As many things once always in print are starting to become digital, we are slowly walking away from the days of the past and moving into a new, electronic realm. In a previous blog post about baseball I wrote about the argument between tradition and innovation as it relates to technological advancement. In the case of baseball, the technology seemingly helped one organization succeed. But in the case of this recent CBS Early Show clip, it can be difficult to tell what is the better choice: iPad or magazine?
In this video, a baby is playing with an iPad comfortably, but then when handed a magazine tries the same thing, poking it with her finger only to find that it wouldn't interact with her. Of course, a one-year-old would never be able to read the magazine anyways or be able to tell what you exactly do with it. But the idea that something with images on it should come to life and be interactive has been instilled in her mind at a very young age, proof that a new generation is sprouting right now.
This baby will grow up in a world where digitized mediums are more prevalent and accepted than print. I'm not saying that that is wrong nor am I saying that we should shun technology. I'm also not saying that we should dismiss old traditions all together either. I'm simply interested in why we as an American society have a constant desire to progress.
In the prologue to Jared Diamond's book Guns, Germs, and Steel he discusses the puzzling question on why certain primitive societies are what he believes to be genetically more intelligent than more developed societies. He talks about how Western children are often passively amused by such technology as television and radio which doesn't stimulate the mind in the same way as some New Guinean children who don't have that technology but instead socially and physically engage more. I understand that Apple products try to increase interactivity with touch screens and "face-time", but even still, why do we want a society of more and more technology when people in more underdeveloped societies are often very happy themselves? Besides trying to get that "wow factor" of a new technology or trying to get better medical technology, why do people want to advance and constantly change?
I think the reason our society wants more and more technology is because that is all we know. We are past the times where you run next door to ask if your neighbor can come out to play. Now we send a text asking if our friend wants to drive and see a movie. People in underdeveloped societies are not accustomed to technological life, so they are content because they are living with what they know. We're different because what we know just happens to be technology.
ReplyDeleteAs for the question you asked about why we constantly change and advance, I think the answer is that we have to. All societies are in a constant competition to be better then everyone else. We have to take on the mentality of "out with the old, in with the new." We also have to keep up with the advancements throughout the rest of the world. Otherwise we will be left behind, and that would not do at all.
I believe people advance and constantly change because that is our natural instinct--to continue to evolve and grow. Matt Ridley, the author of "The Rational Optimist" believes, "the answer to our problems, imagined or real, is to keep on doing what we've been doing for 10,000 years -- to keep on changing." I agree with this statement. We face problems every day, and what makes the human race so fascinating is that it's our natural instinct to find answers to our problems--causing us to change course and advance forward.
ReplyDeleteThe advancement of technology will impact generations to come, solving the problems of today and change our way of thinking for the future. But as we continue to change and advance forward, will we lose the building blocks--the fundamentals--that shaped our society?