Small Change Analysis

Technology is an essential part of the American life and it's constantly changing with the newer generations. A few people view technology as a positive addition to life while others believe it is a negative thing and will take over their lives. Nicholas G. Carr a well known American, the author of The Shallows a novel about the various distractions that come with internet and how people are losing key skills. In the start of the book the negative effects of modern technology on the masses. Carr’s argument is effective and flawed for various reasons such as don't include the helpful advances have improved education, medical field and business.

All advantages have corresponding disadvantages. Sherry Turkle’s essay “Connectivity and its Discontents” address her stance towards technological communication. Throughout her essay, she provides examples that illustrate how the world is consistently depending on technology for communication. Turkle’s opinion towards the issue is that, “she believes we’ll eventually sacrifice communication for mere connection.” Her examples make the reader consider that technological communication leads to human beings losing intensity in communication in both personal and professional situations because of distraction and convenience. The twenty-first century widely introduced a variety technological advancements which made people rely often on the technology. Thinking back to her opinion towards the issue I would agree with the idea that humans are becoming too attached to technology, but I would disagree that technology draws a wedge between people.

Their actions alone sparked the revolution for sit-ins and silent protesting, contributing to the Civil Rights movement. The protesters didn’t put anything on social media that allowed their sit in at the diner to grow, but simply the sight of how “people spilled out onto the street”(Gladwell 400) that grabbed activists’ attention. Gladwell observes that in the absence of social media in these events, the protesters tend to be stronger, have emotional bonds, and be more organized. The people participating in the revolt had strong connections (strong-ties), due to the fact that they all share a high risk of consequences. Talking about the dangers starting on page 404, protesters faced violence from the Klu Klux Klan and other white supremacists. Gladwell uses the examples of the revolutions in Moldova and Iran to show how while Facebook and Twitter did let people be “confident to stand up for freedom and democracy” (401), the use of that social media is a weak-tie. Social media helped bring awareness to these, but as Gladwell explains “social networks are effective at increasing participation-by lessening the level of motivation that participation requires” (408). He talks about how social

It is a great way to stay communicated with the world around you but has also created harm making it unhealthy to society. An example that it is unhealthy to our society, the film called Nosedive from Black Mirror on Netflix, a story by Charlie Brooker, it is about a woman who is desperate to boost up her social media score that she is so engaged to her technology. She doesn’t see much of her surroundings or pretends to be living in the perfect life for this being an example of isolation. She is addicted and looking for acceptance through her technology for according to Seife, “Instead of exposing us to the differences, the Internet actually encourages conformism and intolerance.”(289). Seife’s statement makes sense to the film Nosedive because the women is following traditional standards of conduct how her society is on their technology as she’s following her own beliefs. The film shows their own society having to fit in with technology through mobile devices, everyone shares their daily activities and rates their interactions with others on a one-to-five star scale, and where one's current average rating can be seen by others and has significant influence on their societal status. This film reflects and gives the idea on how our own society

In his article “Small Change: Why the Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted”, New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell complains that the casual, low-stakes activism that takes place on social media will never make a difference in the real world, and that sharing political posts online does not have nearly as powerful an effect as physical, real-life activism. He claims that the Internet allows us to feel disconnected from the issue at hand, and unless people feel true, personal outrage about something, and are willing to make concrete sacrifices, big-picture change is a hopeless pursuit. While I find myself primarily agreeing with Gladwell, I believe he doesn’t give social media enough credit for all that it can do for the world of activism when used effectively.

In many dystopian novels, technology is viewed as a benefit for a society. Today many people believe it has benefitted us but it has controlled our lives. People no longer have face to face conversations or make phone calls. The use social media to get in contact with their loved ones or simply send a text message. You walk out onto the

Gladwell’s piece explains why social media will not be an effective tool in organizing activism. He claims that social media is not a dangerous tool to truly change the existing state of affairs. Throughout his essay, Gladwell refers to many different protests throughout history and calls on the reader to discern that the events that did not use social media were better and more centrally organized and often more successful. The higher success rate in the protests without social media is cause of “strong tie“ phenomenon which is when people have an invested interest in the event due to emotional bonds and face to face social connections. An example that Gladwell uses of a successful protest was the Greensboro sit-ins. Due to face to face contact,

Forms of activism have become more prevalent in the 20th century than ever. From the use of in-person protest, sit ins, and social media networks, there is no way possible that someone does not have the tools to be voice how they feel about a certain topic or issue going on in today's society. In “Small Change, an article written by Malcolm gladwell, Gladwell’s point of view is that in person activism, like the ones that took place during the 60’s era and civil rights movement was built around” strong- ties” while social media movements which are major today, are considered and built around” weak-ties”(Gladwell). While this is a very fascinating theory, I think gladwell challenges his point of view as he begins to describe the major

The progressing changes in technology, like social media, can both push us, as a society, further and closer to and from each other and personal connections. The articles “How Computers Change the Way We Think” by Sherry Turkle and “Electronic Intimacy” by Christine Rosen argue that technology is quite damaging to society as a whole and that even though it can at times be helpful it is more damaging. I have to agree and disagree with this because it really just depends on how it is used and it can damage or help the user.

Technology has become a social norm in American society. There is always some form of technology wherever you may go. Technology affects almost everyone in a negative way. While technology continues to advance, school and work performance begins to diminish. Humans tend to get sidetracked when they focus on a certain thing for too long, and this can cause a person to slack off in daily activities. Isolation is also a result of technology; it consumes up valuable time that a person may have with family members, especially if they are in the same room. There are numerous things that are unethical about today’s technology. Some feel that technology is very beneficial to our society. To an extent, it is but morally humans should do things for themselves instead of always depending on some form of electronic for assistance or to satisfy a need. Professors and staff use every aspect of technology especially in classrooms to expand learning and to circulate information. Technology should be used for certain things but not for everything because in the past we did not have access to these things. In our present day, technology is seen as a necessity instead of something that is optional.

The effects of Social Technologies on the New Generation can best be understood through some of the basic thoughts of Neil Postman in “Five Things We Need to Know about Technological Change.” “Technology giveth and technology taketh away.” “Technological change is not additive; it is ecological. Postman clarifies this by saying, “A new medium does not add something: it changes everything.” (Postman). Finally, Postman says, “Our enthusiasm for technology can turn into a form of idolatry and our belief in its beneficence can be a false absolute.” (Postman).

The abundance of technology and social media today has led to many positives and negatives in our society. The

Technology is continuously developing and has begun creating shortcuts for the American society. As a society we need to find a balance between our technological use and our everyday life. In my opinion, society has become too dependent on technology. The more advanced technology becomes, the more it seems to be gaining control over our lives. Even though technology is offering society many beneficial qualities; it also is causing many negative effects to occur. Technology is affecting society socially, mentally, and physically.

Technology is not extremely evil at all. Douglas Rushkoff writes a keynote address at the Personal Democracy Forum named ‘The Next Renaissance’(2008). He suggest that social network has given us an opportunity to express ourself. You could become a director, a dancer, a singer; anything you are interested about could show to the public. Blog, for example, gives the ability to write

We are in the century where everything is controlled by technology. Everywhere we turn something is touch screen, high tech or smart technology. So how does all this technology impact the social benefits of those around us? For everything we participate in that has a social tie to it, we get requests to add that particular organization on Facebook and follow them on twitter. Now according to The Social Media Revolution, “many claim that social media platforms like Facebook rarely spawns deep conversations and often seem to dwell on inanities” (may, 2012) Facebook is one of the main media driven technology that gets