Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Man's Agency in Technology
People decide their own destiny. Yes, this is cliche but the meaning behind the cliche should not be hidden or forgotten. People have the ability to make their own decisions. People are capable of doing good things, bad things, or any other sort of thing, and people's decisions with respect to technology are included in that. People are allowed to use technology in a beneficial manner to themselves and those around them. They are also allowed to use technology to steal, cheat, lie, and for any other malevolent purpose. Many things in life, unrelated to technology, have this ability. So why is technology any different? Technology should not, therefore, be opposed out of fear. Neil Postman outlines how technology is something to be wary of and almost feared. Even though Elder Oaks understands the potential evil of technology, he does not discourage it. Elder Oaks encourages the wise use of our time in pursuit of truth, no matter the technology.
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It's true that just about any tool can be used for good or evil. But what if people don't recognize the full impact of their behavior, say, online? I especially think children are very uneducated about the benefits and dangers of the net when they first venture into cyberspace. Would you say this affects this group's ability to decide their "destiny" and should be handled differently; or do the same rules still apply?
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