global community, we shall question the truthiness about ourselves. Are we really witnessing the global media? Does new technology is really something new, like a fresh bun from the oven? 

Perhaps this critical questions could help to scrutinise the genealogy of new technology, which I argue new technology is an enabler tool for social transformation which marries with the notion of modernity and development. Strathern (1996) has well described that technology is the production of knowledge that represents non-technological sense of knowledge. Because we think it is normal, and we always allocate the tradition context at the periphery, we take advantage of it by simplifying its multiple meaning. Well, it is not surprise that new technology is nothing new, but rather its function as an enabler that helps to enhance the power of human surveillance.

            Stuart Hall’s cultural studies the effect of media towards identity exemplify the production of digital technology has been inundated in mainstream history. He claims that identity is the position which we as the subject is obliged to the tradition of ‘always know’ (Hall, 1996, p.7). In other words, the reality that we always think that we already know is the fraternity of post-colonial worldview since information knowledge have been cloistered in the shadows. But then again, what and who are the shadows?

            Indeed, the construction of knowledge of development is a manifesto of the ideology of democracy and capitalism.  In the article written by Slater (2017),  Old dominance, new dominos in Southeast Asia, it encapsulates how the old dominance is rooted from the similar of the past ruling government have strengthened their power and stabilised position over years. 

             Subsequently, it has legitimised the corpus of imbalance information which I refer as the shadows. Merican (2017, p. 61) criticises new technology and socio cultural connectivity have made the flow of information invisible under the rhetoric of globalisation.

            The crux of the discourse is profound that outlived the configuration of Cold War. Technological advancement unconsciously has made the world to refrain humanity, albeit the institution today calls for sustainability development. I, on the other hand, would rather not to define and conceptualise the term; globalisation and technology, but to emphasize that the result of globalisation is homogenisation through the idea of modernisation. 

            As what has Karl Marx depicted, technology and globalisation help the capitalist to expand for development, whilst the marginalising those inferior is today’s norm. It is the worst scenario for the sake of economic development.

            

           Therefore, I would like end with questions; what is to be done? And who? Maybe you, maybe me. Or neither of us. But one thing for sure, economic and development are the ghosts that will always linger around technology.

Reference:

Hall, S., & Gay, P.d. (1996). Questions of Cultural Identity. London: SAGE Publications.

Merican, A. M. (2017). IN OTHER WORDS: Ideas in Journalism, Social Science and Society . Kuala Lumpur: Institut Terjemahan & Buku Malaysia Berhad.

Samovar, L. A., Porter, R. E., McDaniel, R. E., & Roy, C. S. (2013). Communication Between Cultures (8th Edition ed.). International Edition: WADSWORTH CENGAGE LEARNING.

Slater, D. (2017, October 25). Old dominance, new dominos in Southeast Asia. Retrieved from New Mandala: http://www.newmandala.org/old-dominance-new-dominos-southeast-asia/

Strathern, M. (1996). Enabling Identitiy? Biology, Choice and the New Reproductive Technologies. In S.Hall, & P.d.Gay, Questions of Cultural Identity(pp. 37-52). London: SAGE Publications.