Thursday, October 18, 2012

Pros and Cons of Technology



If you click on the link above, it will take you to an article that was discussed in my READ 411 class. The article is nice and short, and very interesting. The purpose of the article for my READ 411 course was to emphasize how many languages are continuously developing throughout the world and throughout time, and how it serves as a vital knowledge for everyone to have. However, another thing that I realized that is exhibited in this article is the impact that technology has on our every day lives.

The article discusses how back to the 1930’s up until the present day, the different languages have grown rapidly. Being that many different people migrate to the United States, we are now a melting pot, consisting of many languages. However, if we cannot understand the different languages spoken by those around us, how will be able to communicate? The article, “United Indignation”, mentioned earlier, discussed how the introduction of different forms of technology such as 1) the internet, 2) translation etc…  has made it easier for us to communicate to not only those who speak English, or live in the United States, but to communicate to those all across the world in many different languages.

These two forms of technology (internet and translators) have helped people to get their thoughts across, speak their minds, and to gain the support of millions of people across the world. Without technology where would we be today?

However, technology also has it’s glitches. For example, when translating a book or anything into another language, sometimes the entire meaning is changed, and one’s initial thought that they were trying to get across, either fades and/or is conveyed in a different light, with different meaning. Therefore, a lot of work and effort would have to go into translating something, making sure that everything is as it was when it began. Would that extra work be worth it?

As mentioned a million times before, all sorts of technology have both its pros and its cons; however, I do feel that technology is worth the risks because it has gotten us where we are today. Without technology we would not be able to use computers, watch television, cook on a stove, use a microphone, drive a car, and the list goes on and on. It is up to us, especially us teachers, to make sure that we utilize technology in great ways, and do not allow ourselves to become too dependent on technology. I think that is the key to the separation between the negative and positive aspects of technology. 

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