StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Technology versus Tradition - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "Technology versus Tradition" highlights that the claim by Postman that technology and tradition in technocratic societies co-exist in uneasy tension is true. Not all traditions have a conflict with technology since some traditions have embraced technology without creating tension…
Download free paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.1% of users find it useful
Technology versus Tradition
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Technology versus Tradition"

Saxon (2003) argues that we live in a society in which technology has taken over almost every aspect of life. The world has experienced rapid technological advancements over the past couple of decades. Technological advancements have improved the quality of life more than ever before. According to Kaplan (1995), technology has eased the way we do things. Nevertheless, many people, especially the elderly are still nostalgic for the ‘good old days.’ This is because they believe that the world was better off than it was before the emergence of many modern technologies. Such differences prompted Postman to claim that, in technocratic societies, technology, and tradition co-exist in an easy tension (Postman, 1992).

It is debatable whether Postman’s claims are true or not. In my view, the claim by Postman regarding the uneasy tension that exists between technology and tradition is true to a great extent. This is because we can now observe the culture shift pointed out by Postman in societies that have been isolated and are slowly integrating technology. For example, despite the negative traditional view of technology, the Inupiat Eskimos living in Little Diomede Island, who are currently accessing satellite television an example of how technology is in uneasy tension with tradition. Additionally, the younger villages of the Eskimos are increasingly forsaking traditional clothing in favor of sweatshirts, according to Kaplan (1995). Postman (1992) noted that, for people throughout the world, the challenge has been to accept and benefit from what technology brings while clinging to the wisdom and values of their own culture. That is, walking between the world of technology and tradition.

The claim by Postman is also true because technology has had destructive effects on tradition and rituals thereby creating tension between the two. As W.I. Thompson pointed out, America is an electronic Umwelt, where history is documented in the form of movies, and education is shown with entertainment while nature is matched with technology (Kaplan, 1995). According to Thompson, singing ceased in pubs following the emergence of technology, notes Kaplan (1995). Postman also supports his claim regarding the uneasy tension between technology and tradition by recounting how culture has been at loggerheads with technology. He points out that culture has surrendered to technology largely. Postman (1992) highlights in detail how advancement in medical technology has rendered the doctor as a subordinate to this technology with little control. Postman believes that such technological advancements have made medicine about the disease rather than the patient. Traditionally, people used to rely on herbal medicines something, which resulted in many deaths due to the ineffectiveness of medicines for some diseases. However, due to technological advancement, such traditional medicines are slowly disappearing despite efforts made by the elderly in society, observed Saxon (2003). This proves the claim by Postman that tradition and technology are co-existing in uneasy tension.
Postman is also right in his claim since we observe that as people increasingly rely on technology many people lose their capacity to do things that used to be done in the past. For example, in the past, people used to rely mainly on physical strength to do things. However, with the emergence of technology, people have become exceedingly lazy - to the extent that they want everything to be done using technology, as observed by Kaplan (1995). This has resulted in low productivity as far as individual effort is concerned, according to tradition, thereby creating uneasy tension.

The uneasy tension between technology and tradition has emanated from the fact that technology has rendered many traditional beliefs and ways of doing things irrelevant (Trusty, 2006). Nevertheless, not all traditions are in conflict with technology. It is notable that, before technology spread in the world, people tended to rely on traditional ways of doing things. For instance, people of the olden days used to communicate verbally as things like mobile phones did not exist. However, with the emergence of technology, mobile phones were invented, which have made communication easy, according to Trusty (2006). What is evident is that it has never been documented resistance to the introduction of mobile phones in traditional societies. This is because mobile phones have eased communication with everyone regardless of traditional beliefs. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Technopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/literature/1481228-technopoly
(Technopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/literature/1481228-technopoly.
“Technopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/literature/1481228-technopoly.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Technology versus Tradition

Usage of ornaments and traditional aspects vs. Simplicity and no ornaments

Advances in technology and engineering gave rise to new materials such as iron and steel which encourage minimalist design.... The world is rapidly evolving and the field of architecture has undergone transformation over the years.... In a fast urbanizing and globalizing world, the demand for architectural designs has grown enormously....
13 Pages (3250 words) Essay

Technology versus Human Race

The paper "technology versus Human Race" highlights that humans have become dependent on machines for their decisions and do not even realize their extent of dependence in this matter.... The power of technology overpowers the intellect of humans, changes cultural values and reduces the need for personal relations.... On the contrary, man has witnessed varying degrees of integration of technology with the passage of the years.... Technocracy saw the integration of technology in the lives of the individuals; however, industrialism and technical incorporation were still not strong enough to drive away culture, language and morals....
10 Pages (2500 words) Term Paper

Online Learning and Traditional Learning

This makes progressive learning in the tradition setting easier compared to online learning.... Factors Predicting the Choice of an Online versus a Traditional Course.... A Comparison of Student Achievement and Satisfaction in an Online versus a Traditional Face-to-Face Statistics Class.... According to (Robinson & Doverspike, 2006) technology must serve the subject matter, not the other way round....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Islam in the Modern World - 18th Century to the Present

The paper "Islam in the Modern World - 18th Century to the Present" is to discuss the social changes in Islam and intellectualism in Islam.... The general features and deficiencies of the Islamic educational system, with its modernization effects, will be deeply demonstrated in this paper.... ... ...
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Traditional University Education verses Online Education courses

As technology grows, especially the internet, there is an option to acquire higher education via online institutions (Scagnoli, 2005).... Traditional University Education verses Online Education courses Insert Name Insert Grade Course Insert Submission Date Traditional University Education verses Online Education courses Introduction Traditional University Education involves face to face lectures....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Contemporary Architecture versus Traditional Architectural Design

From the paper "Contemporary Architecture versus Traditional Architectural Design" it is clear that most cultures are embracing the new aesthetics in architecture, however, and are supporting the construction of symbols of consumerism within their nations.... ... ... ... Contemporary architectural design is a reflection of the post-industrial world with buildings being designed and constructed that reflect the modern, digital age....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Traditional versus Digital Media

The paper 'Traditional versus Digital Media' is based on a comparative study on the effectiveness of traditional and digital media and how it has changed the way the customers' purchasing decisions are influenced.... Digital marketing has allowed marketers to reach out to a large number of customers at a much lower cost....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Online Learning and Traditional Learning: An Outlook into the Past and the Future of Education

According to (Robinson & Doverspike, 2006) technology must serve the subject matter, not the other way round.... "Online Learning and Traditional Learning: An Outlook into the Past and the Future of Education" paper focuses on how both traditional and online courses are premeditated to convey the same outcome, yet the difference between the two learning modes contribute to diverse learning processes....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us