Read and Respond #3

Chapter 5: The Broken Defenses

Postman says “Technopoly is a state of culture. It is also a state of mind. It consists in the deification of technology, which means the culture seeks authorization in technology, finds its satisfactions in technology, and takes its orders from technology” ( p. 71) This seemed like a very strong statement to me! He seems like he is saying that all technology is bad, but it isn’t. There are people who may use is in ways that don’t help the world, and there is definitely cultural and personal responsibility that goes along with using it—as does EVERYTHING in this world.

However, I also think he is on to something—something I didn’t give much thought to from the perspective of technology. Postman goes on to say “Technology increases the available supply of information. As the supply is increased, control mechanisms are strained. Additional control mechanisms are needed to cope with new information” (p. 72) He goes on to explain that the control mechanisms that are created to deal with the new information are often technical and then we are in a vicious circle of dealing with new information because of the technology that keeps being introduced.  

The sad part that I see is all of life is that our control mechanisms are never enough. I think originally our control mechanisms should have been enough. God said obey me and I will bless you. That should have been all we needed. . .except for sin. We sinned and can't obey Him.

My burning question (or my need for clarification on this topic) is this: The need for control mechanisms. . .why are they there? Why can’t be have or handle the new information? Is it because we are using the information inappropriately or wrong? Or is it because someone out there wants to limit what we know to control us? And to both questions. . .why? J

 

Chapter 6: The Ideology of Machines: Medical Technology

I found this chapter quite intriguing . . . and true! I liked how he pointed out that the technology used for medical purposes have a GOOD purpose and can show real problems (I’m not about to give up the ultrasounds or blood test during pregnancies or x-rays for broken bones, etc.—that is pretty factual and reassuring data to me! That part can definitely stay—that is when I love technology and what it can do for me!), but often completely replaces the stories and experiences that a patient needs to tell in order to get a true diagnosis. Postman says, “Medicine is about disease, not the patient. And what the patient knows is untrustworthy; what the machine knows is reliable” (p. 100). I can relate this to my teaching in a sense—I can use specialized reading tests to find out what grade level a student might be reading at (ie: PM readers, Reading A-Z website)—reading test that provide a running record and where miscues can be written down, where it can be timed and comprehension questions are provided—and while it would free up my time to have someone else administer all of these tests or have technology take over by some computer program doing this for me, I think I would still choose/continue to do it on my own because I need to hear their reading, hear their answers, figure out what reading skill each child might need to work on by hearing each of them individually, identify how their thinking patterns are shaping as they answer comprehension questions—the like. On the flip side—I don’t think a child is going to argue with me and ask me to redo a test or use an alternative test if he/she doesn’t like the result I came up with the way Postman said (North) Americans are getting technology-based testing done because that is what they think they need or because of the risk of lawsuits!

The sad part of this all, and I think the point Postman is making, is the general trend that technology is breaking down relationships because we believe that technology can provide the answers and human through processes (empathy, relationships, etc.) can’t. “When it comes to machinery, Technolpoly insists upon most is accuracy” (p. 93).

My burning question for this chapter: Do you feel that technology has increased or decreased your relationships? What is the “price” of gain in relationship to technological advances?