Blog Post #5

For my last blog, I would like to discuss how vanity and technology have become a sick and twisted combination. Do you know how easy it is so acquire plastic surgery? Although it may be expensive, only recently have they passed laws requiring plastic surgeons to prescribe psych evaluations for their patients before they go under the knife. We have taken technology and used it to improve ourselves, but not for the better. Instead, we are becoming more alike, more standardized, and more prone to superficialness. Boob jobs, nose jobs, even reconstruction of the genitalia has become EXTREMELY popular. I find it hard to imagine waking up one morning and deciding you don't like the look of your vagina anymore, and deciding to get it fixed. Researchers say this is mostly due to the public view of men and women, particularly in porn, to be the perfect being. This is yet again another example of humans tampering beyond whats needs to be, and technology is right their aiding their way to our demise.

Blog Post #4

One of the most significantly popular and astronomically profitable additions to our technological advancement is, the iPod. Walking around a college campus, it is literally impossible to not see someone "podded" as it can be called, blocking out the rest of the world with their own personal tunes. While I personally love love LOVE the ipod, it can still be a little frustrating to feel so disconnected from the world. Hardly anyone acknowledges one another on their walk to campus, and it often puts people in their own little world. Cell phones are also an example of our increasing isolation. I cannot even begin to count the times when I have been eating lunch with someone and they have been spending at least 80% of the meal texting someone else on their phone. While I cannot complain much because I definitely am also a culprit in this situation, I still recognize how rude and disconcerting this travesty is. Even though we have a perfectly good person right in front of us to chat with, we choose to text numerous pointless messages to the many people in our contacts list. Again, I am a hypocrite, because I love to text and would never want to give it up, I still cannot help but feel that technology is slowly but surely dehumanizing us, and turning us into ADD and eternally plugged in monsters.

Blog Post #3

Many people think that technology is getting out of hand. Movies like iRobot and shows like Caprica depict humans one day even being subservient to our technological creations. While I acknowledge that most of this speculation tells a good story, I cannot help but imagine a world where this is not only likely, but inevitable. I might preach that I could agree with those who think technology is getting out of control, but I that would make me a hypocrite. Since my major is Computer Science and Engineering, I plan on being one of those doe eyed idiots who unknowingly creates man's next big threat. For now at least, technology has yet to peak, and is still growing at a controllable and beneficial rate. However, its still interesting, and slightly terrifying, to imagine the day when we take artificial intelligence a tad too far and create a electronic being that can literally, think, decide, reason, and act of its own accord. But a thinking robot alone will not end up being our downfall. What will truly cause an upheaval of power is a robot with emotions. Yes, a robot with emotions would cause a huge problem, especially one that exhibited desire and ambition. When that day comes will be the day I actually start to worry about the monsters we have created.

The Advancement of the Telephone

Once upon a time, telephones were much simpler. People connected with others through an operator, and phone lines were shared through out a community. This made conversations public for the world to hear, and rarely anything was private. A few years later, people were given individual numbers that allowed them to be contacted directly instead of through a group line. These technological advancement allowed people to carry conversations in private.

Now in modern times, cell phones are one of the biggest techonological advancements around. It seems like every other week a new cell phone is out, getting smaller and smaller, and with more ridiculous capabilities. The biggest attraction to cell phones is there mobility, giving you the ability to carry on a conversation with anyone, anywhere, at any time. This is ironic because carrying on a conversation in a public place, such as a bus or bathroom, makes conversations anything but private.

Even though we have made so many advancements with how we communicate, it seems our technology has brought us backwards. A creation that was meant to make a phone conversation better, or more efficient, merely created the same problem it had when it was originally introduced. It's ironic that when we try to advance something more and more, we still end up with the same mistakes or results that we originally.

Blog Post #2

So, while contemplating what to write about in relation to technology, I googled technological advancements. One of the first new items to come up was a "Talking Sex Robot". Roxxxy is a new invention that for $7,000 will do anything you want. Unlike previous versions she can also carry on a conversation or "respond" to your touch. In order to make her as life like as possible, she also has air pumping through her body to keep her feeling warm. Although she is not due out for months, she is already immensely popular with over 20,000 inquiries and 4,000 preorders.
I am personally a little surprised that so many people are willing to shell out such a huge amount for a doll. Although I understand the most of the people buying this product are old men with too much money and too much time, the article also suggested that female sex therapists and women were intersted in this doll as well. Still, although I'm sure "Roxxxy" is a fun time, I'm not sure she really has $7000 worth of value to her. She is fascinating for the sake of technology and how complexly she must have been programmed, but I do not understand how she could hold sometimes attention for more than a few rounds. Since she cannot literally think for herself, she will eventually run out of prerecorded sentences to moan, so after a while she will get repitive and boring. Yet at the same time, I can probably see someone getting unnecessarily attached to the doll, because not only of the sexual pleasure factor but the fact that she can hold a lifelike conversation. Plus, if you think about the money and time that is put into dinner dates, condoms, or even prostitutes, it could possibly amount to enough to make you want to spend $7000 and ditch dating altogether.
Overall, I think this glorified sex toy really is not enough to replace actual human companionship.
For further info, here is the link if you're interested:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/02/01/sex.robot/index.html