Social Change has been the topic of our blog during this term. We have discussed new technologies such as robots and flying cars. We have discussed legal issues such as copyright laws and codes of conduct for the internet.
The main idea we have tried to present was how every aspect of society and our lives has been affected and will continue to be affected by the technology changes that are occuring constantly.
Our jobs, health, recreations, education and families are all being changed by technology. Some changes have definitely been good, such as the open and abundance of information being made available. The same technologies that make this information available, also can be abused such as copyright violations. The abuse does not make the technology bad as some would have you believe, the abuser is the one who needs to be addressed, and will eventually as newer technologies fix the loopholes opened by the original technology.
New technology will have both good and bad features for society and society will continue to demand new technolgies. It is an eternal spiral.
Social change is the issue of many blogs. One of the more ineresting ones I have read is http://blogs.oneindia.in/showblog.php?blogid=10147&catid=46&action=2
You might like to check it out.
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Social Security do you really think it will be around for you?
The other day several coworkers and I were discussing the pros and cons of the social security system. I stated I believed it should be dissolved in favor of private funds, and was almost attacked by my fellow workers. Social Security is such a sensitive issue most politicians avoid it; not me I jump in head first.
Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through dedicated payroll taxes called FICA It was initially signed into law by President Roosevelt in 1935. The Social Security Administration is headquartered in Woodlawn, Maryland .
Facts taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_%28United_States%29
Let me explain why I believe this way.
In 2004, some $492 billion of benefits were paid to 47.5 million beneficiaries. It is now projected that the system will run out of funds by 2020. That is only 13 years from now. I will only be 58 years old, not even old enough to retire. 67 is my projected retirement age. I believe I could do a better job investing the same funds privately. There are so many tools available to the private investor today: to monitor accounts, transfer funds, even automated advisors. I am not alone many others feel the same way. Several organizations considered it a crucial issue, such as the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute. They lobby for some form of Social Security privatization.
I also believe that the government is too restrained to take advantage of the technologies available to improve social security, such preventing fraud by comparing databases to death certificates before checks are written. Allowing individuals to invest their own social security funds and choose the risk they are willing to take for higher returns. My current 401 K is available online and I can move investments around. The government’s ability to make changes is to slow for today’s world. I have seen recently an adoption of many technologies, such as online accounts, direct deposit, and debit cards instead of checks. Maybe there is some hope still.
Here are a few interesting sites dealing with this very subject.
http://www.socialsecurity.org/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/social-security/
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/
Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through dedicated payroll taxes called FICA It was initially signed into law by President Roosevelt in 1935. The Social Security Administration is headquartered in Woodlawn, Maryland .
Facts taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_%28United_States%29
Let me explain why I believe this way.
In 2004, some $492 billion of benefits were paid to 47.5 million beneficiaries. It is now projected that the system will run out of funds by 2020. That is only 13 years from now. I will only be 58 years old, not even old enough to retire. 67 is my projected retirement age. I believe I could do a better job investing the same funds privately. There are so many tools available to the private investor today: to monitor accounts, transfer funds, even automated advisors. I am not alone many others feel the same way. Several organizations considered it a crucial issue, such as the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute. They lobby for some form of Social Security privatization.
I also believe that the government is too restrained to take advantage of the technologies available to improve social security, such preventing fraud by comparing databases to death certificates before checks are written. Allowing individuals to invest their own social security funds and choose the risk they are willing to take for higher returns. My current 401 K is available online and I can move investments around. The government’s ability to make changes is to slow for today’s world. I have seen recently an adoption of many technologies, such as online accounts, direct deposit, and debit cards instead of checks. Maybe there is some hope still.
Here are a few interesting sites dealing with this very subject.
http://www.socialsecurity.org/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/social-security/
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Do we still make toy trucks?
I was in the toy section the other day looking to buy a few things for the grandchildren and realized how much toys have changed. Everything “does something” any more. It’s hard to find just a plain do nothing toy anymore.
We played with dolls. Dressed them, had tea parties, and they were our friends. My brother’s trucks and tractors plowed through fields in the rugs and ran over monsters, which were my dolls. We traded comic books and read books about Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. There were 24 colors in the crayon boxes used to create masterful works of art to be hung on the refrigerator door. We used technology to create stuff like creepy crawlers, easy bake ovens cakes, and Lego cities. We used our imaginations and enjoyed our stuff.
Technology in toys today is overwhelming. I could not find a plain doll. One doll cried, another needed to eat; then it wet. No more using your imagination I thought. The trucks are not only battery powered but also radio controlled. Even books make sounds or read the story to you. Crayons still come in a box but it has over 100 colors. No wonder I’m back in school, I need to learn the new colors just to play.
My point is that sometimes I feel technology has taken the wrong path. These toys don’t encourage children to grow and learn. They encourage the child to expect everything to be done for them. I don’t pretend the baby is crying; it really is. I don’t pretend the car makes a “vroom” noise; it does.
It is great that technology allows us to create these toys, but do we need them? Is this where we should be using innovative ideas? I guess it is just one more segment of society touched by technology.
We played with dolls. Dressed them, had tea parties, and they were our friends. My brother’s trucks and tractors plowed through fields in the rugs and ran over monsters, which were my dolls. We traded comic books and read books about Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys. There were 24 colors in the crayon boxes used to create masterful works of art to be hung on the refrigerator door. We used technology to create stuff like creepy crawlers, easy bake ovens cakes, and Lego cities. We used our imaginations and enjoyed our stuff.
Technology in toys today is overwhelming. I could not find a plain doll. One doll cried, another needed to eat; then it wet. No more using your imagination I thought. The trucks are not only battery powered but also radio controlled. Even books make sounds or read the story to you. Crayons still come in a box but it has over 100 colors. No wonder I’m back in school, I need to learn the new colors just to play.
My point is that sometimes I feel technology has taken the wrong path. These toys don’t encourage children to grow and learn. They encourage the child to expect everything to be done for them. I don’t pretend the baby is crying; it really is. I don’t pretend the car makes a “vroom” noise; it does.
It is great that technology allows us to create these toys, but do we need them? Is this where we should be using innovative ideas? I guess it is just one more segment of society touched by technology.
Faith and Hope
Like everyone I was deeply disturbed by what occurred at Virginia Tech. I pray for the families and students whose lives where changed forever. We all want to believe things like this can't happen in today's world.
I listen to students on Mercyhurst campus complain about how the events transpired and how poorly Virginia Tech campus handled it. We have technology to track people; we can evaluate behavior and profile terrorists. I have to say it bothers me to hear young people talk this way. I can’t believe that we have become so technology arrogant and unaware that some people think these things shouldn’t happen. Not that they shouldn’t happen because it is tragic, but they feel there is such control in the world that the human element should be able to prevent anything and everything. As if someone allowed tragedies to happen. People will always be prone to error, especially when evaluating other peoples’ actions and motives. It is our nature.
Mercyhurst is no different than Virginia Tech. I am sure there are students here who feel distant and removed from the rest of the student body. I pray they do not decide to turn violent, but it is always a possibility.
I think it is good that it has opened up our eyes to ask “how would we handle something like this?”, since I am sure it has never been considered. We do not have a public address systems and the police would not be able to lock down all the buildings quickly. How and when would students be notified?
Mercyhurst does have an emergency response plan in place which does give many guidelines for responses. It does not cover every imaginable scenario, so we will be relying on human judgments in many emergencies.
I guess even with all of our “GREAT” advances in technology we all must still rely on the most basic non-technologies of all. Faith - Hope
God will Protect US. Hope it doesn't happen.
I listen to students on Mercyhurst campus complain about how the events transpired and how poorly Virginia Tech campus handled it. We have technology to track people; we can evaluate behavior and profile terrorists. I have to say it bothers me to hear young people talk this way. I can’t believe that we have become so technology arrogant and unaware that some people think these things shouldn’t happen. Not that they shouldn’t happen because it is tragic, but they feel there is such control in the world that the human element should be able to prevent anything and everything. As if someone allowed tragedies to happen. People will always be prone to error, especially when evaluating other peoples’ actions and motives. It is our nature.
Mercyhurst is no different than Virginia Tech. I am sure there are students here who feel distant and removed from the rest of the student body. I pray they do not decide to turn violent, but it is always a possibility.
I think it is good that it has opened up our eyes to ask “how would we handle something like this?”, since I am sure it has never been considered. We do not have a public address systems and the police would not be able to lock down all the buildings quickly. How and when would students be notified?
Mercyhurst does have an emergency response plan in place which does give many guidelines for responses. It does not cover every imaginable scenario, so we will be relying on human judgments in many emergencies.
I guess even with all of our “GREAT” advances in technology we all must still rely on the most basic non-technologies of all. Faith - Hope
God will Protect US. Hope it doesn't happen.
Monday, March 19, 2007
My Technology Equation
Personal Computers + Internet + World Wide Web + People = Infinite opportunities for social outlets, connections, dangers, and living in fantasy worlds…
I began thinking about this heavily over the weekend because I have a friend that met someone over the internet and how not more than a decade ago, this would have been impossible. Add Avatar to the equation and one truly can become anything imaginable. Add mental illness and your life may be in danger if you trust the wrong people. Throw children into the mix and hope that you can block, as well as protect them from as much harm as possible. I asked my colleague what he thought about technologies impact on socialization and here is what he had to say:
And so here is yet another example of how technology has effected our social behaviors...Down time at work + class assignments + internet access = fun, wasted man hours, possible unemployment, and many other unknowns...
I began thinking about this heavily over the weekend because I have a friend that met someone over the internet and how not more than a decade ago, this would have been impossible. Add Avatar to the equation and one truly can become anything imaginable. Add mental illness and your life may be in danger if you trust the wrong people. Throw children into the mix and hope that you can block, as well as protect them from as much harm as possible. I asked my colleague what he thought about technologies impact on socialization and here is what he had to say:
“Through the smoke and bustle of a crowded bar, a pair of eyes lock. And so begins a chain of behaviors that has evolved over thousands of years. There are an infinite number of potential outcomes to the chain. Some chains are short, some chains light. Some chains inflict pain, and other lead nowhere. Nevertheless, sometimes, the chain ends in a lock.
Or that’s how it was.
Now, the process might begin, proceed and end, not like a chain, but like a spider’s web. Sometimes, the spider weaves a veil worn to live out a secrets or fantasies. Sometimes the web hides a deeper danger than even a poisonous spider. And, while it is not as strong as a chain, sometimes the web binds two blossoming flowers. The spider has entered new territory and sees no boundaries.
Web based social networking, in all of its forms, has both positive and negative potential. Like all things, when done in moderation, it is can be useful. But, whether it is viewed as a positive or negative, it must be seen as a real change from the traditional way things are done.
It has taken what was once the most physical of experiences and removed the physical boundaries (or at least delayed them). For instance, your social network is no longer bound by space and time. You may chat with a teenage girl from some province in Mongolia or by way of simulations programs; you could just as easily chat with her great ancestor Genghis Khan. Reality/Veracity need not play a factor in the relationships you build. While this may not be different from the physical world, it is much easier in the ether of the internet.
I would be glad to write more on the subject but someone is messaging me.”
And so here is yet another example of how technology has effected our social behaviors...Down time at work + class assignments + internet access = fun, wasted man hours, possible unemployment, and many other unknowns...
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