iWrite- Samantha McGehee

One thing that I find interesting is the idea that technology is conceptualized as the things we have currently such as our iPhones, laptops, electric cars: modern commodities. When in reality technology is subjective to the times. In the 70's the technology of their day were things like rotary phones and party lines. They could easily argue that those phones dampened their way of life because it provided more access to each other, less personal contact and less privacy as party lines allowed that your conversations be heard by anyone listening in on your line. Just as we argue whether life would be better in days when our ideas of technology were different, were less. But its important to realize that technology is not restricted to modern times. The new and upcoming to us, was once unimaginable to those of the past. The reverse can be said for things like rotary phones, where we can't possibly imagine having our conversations to be limited not only through pure conversation (no texting) but also limited by the length of the spiral chord. The truth of the matter is that as technology evolves it grows in capabilities. We can now assist those who have irregular or ill working hearts by placing a pace maker in them and essentially giving them a second chance at life they wouldn't have 70 years ago. It would be challenging to argue that technology hasn't improved lives. Technology has hindered my life before; emails wouldn't send, texts were misinterpreted, GPS could not find my destination. But in more ways than one has technology improved my life; I keep in touch with my family in Alaska through Facebook, I can show my nana the new sewing pattern she wants on the internet, my uncle's cancer is more easily seen and fought with MRIs . The important thing about technology is not to argue over its benefits, or its drawbacks; its to develop technology that improves our lives in ways that otherwise wouldn't have occurred. But equally important is not to get so caught up in this new and exciting field that we allow technology to become more human than us or to forget our humanity along the way. Because technology will happen. It will develop and become more than we could ever imagine but technology is not the enemy, it is developed by humans and controlled by humans and as long as that remains true, technology can be a blessing.