In Chapter 2 of Technology Matters, David Nye poses the question “Are technologies deterministic?” (Page 17) He first exploded this question by explaining how at first Japan refused to use guns, it worked for a while. “A society or a group that is able to act without outside interference can abolish a powerful technology.” (Page 18) He than goes onto explore whether technology is inevitable or not. It is simply up to the individual they do not need the newest technology, its their choice whether they get it or not. “Awareness of particular tools or machines does not automatically force a society to adopt them or to keep them.” (Page 20)
“People become enmeshed in a web of technical choices made for them by their ancestors. This is not determinism, though it does suggest why people may feel trapped by choices others have made.” (Page 21) I feel like many times he answered his own question by stating that it is very common for people to follow along with society and keep themselves up to date with the newest technology. However, it isn’t the only option, if you really think about it you don’t need the new flat screen televisions or you didn’t need to upgrade your cell phone to the new iphone.
“Rather than assuming that technologies are deterministic, it appears more reasonable to assume that cultural choices shape their uses.” (Page 21) I feel like this quote sums up my response to David Nye’s question. I don’t feel that technology is necessary deterministic. I agree that we can not control what is being invented but we can control if we use the product or not. Its our culture though that determines which devices of technology we use. It matters where you live, who you live with, or how much money you have or even how much you want to show off your money.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Blog to Essay
When I read “Cat’s Cradle” I focused on the technology aspect of the book. I think this is why I decided to write my essay in the way that I did. I tried to really look into how Vonnegut was portraying technology. Also, I tried many times to compare Vicente’s idea on the human factor into “Cat’s Cradle”.
Throughout reading “Cat’s Cradle” I highlighted quotes that I found were interesting or important to the story. I feel like this helped me a lot throughout writing my essay. If I was stuck in an error I would look through these quotes and it would help me keep my essay flowing. With my notes from “The Human Factor” I took down a lot of notes about what exactly the human factor is and some examples that she used in her chapter about it. Taking those notes helped me to compare the human errors that were also made during situations in “Cat’s Cradle”.
I feel like when I started reading “Cat’s Cradle” I should of made notes as I was reading on how “The Human Factor” was different than Vonnegut’s novel. I think having notes on this would have made it easier, instead of at the time I was writing the essay trying to think of how the two stories contrasted. I really don’t think I said at all in my essay how the two were different; it may have been interesting if I decided to do that.
I liked doing the peer editing online. It was a lot different than when you physically have their paper in your hands. I think when I have the paper to write on I write a lot more comments. However, with doing it online I feel that I concentrated more on how to expand their ideas and trying to help them make their paper better. Normally, I just stick to fixing little grammar errors and spelling mistakes. I think it is more helpful for the writer to get comments on how to fix there overall paper than just a few spelling mistakes.
It was difficult for me to move from writing a blog to writing a formal essay. I think that in general I just would rather write blogs because I feel like I have more freedom to say what I feel and I worry less about my grade. However, once I got started writing it became easier because I did have my blogs to look back on and to read my ideas and put them into my new essay. Its easier to have already written about a topic instead of just reading a book and going straight into a formal essay. Also, now that I have written the essay I feel like my blogs will be better because now I know what to write in them to help me for when the next essay comes along.
Throughout reading “Cat’s Cradle” I highlighted quotes that I found were interesting or important to the story. I feel like this helped me a lot throughout writing my essay. If I was stuck in an error I would look through these quotes and it would help me keep my essay flowing. With my notes from “The Human Factor” I took down a lot of notes about what exactly the human factor is and some examples that she used in her chapter about it. Taking those notes helped me to compare the human errors that were also made during situations in “Cat’s Cradle”.
I feel like when I started reading “Cat’s Cradle” I should of made notes as I was reading on how “The Human Factor” was different than Vonnegut’s novel. I think having notes on this would have made it easier, instead of at the time I was writing the essay trying to think of how the two stories contrasted. I really don’t think I said at all in my essay how the two were different; it may have been interesting if I decided to do that.
I liked doing the peer editing online. It was a lot different than when you physically have their paper in your hands. I think when I have the paper to write on I write a lot more comments. However, with doing it online I feel that I concentrated more on how to expand their ideas and trying to help them make their paper better. Normally, I just stick to fixing little grammar errors and spelling mistakes. I think it is more helpful for the writer to get comments on how to fix there overall paper than just a few spelling mistakes.
It was difficult for me to move from writing a blog to writing a formal essay. I think that in general I just would rather write blogs because I feel like I have more freedom to say what I feel and I worry less about my grade. However, once I got started writing it became easier because I did have my blogs to look back on and to read my ideas and put them into my new essay. Its easier to have already written about a topic instead of just reading a book and going straight into a formal essay. Also, now that I have written the essay I feel like my blogs will be better because now I know what to write in them to help me for when the next essay comes along.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
See the cat? See the cradle?
Throughout Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” and Kim Vicente’s “The Human Factor” they explore the good that technology brings to us but also the struggles that come along with it. I feel that both have the question in it that if technology is actually becoming this dangerous, should we continue to invent these harmful things? Should some things just be left to the imagination? Like Newt says, “No wonder kids grow up crazy. A cat’s cradle is nothing but a bunch of X’s between somebody’s hands, and little kids look and look and look at those X’s, no damn cat and no damn cradle,” (Vonnegut 166). I think like the cat’s cradle may be a metaphor in the novel for technology. Like having imagination for the game cat’s cradle people may need to start using a child’s imagination to see the negative effects new technology could have on the future.
“More and more, we’re being asked to live with technology that is technically reliable, because it was created to fit our knowledge of the physical world, but that is so complex or so counterintuitive that it’s actually unusable by most human beings,” (Vicente 17). I think Vicente is wondering if technology is becoming too advanced for human knowledge. For the case with Leonid Toptunov the technology was too complex for him, which resulted in 31 deaths including his own. “The problem was that the plant designers hadn’t paid enough attention to the human factor—the operators were trained but the complexity of the reactor and the control panels nevertheless outstripped their ability to grasp what they were seeing,” (Vicente 11). I feel that Vicente is trying to show us in this example how technology is getting out of hand, that these workers did what they were trained to do but they weren’t informed about what this technology is capable of. He raises awareness that with these technological advances humans now have to make advances with the technology to keep up and be informed of what dangers are involved with using it.
I think he reaches a good point by saying, “Human beings are capable of doing some pretty remarkable things, but if we become alienated from technology our full capacities won’t be realized,” (Vicente 18). I feel like he is saying that humans have the power to create a lot of miraculous things and have talented ideas; however with technology can anyone just come up with these gadgets and ideas. Maybe now we only try to create new technology instead of concentrating on improving our quality of life, we are creating machines to ‘improve’ it for us.
I feel like Kurt Vonnegut’s ideas in “Cat’s Cradle” are also about if technology is going too far. I feel up until the atomic bomb, science and research was purely considered a good thing, it was meant to improve lives and make your day easier. “Science has now known sin,” (Vonnegut 17). I feel like Vonnegut says this because after the atomic bomb is when questions starting raising about what technology can really do to our lives.
I wonder if Vonnegut chose to write about the apocalypse because he is scared to see what technology will be in the future. “This I assumed: tornadoes, strewing the poisonous blue-white of ice-nine everywhere, tore everyone and everything above ground to pieces. Anything that still lived would die soon enough of thirst—or hunger—or rage—or apathy,” (Vonnegut 264). I wonder if Vonnegut explored the idea of ice-nine so much because he thinks there is a possibility of something happening like that. Also, I wonder if he was exploring ice-nine because he sees technology as humorous, maybe as though some of these new ideas seem out of the ordinary.
One thing that is clear in Vonnegut’s novel is the roles humans play when it comes to technology. I feel this is how Vicente and Vonnegut connect. I think Vonnegut based his story off of the life of Hoenikker to show the ‘human factor’ in technology. Just because the person has the intelligence to create something like ice-nine should they? I feel like Vonnegut’s answer to this would be no. The end of his book ended with ice-nine being the end of the world. Maybe he is showing that technology is going too far.
Whether we approve or not technology is going to continue to grow and expand. Maybe we just have to be concerned about who is holding this powerful technology, can we trust someone who is capable of making something as powerful as the atomic bomb not to do anything with it? Vicente may answer that humans make mistakes, with technology now though these little mistakes can be fatal. Vonnegut may answer we can’t trust these people because how do we know if they are creating it just to prove it to themselves that they can or if they are creating it to destroy something. Maybe it is time to start using our imagination to think of what could be instead of making it reality. “See the cat? See the cradle?” (Vonnegut 179).
“More and more, we’re being asked to live with technology that is technically reliable, because it was created to fit our knowledge of the physical world, but that is so complex or so counterintuitive that it’s actually unusable by most human beings,” (Vicente 17). I think Vicente is wondering if technology is becoming too advanced for human knowledge. For the case with Leonid Toptunov the technology was too complex for him, which resulted in 31 deaths including his own. “The problem was that the plant designers hadn’t paid enough attention to the human factor—the operators were trained but the complexity of the reactor and the control panels nevertheless outstripped their ability to grasp what they were seeing,” (Vicente 11). I feel that Vicente is trying to show us in this example how technology is getting out of hand, that these workers did what they were trained to do but they weren’t informed about what this technology is capable of. He raises awareness that with these technological advances humans now have to make advances with the technology to keep up and be informed of what dangers are involved with using it.
I think he reaches a good point by saying, “Human beings are capable of doing some pretty remarkable things, but if we become alienated from technology our full capacities won’t be realized,” (Vicente 18). I feel like he is saying that humans have the power to create a lot of miraculous things and have talented ideas; however with technology can anyone just come up with these gadgets and ideas. Maybe now we only try to create new technology instead of concentrating on improving our quality of life, we are creating machines to ‘improve’ it for us.
I feel like Kurt Vonnegut’s ideas in “Cat’s Cradle” are also about if technology is going too far. I feel up until the atomic bomb, science and research was purely considered a good thing, it was meant to improve lives and make your day easier. “Science has now known sin,” (Vonnegut 17). I feel like Vonnegut says this because after the atomic bomb is when questions starting raising about what technology can really do to our lives.
I wonder if Vonnegut chose to write about the apocalypse because he is scared to see what technology will be in the future. “This I assumed: tornadoes, strewing the poisonous blue-white of ice-nine everywhere, tore everyone and everything above ground to pieces. Anything that still lived would die soon enough of thirst—or hunger—or rage—or apathy,” (Vonnegut 264). I wonder if Vonnegut explored the idea of ice-nine so much because he thinks there is a possibility of something happening like that. Also, I wonder if he was exploring ice-nine because he sees technology as humorous, maybe as though some of these new ideas seem out of the ordinary.
One thing that is clear in Vonnegut’s novel is the roles humans play when it comes to technology. I feel this is how Vicente and Vonnegut connect. I think Vonnegut based his story off of the life of Hoenikker to show the ‘human factor’ in technology. Just because the person has the intelligence to create something like ice-nine should they? I feel like Vonnegut’s answer to this would be no. The end of his book ended with ice-nine being the end of the world. Maybe he is showing that technology is going too far.
Whether we approve or not technology is going to continue to grow and expand. Maybe we just have to be concerned about who is holding this powerful technology, can we trust someone who is capable of making something as powerful as the atomic bomb not to do anything with it? Vicente may answer that humans make mistakes, with technology now though these little mistakes can be fatal. Vonnegut may answer we can’t trust these people because how do we know if they are creating it just to prove it to themselves that they can or if they are creating it to destroy something. Maybe it is time to start using our imagination to think of what could be instead of making it reality. “See the cat? See the cradle?” (Vonnegut 179).
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Angela && Newt
“ ‘I wish I’d seen the letter.’ She implied that Newt was too immature to deal directly with the outside world. Angela was a God-awfully insensitive woman, with no feeling for what smallness meant to Newt.” (Page 112)
This quote says a lot about Angela and Newt’s personalities. It shows that Angela may be insensitive to many things other than Newt, it also shows that she speaks her mind and doesn’t consider how people may react or how they may feel to what she is saying. I feel this quote makes Newt look like a person you can walk all over. That maybe he really is as immature as Angela makes him out to be.
I don’t agree with how Angela treats her brother throughout this novel. I feel like he is discriminated against because of his size. She has clearly taken over the novel of being his mother, however, maybe she has taken over her role too much by babying him. For example, she wanted to read the letter he wrote first. However, Newt was in college at the time which makes him perfectly capable of writing a letter too someone. I think this angers me because I think like a college student needs to experience life on their own and someone shouldn’t hold their hand through it. If Angela wants to know about things like who he writes letters too I wonder what else she makes him tell her.
I think that Angela’s character throughout the novel shows how strong gender roles were. She shows it in the way they talk about how she took care of her father, how she takes care of her brother, and how she takes care of her husband. It sounds like Angela’s husband does the work for the family and she does the housework. That is how it also seemed for when Angela’s father was alive she waited hand and foot on him. I think that with being married Angela should concentrate more on herself and her relationship that worrying about taken care and being the mother figure for Newt. Knowing all of this though maybe Angela is so insensitive because she is so busy taking care of everyone. Maybe all she knows she helping out people she is close too by providing for them.
I feel I respond to Vonnegut like this because this part of the story stuck out to me the most. Mainly because I dislike Angela’s character and I especially dislike the way she treats her brother. I wonder if she babies him because he is her younger brother who had to be raised with a mother or does he size play a factor in it? Is she really as insensitive as she is made out to be? Also, is Newt really okay with the way she treats him and the way she talks to him?
This quote says a lot about Angela and Newt’s personalities. It shows that Angela may be insensitive to many things other than Newt, it also shows that she speaks her mind and doesn’t consider how people may react or how they may feel to what she is saying. I feel this quote makes Newt look like a person you can walk all over. That maybe he really is as immature as Angela makes him out to be.
I don’t agree with how Angela treats her brother throughout this novel. I feel like he is discriminated against because of his size. She has clearly taken over the novel of being his mother, however, maybe she has taken over her role too much by babying him. For example, she wanted to read the letter he wrote first. However, Newt was in college at the time which makes him perfectly capable of writing a letter too someone. I think this angers me because I think like a college student needs to experience life on their own and someone shouldn’t hold their hand through it. If Angela wants to know about things like who he writes letters too I wonder what else she makes him tell her.
I think that Angela’s character throughout the novel shows how strong gender roles were. She shows it in the way they talk about how she took care of her father, how she takes care of her brother, and how she takes care of her husband. It sounds like Angela’s husband does the work for the family and she does the housework. That is how it also seemed for when Angela’s father was alive she waited hand and foot on him. I think that with being married Angela should concentrate more on herself and her relationship that worrying about taken care and being the mother figure for Newt. Knowing all of this though maybe Angela is so insensitive because she is so busy taking care of everyone. Maybe all she knows she helping out people she is close too by providing for them.
I feel I respond to Vonnegut like this because this part of the story stuck out to me the most. Mainly because I dislike Angela’s character and I especially dislike the way she treats her brother. I wonder if she babies him because he is her younger brother who had to be raised with a mother or does he size play a factor in it? Is she really as insensitive as she is made out to be? Also, is Newt really okay with the way she treats him and the way she talks to him?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Human Error in Technology
I feel that one of the main disadvantages to technology is the way that humans use it, mainly because of the errors made when using it. Kim Vicente’s “The Human Factor” also agrees with this. She states, “Never before in the history of human civilization have we so quickly amassed so much knowledge of science, mathematics and engineering, and never before have we seen tremendous advances in technology.” (Vicente 14) I feel like Vicente is saying that because technology is becoming so advanced so fast it is impossible for anyone to keep up. I feel that it was a good idea for her to use different examples of human error. The examples went from technology as powerful as mistakes in a nuclear power plant to having an unorganized work schedule. It seems like a tragedy-- that no matter how extreme or normal technology is human error can occur when using it which may lead and has lead to fatal accidents.
“More and more, we’re being asked to live with technology that is technically reliable, because it was created to fit our knowledge of the physical world, but that is so complex or so counterintuitive that it’s actually unusable by most human beings.” (Vicente 17) I feel that is quote what connects Vicente to Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle”. Mainly because I feel that both authors understand scientists have the knowledge and tools to create just about anything but should they? He shows this by exploring the life of Dr. Felix Hoenikker. He is able to show that Dr. Hoenikker had the talents to create something as powerful as the atomic bomb but how it morally made him because his ‘talent’ affected the rest of the world. It also showed that because Dr. Hoenikker created the atomic bomb what else could he have made.
I feel that Kim Vicente’s ideas on technology were clearer than Kurt Vonnegut’s. This may be because Vicente talked more about particular pieces of technology and how error is has been made with them. It is just clear when you read her chapter “The Human Factor” that she is wondering if all this consequences to advancements in technology is worth the advantages. Whereas with Vonnegut’s ideas he refers just to the atomic bomb or ice-nine so you don’t know exactly how he feels on things that aren’t as powerful as that. So therefore, I get the idea in my head that he sees technology as destructive. I want to read more of “Cat’s Cradle” to maybe to get some answers to my questions about it. For example, why is he only concentrating on the atomic bomb, or more importantly on what Dr. Hoenikker’s family was doing on the day the bomb was used. As I continue to read though I can connect Vicente’s idea on the human factor more and more with Vonnegut’s story and I feel like I will be able to continue to do so with the rest of the novel.
“More and more, we’re being asked to live with technology that is technically reliable, because it was created to fit our knowledge of the physical world, but that is so complex or so counterintuitive that it’s actually unusable by most human beings.” (Vicente 17) I feel that is quote what connects Vicente to Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle”. Mainly because I feel that both authors understand scientists have the knowledge and tools to create just about anything but should they? He shows this by exploring the life of Dr. Felix Hoenikker. He is able to show that Dr. Hoenikker had the talents to create something as powerful as the atomic bomb but how it morally made him because his ‘talent’ affected the rest of the world. It also showed that because Dr. Hoenikker created the atomic bomb what else could he have made.
I feel that Kim Vicente’s ideas on technology were clearer than Kurt Vonnegut’s. This may be because Vicente talked more about particular pieces of technology and how error is has been made with them. It is just clear when you read her chapter “The Human Factor” that she is wondering if all this consequences to advancements in technology is worth the advantages. Whereas with Vonnegut’s ideas he refers just to the atomic bomb or ice-nine so you don’t know exactly how he feels on things that aren’t as powerful as that. So therefore, I get the idea in my head that he sees technology as destructive. I want to read more of “Cat’s Cradle” to maybe to get some answers to my questions about it. For example, why is he only concentrating on the atomic bomb, or more importantly on what Dr. Hoenikker’s family was doing on the day the bomb was used. As I continue to read though I can connect Vicente’s idea on the human factor more and more with Vonnegut’s story and I feel like I will be able to continue to do so with the rest of the novel.
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