Technological Change Insights

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Questions and Answers

What is valued in a culture without writing?

Human memory, proverbs, sayings, and songs. (correct)

Speed and immediacy in communication.

Technological innovation and progress.

Logical organization and systematic analysis.

What does the author imply about the concept of wisdom in the computer age?

It becomes more valued.

It is enhanced through access to vast amounts of information.

It may diminish or disappear due to the focus on information over knowledge. (correct)

It undergoes a transformation, becoming more practical and applicable.

What is the core meaning of McLuhan's phrase The medium is the message?

Technology has no inherent philosophy and is merely a tool.

The technology shapes how people think, use their bodies, and perceive the world. (correct)

The technology's impact lies solely in the information it conveys.

Technology only affects society in an additive manner.

Which analogy does the author use to explain the ecological impact of technological change?

Placing a drop of red dye into clear water. Signup and view all the answers

Why should we practice caution with technological innovation?

Technological changes have far-reaching, often unpredictable, and mostly irreversible consequences. Signup and view all the answers

What does the author suggest the telegraphic person values most?

Speed Signup and view all the answers

What is a culture with writing said to favor?

Systematic Analysis Signup and view all the answers

What should we be suspicious of, according to the text?

Capitalists Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, which of the following is a question that should be considered when thinking about technological change?

Which groups of people will be harmed by the development of a new technology? Signup and view all the answers

In the author's view, what is a potential negative consequence for the 'masses of people' due to computer technology?

Increased vulnerability to powerful institutions and loss of privacy. Signup and view all the answers

The author draws an analogy between school teachers praising television and:

Blacksmiths who welcomed the advent of the automobile. Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, which of the following groups are most likely to benefit from computer technology?

Large-scale organizations like the military and airlines. Signup and view all the answers

What does the author imply about the initial promises made regarding personal computers and their benefits for the average person?

They were primarily intended to encourage enthusiasm for computer technology among those who would not benefit. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the author's overall tone toward the increasing presence of computer technology in everyday life?

Skeptical and critical. Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's perspective on those who present Utopian visions of new technologies?

They lack historical sense and understanding of cultural balance. Signup and view all the answers

The author suggests that computer technology has led to people being 'more than ever reduced to mere numerical objects'. What does this imply?

People are increasingly treated as data points and statistics rather than individuals. Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, what is one way individuals are easy targets as a result of the computer revolution?

They are easily reached by advertising agencies and political institutions. Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, what qualification should someone have before discussing new information technologies?

Understanding of the social and psychic effects of past technologies. Signup and view all the answers

What is the first idea presented about technology?

Culture always pays a price for technology. Signup and view all the answers

What is the second main idea discussed regarding new technologies?

The advantages and disadvantages of new technologies are never distributed evenly. Signup and view all the answers

How did the printing press affect the Catholic Church?

It undermined the authority of the church hierarchy. Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, which group would have been least affected by the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in the 16th century?

Jewish People. Signup and view all the answers

According to the author, which is the most pervasive technology?

Television. Signup and view all the answers

What possible long-term effect of television does the author suggest?

A decline in the importance of the printed word and school teachers. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, which characteristic best describes capitalists?

A radical embrace of innovation, often disrupting established traditions. Signup and view all the answers

The author cites Bell, Edison, Ford, Carnegie, Sarnoff, and Goldwyn as examples of individuals who:

Radically reshaped society through capitalist ventures and technological innovation. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is a potential negative consequence of the 'Age of Information'?

It may blind us to the true sources of our problems. Signup and view all the answers

What is the author's stance on the regulation of capitalists?

Capitalists should be closely monitored and disciplined due to their potential to disrupt societal institutions. Signup and view all the answers

The author implies that technological advancements have what kind of impact on society?

They create both advantages and disadvantages for different groups of people. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what has had the greatest impact on American Education?

Standardized testing developed and managed by people in New Jersey. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is a primary force that has changed the American political landscape?

Entrepreneurs who manage the large television industry. Signup and view all the answers

What underlying question does the author suggest we should ask about those who enthusiastically promote computer technology?

What are their motives, whom do they aim to empower, and from whom will power be taken? Signup and view all the answers

What unintended consequence does the content attribute to the influence of television on American politics?

An increased emphasis on the physical appearance of political candidates. Signup and view all the answers

The statement, 'To a person with a computer, everything looks like data' suggests what key idea?

Technology shapes our perception and interpretation of the world. Signup and view all the answers

Identify the statement that mostly accurately reflects the author's argument regarding the impact and ability for information to solve the identified global issues.

Information is necessary, but other factors are more critical in addressing problems such as starvation and violence. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, a key effect of standardized tests is that they:

Redefine the meaning of 'learning' by reorganizing the curriculum to accommodate the tests. Signup and view all the answers

What underlying tension is highlighted in the content regarding the nature of capitalists?

Their inclination to challenge social institutions may be undermined by their support for family, marriage, piety, and honor. Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is the 'powerful idea' embedded in every technology?

Every technology has a bias that influences how we perceive and interact with the world. Signup and view all the answers

Fill in the blank with the most appropriate word, according to the content: 'To a person with a TV camera, everything looks like an _____'.

Image Signup and view all the answers

Why does the author emphasize the importance of questioning those who promote computer technology?

To understand the underlying interests, power dynamics, and potential biases associated with its adoption. Signup and view all the answers

According to the passage, what primary concern is absent when television transforms into a 'vast and unsleeping money machine'?

The destruction of meaningful political discussion. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of Roland Barthes's usage, what does it mean for media to become 'mythic'?

Technological creations are seen as naturally occurring, like a part of the environment. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it considered 'dangerous' when a technology attains a 'mythic' status?

It is readily embraced without considering its potential for modification or control. Signup and view all the answers

What reaction does the author expect from the average American if television broadcasting started later and ended earlier?

Ridicule, perceiving it as an attempt to alter something perceived as a natural order. Signup and view all the answers

What is the essence of Pope John Paul II's remark about science and religion?

Science can correct religion's errors, and religion can prevent science from becoming an obsession. Signup and view all the answers

According to the passage, what can our enthusiasm for technology transform into?

A type of reverence, viewing technological beneficence as a certainty. Signup and view all the answers

How should technology ideally be regarded, according to the author?

As a suspicious outsider, not as an inherent component of existence. Signup and view all the answers

According to the passage, what ultimately determines whether technology is used for good or evil?

The level of awareness humans possess regarding its effects. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change

Technological change is a trade-off, offering advantages and disadvantages (a "Faustian bargain"). Often, the negatives outweigh the positives.
The benefits and harms of new technologies are not distributed evenly. Some groups gain, some lose, and some are unaffected.
Each technology embodies underlying ideas or philosophies. These ideas influence how technology is used and its consequences.
Technological change is ecological, not additive. It transforms everything, not just adding to existing things.
Technologies can become mythic, appearing as natural, unavoidable forces rather than human creations. This makes them difficult to critically assess and control.

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Description

Explore five critical insights about technological change, including its dual nature as a trade-off and the uneven distribution of its benefits and harms. Understand how each technology reflects its underlying philosophies and influences society as a whole. This quiz will help you critically assess the implications of technology in our lives.