Based on the reading/s of the stories and on the insights you have generated from the discussions in class, write a well-composed essay on the following topics:
1) The major difference/s between past and modern/contemporary life. (ie., in the PH or in Asia)
2) The advantages & disadvantages or the good & the bad of modern life over the ways of the past generation (compared to the first questions, this time you have to place value judgements. (ie., in the PH or in Asia)
3) Based on the stories, and on your experience, how big is the role of technology in our modern lives? What role does it play? What attitude do you have towards it? (i.e., in the PH or in Asia)
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Remember when your parents would tell you how they used to use typewriters or old school whatnot's which required actual work and said you had it easy? Well a good response to that would be saying, "Hey Dad/Mom it's not easy, it's normal."To all modern Filipinos of my generation, imagine if you had to do a thesis and all you had was a typewriter and a library borrower's card. That would be ridiculously impractical--not to offend--and really stupid. You'd probably end up pissed off, with bruised fingers, a new title as "murderer of paper or Whiteout"(do they still sell that?), and your thesis would probably have somewhat outdated research--to top that off, your Professor(who might've grown up with that stuff) would probably ridicule you.
Society is constantly changing and modernizing. People who fail to follow modernization are usually scorned, left out and tend to form their own groups, ex. hippies, the Amish, poor folk.
The cliche of old (and poor) people having a hard time adapting to or rejecting new tech is sadly true. It has in fact, caused a lot of old, stable businesses to collapse or lose money. Usually at the helm of these businesses are those who have rejected or haven't taken advantage of the wonders of the information age.
With what we have now we can create a virtually limitless number of documents of various formats which can be corrected at any time and shared with people all over the world--all with just a few button presses. This may seem easy, but every other modern person is doing it so it becomes the norm and a sort of "information competition". It is human nature to adapt to survive so why do people burden themselves by sticking to old, less-productive techniques?
A lot of people fear change. Change makes things uncertain, and being the natural control freaks people are, a lot hate change. Take religion for example, notice how a lot of modern countries like Germany and Canada have catholic mass celebrations mostly attended by old folks. Where are the youth? Their access to the world via internet or satellite TV and it's numerous belief systems have probably opened their minds to be more liberal with what they can and don't have to believe in. This effect is slowly happening in Asia--but not as fast mostly due to poverty.
Technology in the information age has really changed how modern people think and react; a small online video of a dictator pointing a gun to a prisoner's head could start a rebellion in weeks, as opposed to the months needed for leaked fliers or hidden radio stations to spread the same info; the same counts for a video of a government official accepting bribe money, he could be deposed(or resign) in days; victims of an earthquake in China, who are usually revealed by it's government a few weeks after the earthquake happening, could receive cash donations within the day they posted an online picture about their ordeal.
History then, was written by a small number of historians and often changed by their prejudices or orders. Today, history is written by everyone.--Asia, a part of the world that isn't truly understood, is opening up.
Sure, new tech may make some people lazy, disconnected with reality, cost them their jobs and reputation but that usually only happens when they misunderstand and abuse modern tech. But these are just a few cons compared to the limitless benefits of modern technology to improve people's lives.
Further Reading:
1. Opinion on adapting to modern tech:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304392704576375473021288898.html
2. Guide to stay in touch with modern tech/society:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/business/retirementspecial/03Tech.html?_r=1
3. Business problems and the information age:
http://www.thesaleslion.com/technology-age-old-excuse-internet-marketing/
5. BBC article with some numbers on old and poor folk not relating to new tech:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4540595.stm
4. Good TED talk about modern tech(new media) making history:
http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html
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