2-12-08

The change seems exagerated, at least the negative
he underestimated how people

what is changing:

• the rate at which things around us change
• pace of life
• social patterns--how we socialize
  
• number and type of relationships
• how are families changing? (if not interchangeable families)
  
• everything is becoming disposable or at less permanent
• how work has taken over everyone's lives
• technology gives us larger communities
• families are scattered
• how fast is technology progressing
• how fast is science progressing
• technologies are adopted faster and faster
• things don't last as long
• we are richer so we can buy more new things
• will technological progress slow down once a technology is fully developed
• individual tehnologies hit maturity, but new products come along

does social networking fit his argument about change in relationships?

are families getting more and more scattered

• in some communities but not others
• does quick travel and better communication make it easier to move away?
• what will impact of telecommuting be?

centralization vs. decentralization
technology out of control
in recent years technology has allowed us to be more decentralized
technological change has turned over some of the old power structure

changing forms of communication

• text messaging is quicker
• how does technology fit different cultures

doubling time for technologies has become shorter
adopting new technologies--does it require a new generation

new technology is coming along and being adopted faster
what drives this?

• consumerism--people want what is new to show off
• we now expect technology to advance and to get something new
  
• we expect technology to solve our problems
• military research pushes technological progress
• businesses push new technology for profit
• advertising creates demand for new things we may not really need

Where do new technologies come from--is a particular pattern of technological development inevitable?

• technological determinism--technology follows a fixed path--is this true?
  
• history suggests no, it goes off unexpected directions (David Nye, Technology Matters)
• not preordained but came out of a need
  
• everything we can do we will do?
• failed revolution--Segway
• cloning human beings
• can you regulate it?
• it is easier (relatively) to regulate the use of a technology, harder to regulate research
• is it possible to not learn how to do certain things
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