English 100 – Assignment 1
Diagnostic Essay Topic
The 1950's brought television into the home. The 1990's have brought the computer into the home. Compare and contrast the domestic impact of these two "revolutions" in technology. To what extent are they similar? Are there crucial differences?
Learning Tools or Simple Pleasure?
There are negative and positive issues that come along with technologies such as televisions and computers. They are both filled with tremendous potential and everybody should exploit that potential to gain valuable knowledge. The television and computer can be used for pleasure or relaxation and to get information to a wide range of people, but they are quite different types of learning tools.
When working long hours, a person has to have some sort of time in the day to relax. I find that many people, who are not active, tend to get trapped into the ease of television. The television is a unique type of technology that has no physical activity involved and I refer the label of couch potatoes to people who love to watch the television and do little or much else. Similarly, the computer is considered to be relaxing because of the emailing, live chats and the television game shows. It is a little more hands on, but the enjoyment or relaxation can be just as pleasurable as the television. I particularly enjoy using a computer because of the live chats, ease of use and being able organize my work.
Other than a radio, the best means of getting information to people is through the television and computer. An example is the recent bombing of the world trade centre in New York City. In less than an hour of the incident, people all over the world were hearing about what had happened and you could find up to date information on news Websites. It was a horrible act of terrorism that will be remembered for a long time. However, the coverage of all the events, possibilities on who the terrorists we...