Growing Technology

Growing Technology Famous 1930s actor Bill Benedict expresses â€Å"Technology is getting a new life. † Basically, technology is evolving so much and so fast it is almost as if it is gaining a life of its own. The new technology that’s emerging gives individual’s a new life and new way of living. In Jonathan Rowe’s essay, â€Å"Reach Out and Annoy Someone,† he illustrates his frustration with the new technology better known as a cell phone. He focuses on the negative impact cell phones have on people’s lives and how addicting it is. Cell phones have advanced so much to the point where it is giving a new life to society itself. Technology can leave both a positive and negative impact on the American families and society in general. To begin, current technology can increase a family’s communication. Almost everyone in America owns a computer or has access to one. Computers seem to be the most popular way to communicate even those programmed into the IPhone’s. Society has gotten more advanced with the way individuals can communicate. It no longer done by instant messaging, but also through Oovoo or Skype; a popular video calling system that allows you to communicate with anyone anywhere. More families are staying in touch with each other although some may live across the United States. In Chang Hye-kyung’s article â€Å"Information age changes family life, value: Concept of family is shifting from ‘family-centered individual’ to ‘individual-centered family,’† he states, â€Å"The meaning and direction of changes in the modern family, caused by the development of information technology and extension of network, are multiple. For instance, family members’ communication is increased by technological development. Computers allow families to keep up with one another by viewing an individual’s profile on a social network such as Facebook or MySpace. As a result, individuals are more aware of each other’s lives especially those that live long distance by logging on to a computer and seeing pictures or updated status or â€Å"tweets† about someone’s day. Hye-kyung reveals, â€Å"This virtual reality supports the formation of unforeseen networks and connections, new lifestyle types and social concepts, such as capitalism, new liberalism and social fragmentation. The computer and Internet thus have proven to have a positive impact for both types of communication. In addition, current technology can help medical advances by extending and improving life within the society. Medical technology can help in many ways; for instance, it can help to diagnose, monitor, prevent, and even treat any ailments that may be affecting an individual’s health. The Trilogy Linear Accelerator is a superior example of current technology that helps in the medical field. The Trilogy Linear Accelerator helps in optimizing cancer treatments from 15 to 20 minutes to two to three minutes. Micheal Levine, an M. D and medical director of Radiation Oncology Services at John Muir Health, explains, â€Å"With this new technology, we are able to deliver higher and more concentrated doses of radiation to cancerous tumors in less time. † Numerous technological advances exist in health care today which includes more advanced heart monitors, blood tests, and electronic filing systems of patient’s health records. With current technology, health officials are able to test blood for diseases and DNA to help with organ transplants. The test allows longer life span for those who may suffer from any organ problems. The test is able to detect organ rejections by measuring enzymes in the blood. In Emily Singer’s review Elaine Reed, director of Transplant and Immunogenetics Testing at the University of California, Los Angeles states, â€Å"The test holds a lot of promise. † The test promotes a successful transplant procedure. Cardiologist at Stanford and one of the researchers on the study, Hannah Valantine concludes, â€Å"Maybe we can avoid high-dose immune suppression with early recognition and early treatment. † Without this new technology of DNA testing so many health problems would be unsolved and shorter life spans of individuals that didn’t have a chance to receive a new heart. However, technology can be disruptive and physically harmful to society. Rowe illustrates a negative viewpoint of a popular technological device that almost everyone is using the cell phone. Cell phones cause distraction whether it is on the road or in a coffee shop. There’s been a number of cell phone related car accidents because of an individual simply texting or talking on the cell phone; therefore, he or she is most likely not paying attention to the road but focusing on the conversation that’s on the other end of the phone. Some of the cell phone related accidents end with either life threating injuries or death. Rowe illustrates, â€Å"If you’ve been clipped by a car tooling around the corner while driver sits gabbing, cell phone in hand, then you are aware of this. The big problem, of course, is the noise† (304). In addition, the noise that cell phones seem to be associated with is the biggest issue of why some individuals may dislike it. Individuals talk loudly into their device with no concern of other individuals that may want some quiet. Rowe claims, â€Å"They produce secondhand noise, just as cigarettes produce secondhand smoke; and from the standpoint of the forced consumer of this noise, the only responsible use is non-use† (305). Some individuals want the choice on whether or not they want a loud talking individual on a cell phone while he or she is trying to enjoy a quiet peaceful trip or nice cup of coffee. In addition, technology can also hinder the learning environment. The iPod’s smartphones/androids, Ipad’s, and laptops can all have a negative impact on the learning environment. They distract the students and break their focus on what they are supposed to be focusing on, which is their schoolwork. The students have more ways to access their Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or YouTube accounts that allow them to lose focus on their studies. There’s usually so much happening on these sites that distract the students very easily. Facebook posts or tweets from Nicki Minaj on Twitter, these things are so addictive. In G. Jeffrey MacDonald’s article â€Å"Too Much Computer Exposure May Hinder Learning,† he states, â€Å"The mere availability of computers at home seems to distract students from learning. † With technology getting so advanced, it is hard trying to focus in class when individuals are wondering whose texting or sending them a picture message. Now the new android phones have the capability of video chatting with an application called â€Å"Oovoo. However, the biggest distraction right now are the little hand help computers that acts just like a regular computer, also it can fit right in a pocketbook or even small enough to carry. These new technologies are beginning to have a sort of addicting nature to them. When an individual have a new 3G cell phone or the new miniature computers individuals will want to use it regardless of where he or she may be. Christopher Dede, professor of learning technologies at the Harvard School of Education expresses, â€Å"There’s this sort of bizarre elief that computers cast a spell over students and teachers and schools. † These new technologies are distracting and catching the eyes of today’s adolescents which are causing them to neglect their homework and studies. Technology can be frustrating and almost as addictive as smoking a cigarette is. Current technology can have both a positive and negative impact of families and our society. Current technology serves many positive purposes whether it is helping the medical field or allowing families to have a stronger ability to communicate with one another. Then again, it also serves negative aspects such as physical harm to an individual or mental harm to one’s education. It all depends on how the technology is being used in individuals’ everyday lives. Work Cited Hye-Kyung, Chang. â€Å"Information Age Changes Family Life, Values: Concept of Family is Shifting from ‘Family-Centered Individuals’ to ‘Individual-Centered Family. ’† The Korean Herald. 19 Sept. 2008. LexisNexis. Web. 29 March 2011. â€Å"John Muir Health Offers New Radiation Therapy to Optimize Cancer Treatment. Business Wire 23 March. 2011. General OneFile. Web. 27 March 2011. MacDonald, Jeffery G. â€Å"Too Much Computer May Hinder Learning. † The Christian Science Monitor. 6 December. 2004. LexisNexis. Web. 29 March 2011. Rowe, Jonathan. â€Å"Reach Out and Annoy Someone. † Kreml, Nancy, et al. The User’s Guide to College Writing with Readings. 4th ed. New York: 2004. 201-208 Print. Singer, Emily. â₠¬Å"A Genetic Test for Organ Rejection. † Technology Review. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 29 March. 2011.