An Expansion of Technology

Last night my uncle sent me a video about technology because he works for Microsoft, and I felt that it really connected to what we have been discussing about Thoreau and societal advances. The video talks about all the global issues right now, and how intelligence is on the rise. 25% of India's population with the highest IQs is greater than the total population of the United States. That is incredible in of itself. China, Japan and India are catching up to the United States, and the competition in those countries is rigorous. Then it goes on to talk about jobs and how the top ten jobs in 2010 DIDN'T EXIST in 2004. Now, people are going to school to learn for potential jobs that don't exist yet. The advancements in our society today are great, and it was truthfully really refreshing to see a positve outlook on things rather than the typical bad economy, America is going down perspective. 1 in 5 couples have met online, over 200 million people are registered on MySpace, and if MySpace were a country it would be the 5th largest in the world! This also ties back to our reliance on technology, which is a negative aspect of it. We constantly look to our computers and cell phones for what we need, and think that it is not possible to survive without it. Think about it: the fifth largest country in the world could be MySpace. Do you think there's any personal interaction through a computer? Would Thoreau or Emerson approve?

The first text message was sent in 1992. Today, the number of text messages sent and received every day exceeds the total population of the planet. Thats mind blowing. We constantly depend on communication that is efficient, but loses thought and interaction. The number of google searches went from 2.7 billion to 31 billion in the last two years. We are a nation that is rapidly expanding our technology and curiosity. Are these things necessities, though? One would argue not, but come on, you have to be a little intrigued at the fact that our advancements have grown so immensely. 

There are 540,000 words in the English language, which is five times as many as during when Shakespeare lived. Thats gotta count for something, doesn't it? Our language is expanding, and using a wider variety of words will allow our minds to grow. However, with our use of technology, will these new words be put to good use? Because we are in an era of "instant gratification" and simplifying answers, why would these new words be important? You could suppose that these words are simplified versions of Shakespeares prose. Maybe, maybe not. I could just be thinking negatively. Either way, our language has become more complex and intricate and that is undoubtedly progress.

A week's worth of the New York Times has more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century. The fact that information can be spread that quickly and efficiently is incredible. We are more informed as citizens because of it. Society is able to stay current with actions by our government and what is happening in America and internationally.

By 2049, a $1000 computer will exceed the computational capabilities of the entire human species. I don't need to break down this one, thats progress. Do we NEED all these advances? I wouldn't say we do, but progress is progress. It doesn't do much for simplifying your life, however. Thoreau would say these are "hinderances to mankind." For his argument that makes sense. I personally think it would be odd to not say that these things are progress, but from a transcendentalist point of view, none of it is necessary.