Green reflection - Book Report/Review Example

Green Reflection Green Reflection Technology is not neutral. In fact, it has never been neutral and is unlikely to be neutral in the near future. Although there are people who argue that technology is neutral – and some of their arguments are logical and that its effects depend on its usage, the truth is that its nature removes all or most of its neutrality and makes it an active component of whatever environment it occurs in. People, who argue that technology is neutral, perceive it as some passive concept when it is not in use, but the opposite is true.

For instance, we can consider the example of an audio system. When on standby, we can say that the system is in a neutral state; it is neither on nor off. In addition, nobody is using the system, and it is not directly affecting the people and things around it. However, does standby mode imply neutrality? The answer is no. When it is on, we can say that it entertains people and sparks different kinds of emotions. When it is off, it has little to no impact. However, when it is on standby it still consumes electricity seems to be running in the background, “idling” and waiting to be switched on or off.

In this “neutral” state, the device is still consuming electricity, so it cannot be neutral. It is affecting its owner and other devices around it indirectly.The non-neutrality of technology can be best illustrated by the fact that all technological inventions have had effects beyond their set boundaries, and without any reliance on how they are or were used. Gutenberg’s press was designed to revolutionise printing at that time by significantly improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the printing process.

However, its impacts transcended printing domain. Apart from its intended purpose, it also inspired the first information era – the Renaissance (Pande, 2012). I am quite certain that at the time of developing the press, John Gutenberg had not envisioned his invention as having the potential to usher in an era as revolutionary as the Renaissance. How then, can we call technology neutral? The mere existence of the press, regardless of whether it was being used or not, affected people and industries for centuries.

When in operation, computers have effects that cannot be blamed on how they are used. Overheating and inefficiency can be linked to how they are used. However, even when they are “dead” and cannot be used for their intended purpose they still affect the environment (Fuller & Larson, 2011). Electronic waste, which is what a computer is, contains non-biodegradable and sometimes hazardous compounds that affect organisms even when nobody is using them. Their mere presence in soil or water can have adverse direct and indirect effects on the environment and organisms, yet the laptops can be said to be in a neutral state.

ConclusionIt could be stated that those, who argue for the neutrality of technology, do so to advance their personal interests. The impacts of technology stretch beyond their usability and the intentions of their developers (Priest, 2010). Technology has never been neutral and is unlikely to be in the near future. Accepting this fact can create better ways of designing and using technology to exploit its benefits regardless of its state.ReferencesFuller, F., & Larson, B. (2011). Computers: Understanding technology. (4th Ed.). St. Paul: Paradigm.Pande, R. (2012).

Globalization, technology diffusion and gender disparity: Social impacts of ICTs. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.Priest, S. (2010). Encyclopedia of science and technology communication. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.