Technology has paved its way into everyday life and is continuing to display its heavy influence on society. To many Americans technology poses as an “easier” way of living. One can simply whip out their mobile device and Google any question that comes to their mind at any given time. This concept seems to be completely fine to many Americans and most seem to be comfortable relying on technology to give them information. Because of peoples’ willingness to do things to live an easier life, they fail to realize that their ability to learn is now at the hand of another person. This process is the spark of American naïveté. In a political cartoon titled “Americans’ Concern over Ebola”, illustrator Jack Ohman from the Sacramento Bee uses his understanding …show more content…
His eyebrows are raised, and his eyeballs all inflated with terror. His mouth is ajar, furthering the impression of his freight. Above his head on a bright yellow backboard, is a bubble with the word “EBOLA!!!” written in huge, bold letters. Ohman relies on the audience to understand that the color yellow exemplifies caution. Yellow can be used to signal individuals of upcoming dangers, such as yellow road signs “warn drivers of upcoming curves” (Incredible Art). As the man appears to be disturbed at the possibility of contracting a mysterious, “deadly” disease, he is holding a large burger that seems to be dripping onto his right hand. Alongside the burger are supersized fries and a drink labeled, “SUPER BIG” in vivid letters, with a bendy straw emerging from the top. The word “BIG” is presented in red font. According to the Incredible Art Department red symbolizes power, passion, and intensity. Ohman uses this ostentatious color to personify the overbearing, controlling nature fast food has on Americans. Ohman also elucidates young adults’ corrupt attachment to upsizing their already unhealthy meals. The bendy straw is meant to complement the idea that Americans’ reliance upon convenience is lazy by implying that it would be “too much” work to pick up the cup instead. This is also evident as Americans’ lazily rely on technology to learn new material rather than learning the information
Novelist, Eric Schlosser, in his novel, “Fast Food Nation”, expresses how fast food has spread. Schlosser’s purpose is to make us see how addicted we are to fast food. He adopts a shocking tone through the use of diction, Logos, and diction in order to get people to make better choices. For starters, one of the strategies that Schlosser used in this text is diction. Diction can be defined as style of speaking or writing determined by the choice of words by a speaker /writer.
This ongoing has been a large discussion for many people. He exemplifies that through Eric Schlosser of the “Dark Side of the All-American Meal” (2001) and how San Franciscans, fretted largely about, “the nutritional dangers to their children’s health, began the last century by banning “roving pie vendors” who catered to the “habitual pie-eating” habits of schoolchildren and prohibiting the sale of soft drinks on school campuses.” (Leitcher) The question then becomes at the center of all the health promotions advertised, the advice spoken, and advocacy, to what lengths do one literary novel change the social fabric of how Americans look at food
“The more one contemplates the hot viruses, the less they look like parasites and the more they begin to look like predators” (Preston 136). There is many different viruses around the planet; each spreading and mutating, jumping from species to species, picking out and taking down their prey. Richard Preston identifies viruses as predators in his novel, The Hot Zone, to show just how lethal they really are; the worst being the hot agent Ebola. The Ebola virus is the most dangerous hot agent, with high fatality rates, mutations, and limited survivors.
This generation no longer have to keep remembering every single material they are learning. Or have to go back to the library and spend hours to find the book they used for an assignment. As Kosil and Marcel say, “We are gradually changing from a nation of callused hands to a nation of agile brains … Insofar as new information technology exercises our minds and provides more information, it has to be improving thinking ability” (Source B). This shows people have technology right between their finger tips which enables them to think beyond just the facts. It is no longer only sticking to the facts.
Over time Americans have become less literate due to the experiences they have endured as well as the technology acquired through time. Technology has affected the American culture by aiding research, health care and even education. It may therefore come as no surprise that some people may find various technological advancements as negative since they require less human effort and thinking. Some may even argue that inventions such as the cell phone or even the internet have all aided in child obesity, lower grades, and lack of knowledge when it comes to learning the “old fashioned way”. When it comes down to literacy, it depends on which of the various definitions of literacy is used.
People believe technological advances are changing the public’s mind that they must avoid and restrain from using the technologies because they are destroying our experience with real life. This new movement is educating
In Malcolm Gladwell’s, The Tipping Point, the second chapter discusses the law of the few. While many people think it doesn’t matter what person an idea comes from, Gladwell explains that there are three main groups of people that help epidemics spread. The word epidemic is usually associated with deadly diseases, but Gladwell uses this word in a different context. When he uses the word epidemic he isn’t referring to sickness, but an idea or trend when it hits its tipping point, and begins to spread rapidly from person to person, much like a disease in an actual epidemic. Through Gladwell’s research, these people, known as connectors, mavens, and salesmen, have fundamental roles in creating tipping points.
Clay Shirky, the author of “Does the internet make you smarter?” wrote about how ignorance has poisoned the internet with incorrect information. Not only does technology has its flaws, but so do books and novels dating back to the Protestant Reformation. Even though many people are against the internet Shirky reassures that if used correctly and appropriately, then it can become a very useful tool that can “tap our cognitive surplus”. The increased collaboration of technology is important to society for the reason that the internet is full of valuable knowledge that can be claimed very quickly and easily. Increased collaboration is absolutely a benefit.
The Influence of Technology In the essay, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Nicholas Carr argues that utilization of the internet has an adverse effect on our way of thinking and functioning in everyday life. Whether it be reading a newspaper, or scrolling through Facebook, internet media has forever stamped its name in our existence. Carr explains to us that the internet is a tool used every single day in today’s society, but also makes most of us complacent with the ease of having the world at our fingertips.
Neil Postman Rhetorical Analysis Inventions are changing before our eyes and the world does not seem to question what new technology reveals and what its consequences will be. In the future of technology, there are many individuals who see technology as either a sanction or a burden. Many individuals cannot seem to imagine a world with no technology, however, there are many others who argue that humans are becoming too dependent on technology instead of their own observances and cognition. Technology continues to develop and has become affected people’s everyday life. This issue is addressed by an American Critic and an educator by the name Neil Postman.
Imagine living in a world without any internet. Imagine the amount of trouble a person would require to go through in order to find out the simplest things. The internet nowadays has become an essential part of almost every human being’s life. Cutting the internet off for just one day my actually leave the world in a state of commotion. Every type of technology may be used in either a way that benefit’s a person, or a way that may harm a person.
In today’s modern society technology plays a huge role in everyday life. Technology has a big position in education. Today students use laptops for school on an everyday basis to take notes, work on assignments, and research. Many people agree that, when it comes to education, technology can either be very harmful or very helpful. Timothy D. Snyder, a history professor at the University of Yale has written five award-winning books.
To begin, enjoying a meal from McDonald’s is the symbol of American culture. The fast food industry was one other major forces to shape modern life in the U.S. When asked to think of a word to describe America, majority of citizens as well as immigrants would say the “fast food”. For example,in 2001 a rebel group led by Jose Bove decided to protest the restrictions on trade set by Unites States in France and as a form of protest they destroyed a symbol of United States, a local McDonald 's, which demonstrates that McDonald 's is a representation of American culture and thus eating at this establishment is seen as an American tradition as well as the most American action a tennager can perfrm.
“Don’t Blame the Eater”, written by David Zinczenko, is a short article discussing how fast food is the main cause of childhood obesity. This article came about in relations to two kids filing a lawsuit against McDonalds for making them fat. He begins his piece by sympathizing with these individuals because he used to be like them. Zinczenko then informs the reader of his background and how he fell into the category of being dependent upon quick and easy meals. In an attempt to provide a valid argument, he debates on how kids raise themselves while their parents are at work and that the nutritional values are not labeled upon prepared foods.
In only a couple of decades, technology has imbedded itself into people’s lives, to the point it would be difficult to live without using technology. In Neil Postman’s speech “Informing Ourselves to Death,” he explains how not all technology is being used for what its original purpose was, and how people are starting to drown in the useless information technology gives. Postman also makes the claim, “And therefore, in a sense, we are more naïve than those in the Middle Ages, and more frightened, for we can be made to believe almost anything” (5). Though Postman gave this speech about thirty years ago, this accurately describes modern society. Technology was meant to help people learn and improve their lives, but it has instead increased the naivety of the world.