Computer and American Culture
How the Computer Has Changed American Culture When trying to envision the world of today without computers, I imagine that our lifestyles would be extremely different. "As exciting as technological developments may be...it is important to remember that people who lack the skills or the machines to tap into this information are in the same position as those a century ago who could not read or had no access to books" (240). "These new technologies have undoubtedly altered our sense of what it means to be literate" (239). Years ago, being educated simply meant that you could read and write. Today one must go through years of formal schooling to be considered scholarly. This is because, "Our sources of information have become much more diverse than they were even a generation ago," (239). Early in the century, being able to read and write was a skill that only the wealthy could attain. Those without the ability to read and write were typically poor and powerless. As education became available to nearly all of America, the amount of education past high school was the key to wealth and power. Today, information and the skills to access information are past becoming linked to success. This is in part because of the computer, which recent
These are only a few of the things that one can do on the net. Throughout this paper, I will examine the advancement of inventions, work ethics, jobs, and how the computer has changed these to make our lives easier in some ways, but more complex in others. As people become more connected, they will hopefully become more aware. Types of jobs like this allow people to have fewer distractions while working, make their own hours, work for themselves, and go to work in their underwear. People become impatient waiting for a 6-minute meal in the microwave. If it wasn't for the computer, these jobs and many other inventions may not have been possible. Because of computers, we expect services and results at a much faster pace. Where will our dreams and desires drive the technology of the future?" (241). This sort of work may be encouraged our society to be lazy. Another change that will likely occur is relaxed to home and work. Following the development of computers, American culture underwent vast and fast-paced changes. We rely too much on the capabilities of computers. There have been many advances since the initial invention of the computer fifty years ago. This new invention has enabled us to, "at any hour of the day or night, order a pizza, shoot the breeze, utter profundities, skim through library books, listen to music, look at pictures of naked girls, read poetry, watch movies and deliver tirades against the Government and the professoriat- all without the bother of having to get dressed," (Charles McGrath 261). Countless numbers of jobs have been created because of these changes.
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