Donna Haraway stated “our machines are disturbingly lively, and we ourselves frighteningly inert”
Tuesday, August 4, 2009 by RH
I would argue we ourselves are more inert especially with the introduction of New-Media. This notion by Haraway (blog title) reiterates what was said by Hegel in our first lecture “the master and slave can never be one of pure fulfillment for the master”, conveying how the master becomes dependent on the slave and the slave learns more inevitably the master becomes lazy and the slave takes over to rule. This concept can be true if we acknowledge technology as the slave, the way in which we depend so heavily on technology has altered our social life so it is possible to worry about our social responsibilities a lot less because technology is so reliable.
This relates to all technology not just new media, I consider the way I drive my car I’ve become a form of cyborg as an extension of myself. The car is doing a whole lot more work than I am, and knowing that I have a car I'll re-shape my day incorporating the knowledge of how long it will take to get places. Also human and non-human entities joining on a broader more global level where technology such as email at first glance allows this computer democracy, where the individual seems to be empowered. Emailing allows us to be informed and educated through the internet giving us control in what we see and teach ourselves, this is the point where we as humans seem to be active. In retrospect technology like this is changes how we run our social life which also has links to Mcluhan’s the medium is the message in terms of it not being the technology that is important but the idea that technology allows us to re-shape our social interaction. The fact technology is here allows us to be more liberated in how we run our life. Taking it a step further by allowing ourselves to communicate with such ease like email or txt it breaks down our traditional social patterns of communication. Before txting was around I had no need for it at all but now it’s here I won’t be able to last a single day without it, personally if I run out of credit and have people txt me throughout the day without txting back I feel that may think I’m ignoring them. This can be reiterated to a broader sense with email messaging especially within business institutions, which can argue the notion we inevitably becoming a slaves to technology.
I have to say that our growing dependence on technology is in a lot of ways disturbing. I think we discover the true extent of our technological dependence when it is taken away from us - like if we break our laptops or lose our cellphones - some people genuinely get depressed!
Your point about texting also highlights an interesting point that sometimes you have adapt to technology whether you want to or not. For example, I am not a huge fan of Facebook yet I have one purely for the fact that all my friends stay in contact this way. I am excluding myself socially if I don't adapt.
I agree that McLuhan's argument is really relevant here as well. I took Sociology of Media last semester and Bruce Curtis brought up a great example that when he's out for a run, if his phone goes off, he HAS to physically stop running and answer it - he polled then rest of the class and majority were in agreement. There is this fear of missing out almost.
That example to me is the power of technology's influence in our daily lives...
I take your point that we get pressured into engaging with technology but, really, can a sociologist not bear to leave his phone behind when he goes running? (Don't tell Dr Curtis I said that, mind).