Tekno-Logik

Link to my essay posted on my personal blog

First of all, the television cancels out the imagination of many children.  This video explains how the television industry works towards changing the brain chemistry of one which also changes the imaginations of these kids 


 Even though upcoming generations have no fault in growing up exposed to the villainous television, when they are, they usually fall into its addictive shows. The television gives these growing children only one image at a time to focus on rather than letting these kids put their imaginations to use and create many images of their own in their minds.  These ads, shows, and even gaming systems like in Simon Dumenco’s article “Game Theory: How...” all work in a very similar way and they make the children’s’ brains think less of real-life situations and think more about the message, the product or the entertainment they are trying to get across.  Many studies have shown that “heavy viewing of television...” can affect the “development and imagination of young children...,” as well as reduce their attention span (Johnson). The television therefore may affect the way a child’s imagination develops which can then lead to them acting different and thinking different. 



Second of all, since everyone becomes exposed to the television, the way they these generations think is generally altered even though most may not be aware of it. The television advertises every day and these teens see it every day, this causes such a thing where children become accustomed and addicted to watching the TV, making them worry more about what they see on TV because it seems more significantly important. This then changes their priorities; they begin to worry about irrelevant things and materialistic things rather than worrying about dealing with life and real life situations. Children nowadays are also learning more from the TV then they are learning from school, a study shows that “The American youth watch an average of 1,023 hours of TV yearly, while they only spend about 900 hours in school.”  This isn’t good because what you learn on TV isn’t something you can always rely on, as it may not always be true. On the other hand learning in school can help the child not only develop but learn to rely on more credible information and distinguish what is credible and what is not. The television, "...designed to be a consumer device,” (Jost 721) meaning it was created to make people want to consume more; changes the thoughts of these coming generations because wasting money and consuming never felt so normal and so easy. This media driven consumerism is having a negative effect on a child’s well-being (Daily Mail), because it is encouraging these children to consume, and then consume some more without thinking too much about it or how it can affect them. It is said that “The average TV viewer will see an estimated 20,000 commercials every year,” (Zens) showing the variety of advertisements that they are exposed to which then may add to their consumption. Now not only the way these generations think is being affected but their goals and how they live their life is being affected as well.


Eventually, this all leads up to a certain point where since the television has been affecting and has affected mostly every aspect of life it changes our lifestyles and life in general.  For example, a kid who grows up never watching television will inevitably grow up unique to the kid growing up around a television. This is only because the kid growing up with television might revolve around the TV and make decisions based off of the TV. The television has been changing the lifestyles of not only children but everyone in general, families “are spending more time watching TV then they do anything else except for eating and sleeping” (Zens). This shows what families are doing on their free time which is watching TV instead of doing something more beneficial like going out together, bonding, or actually interacting and socializing with each other. Cultures and traditions may be shaped, irrelevant or unnecessary events are promoted and priorities get mixed up.  Another way it changes the lives of upcoming generations is by shortening how long they live, some “Researchers say that watching too much television is as dangerous as smoking or being overweight” (Beckford) this shows the true dangers of the television and why it’s changing lives.


In the end, the television isn’t bad; too much of it is what is making it bad. The television industry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and “if anyone tells you what the television business is going to look like a decade out…they are on drugs,” said Dick Wolf, creator of the “Law & Order” franchise (Greenblatt). This is stating that the television business is going to grow immensely in the decade to come so there is no getting rid of it and the only real possible solution for this situation would lie in the hands of the viewer’s themselves. Since the television is for entertainment and isn’t mandatory, only they can control what they will watch, how often they will watch it and why they will watch it. The television does not act alone, the viewer’s parents or the viewers should be aware of what they are watching and should be responsible for the effect that they allow the television to have on them or their children. In the end the television only does so much to a certain point,  you could choose to watch it and let it affect you or you could choose to simply turn it off and not let it disturb you at all.  

Cars and technology have been around for a long time. Unfortunately, technology does not grow as fast as cars do. Today, technology can be seen everywhere in people’s lives. Out of all technological areas, automobile companies have been unable to keep up with the current standards. Some may believe it is because of poor safety regulations while others believe it can be the lack of money. Once auto manufacturers are up to date with automobile technology, people will start driving cars they never thought would exist. Even the little technological advancements make a difference in a modern car. Technology in automobiles is good because it can assist the driver, provide a wide array of entertainment possibilities for passengers, assist mechanics with diagnostics and repair, as well as provide important vehicle performance data, even though technology is seen as a driving hazard by many people.


Technology can provide drivers with driving assistance. While people drive, they often multitask to do something important. This creates a major safety concern for the driver, other drivers, and even pedestrians. Patrick Marshall states in “Artificial Intelligence” that in California, “Seven Google test cars equipped with intelligent navigation and control equipment drove 1,000 miles without human intervention and more than 140,000 miles with a human intervening only occasionally” (Par. 13). Having cars that drive by themselves allows the driver to focus on other important tasks without risking the death of anyone in the area. It is just like having auto-pilot but inside a car. Assisting the driver is not the only good thing about technology in cars. Having a wide array of entertainment possibilities for passengers is another good reason to have technology in cars.


The availability of technology in automobiles can introduce many new entertainment options for passengers. As technology grows, people are expecting car companies to follow in its path. Unfortunately that is not happening. That is why companies like Sonic Electronix are selling automobile electronic accessories. Sonic Electronix is known specially for its Wi-Fi router, the Autonet, that can be installed in almost any car. Having a Wi-Fi router installed in a car allows the passengers to surf the web from their laptop, tablet, or mobile device. The router even has the option to secure the network and it is able to upload and download files at a reasonable speed that will allow the playback of low quality videos, sending emails, and browsing the web (SonicElectronixTV). Access to the Internet is a great entertainment option. Other than providing many new entertainment options, technology is able to assist mechanics with diagnostics and repair.



Technology is able to assist mechanics with diagnostics and repair. Technology will allow mechanics to easily and quickly diagnose a problem in a car which will then make repairs easier because the problem will already be detected. In “Future of Computers” that one company, Xybernaut Corp. has a product specially made for mechanics that are able to “use voice commands to access vast amounts of data that pop up on an eyepiece attached to a headband” (Marshall). This a product that works side by side with a mechanic so that he can work efficiently. This product has been known as a wearable computer and has been on high demand from companies in the airline and automobile industry. Not only does technology help mechanics with their work but it can also provide important vehicle performance data of a car. Technology in automobiles can provide important vehicle performance data. Many modern cars provide drivers with simple but useful performance data. Luckily, aftermarket companies produce electronic devices called ECU (Engine Control Unit) Data Monitors that provide extensive performance data such as boost pressure, abbreviated as BP on the device; information that you would normally never see in a stock automobile (“FS PSI3 Data monitor”). Another piece of technology, the BMW Performance sport steering wheel, provides helpful driving performance information. This steering wheel has three different modes, EfficientDynamics, Sport and Race, that all provide the driver with information such as fuel efficiency, oil and water temperature, lateral g-forces, and even shifting cues (Trew). This is a great for drivers because its placement is at the 12 o’clock position on the steering wheel which allows easy visibility. Even though this type of information is too complex for the average driver, it is valuable information for drivers who modify their vehicles in order to create a more powerful vehicle and is available for anyone who is willing to learn more about it.
     
Unfortunately, technology is viewed as unsafe while driving. The main concern is the usage of cell phones while driving. The NHTSA reported that after a survey of 718 drivers, “young drivers 18 to 20 report the highest level of phone involvement (13%) at the time of a crash or near-crash; 8% said they were sending a text or e-mail, 3% were reading a text or e-mail, and 2% said they were talking on a cell phone” (NHTSA Par. 3). Even though the statistics are low, they still show that technology used by drivers can still be distracting and dangerous. Unfortunately, it’s a risk that many people still continue to take while driving. Technology is an important tool in our modern society. Unfortunately, many people feel that technology in automobiles can be distracting and dangerous. All these examples of technology in cars can assist the way people drive and maintain their cars for the better. The examples shown above are all ways that technology can be used to assist driving with bringing in the least amount of danger to the driver and the passengers. As the technology and automobile industry continues to grow, hopefully, they can stay together and create wonderful cars that can still be safe and fun to drive.