SOC 3116 Study Guide - Summer 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Technological Change, Personal Computer, Noam Chomsky
12 Oct 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
SOC 3116
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
TOPIC 1: A CRITICAL APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
New Media: An Introduction (Chapter 1)
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To develop a better appreciation of how much we rely upon technology (ICT)
To implicate our actions today in the technology of the future.
SOCIAL REALITY
How we perceive the world around us.
- Different factors that shape and inform what we mean when we talk about reality
Our social reality is a function of the era that we live in, where we live, etc. for an endless
amount of factors that shape how we see the world and live within it
- HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY SHAPE OUR SOCIAL REALITY?
CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION
We buy things so that other people see us with it.
- The idea that we need to use this technology is a marker of our success as a civilization.
The primary interest is to make money.
- Money can be made by creating or by eroding quality, or by creating alternatives. There
are all sorts of factors that get into the idea we have that things will get better. We
cannot take things we hear, see at face value
ENGAGEMENT WITH TECHNOLOGY IS PASSIVE
- Things got both easier and harder at the same time
- We try to adapt our lives around tech
Passivity-Listening & Shorter Attention Span from Tech
- Can not multitask -> task switching -> lower quality of work done
To Curb Passivity:
- Challenging complacency
- Improving usefulness
- Enhance our awareness
- Get outside of the box (of popular messaging about what tech will do for us)
In order to improve something, we need to objectively challenge it to lead to innovation.
We do not realize our dependence on technology as we always want to get the latest tech.
- Benefits advertisers as they want us to be receiving of their new products
- Consumers think they savvy for getting new products, not realizing dependence
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
TOPIC 1: A CRITICAL APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
New Media: An Introduction (Chapter 1)
- Ex. Computers and phones
ICT in Media
- News media (traditional media, old media, newspaper, radio and TV, mass media)
- Social media (aka new media, internet)
Difference between News Media & Social Media
- News media is form of ONE-WAY communication
- Social Media has platform for TWO-WAY communication (more interaction)
Sociology of Technology
- The focus of sociology is emphasized in the consequences of technology defined as ICT
- How tech shapes our interaction and worldview
5 THINGS WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE (NEIL POSTMAN)
There is always a trade off
- As tech changes, there is always trade off (something given up to facilitate change)
- Trade off is a gradual long-term process (not immediate)
What benefits some harm others
- Tech changes is not universally beneficial (unequal)
- Digital divide (people have/dont have access to tech), no access become marginalized
Embedding in all technology are assumptions and ideas that influence how we behave
- Idea of technology is neutral is incorrect as it ignores use overtime
- Spectrum: continuum of use
- Embedded in technology are “culturally contingent” assumptions
- e.g. a personal computer may get rid of community life
Technological change is not additive, be ecological (accumulative)
- New technology emerges: same setting + new tech, not new setting
- Reason why you can’t undo certain technology
- Drop of water and a glass of water (accumulate, cant undo, affects everything)
- Need to think critically about the adaption of new technologies
Technology is not God given
- We create it -> we can make decision we want about it, we have power over it
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
To develop a better appreciation of how much we rely upon technology (ict) To implicate our actions today in the technology of the future. Different factors that shape and inform what we mean when we talk about reality. Our social reality is a function of the era that we live in, where we live, etc. for an endless amount of factors that shape how we see the world and live within it. We buy things so that other people see us with it. The idea that we need to use this technology is a marker of our success as a civilization. Money can be made by creating or by eroding quality, or by creating alternatives. There are all sorts of factors that get into the idea we have that things will get better. We cannot take things we hear, see at face value. Things got both easier and harder at the same time.
