Technology and Social Change HSB Grade 12 Challenge and Change Unit 2

What is technology? The creation of tools, objects, or methods, that extend both our natural abilities, and later our social environment. Anything from a coffee cup to and ipod can be viewed as technology.

What was the greatest invention of the millennium which has impacted the most change? The printing press in 1450 This invention took the process of reading out of wealthy circles and monasteries and into the hands of the ordinary people Books became more affordable and became the method of choice when circulating new ideas Johanne Gutenberg He created the printing press in 1450 This invention took the process of reading out of wealthy circles and monasteries and into the hands of the ordinary people Books became more affordable and became the method of choice when circulating new ideas Martin Luther used the printing press to his advantage in the 1500s when he challenged church doctrine starting off what has come to be known as the Reformation While the printing press brought us many good things it also changed the way we tell stories Memorization and oral recitation begin to lose favour after the printing press The church starts to lose some of its control over the congregation as bibles become more accessible to the public Luther uses the printed word to start the Reformation

Technology bring with it a degree of social change… Technology challenges the nature of change. Does change begin with the individual or the technology? Technology has strongly affected the way societies are designed and how they keep changing People receive their information more quickly People can communicate in different ways Negative and positive consequences to the introduction of new technology Social Change Theory looks at the factors contributing to change within the structure of society Change has to start with society and a belief that change is good and warranted Does change begin with the individual or the technology? A new concept suggests that social change can be initiated by another force: technology. This is called technological determinism: the invention of a particular tool (ie. Computer) takes on a life of its own after it has been introduced, with society simply reacting to the new technology. 12

Technological Determinism Thorstein Veblen (1857-1929) – first proposed theory Technological Determinism – a view that social change is initiated by technology and not necessarily the individual. Sees invention of a particular tool, such as the computer, as taking on a life of its own after it has been introduced with society simply reacting to the new technology. The impact and effect is out of our control once introduced in society. “We shape our tools, and and tools shape us ” -Marshal McLuhan

Coping with Technological Change – Positive or Negative??? 13

Using Technology for Social Change

networks for mobilizing — Getting members out Many groups use social networks for mobilizing — Getting members out to an event to sign a petition to donate for a cause. focuses on organizing — creating an educated constituency of people who can motivate others.

Social networks are an integral part of an organizing strategy, because communication and engagement are what they're all about. Watch Twitter Video

New Technology = New Stress Technology can have a negative side effect. i.e freedom to access information such as pornography, hate propaganda, etc. Keeping up with the speed of technological change future shock disorientation brought on by technological advancements, creating a sense that the future as arrived prematurely hyperculture refers to the overwhelming rate of change in modern technological societies Overdependence load Technosis an overblown attachment to or overdependence on technology While we are for the most part eager to accept and use new technological advancements we have to be aware of the negative consequences of these technological advancements Internet has allowed many people to access useful information but has also allowed easy access to porn sites, hate sites and other dangerous sites on the web that parents don’t want their children seeing Society has grown so dependent on technology that when it doesn’t work we feel tremendous anxiety The invention of new technologies brought about a new “mass culture” that all social classes could participate in (ie. Radio/ TV saw families gain new methods of entertainment) Electricity and heat and new appliances become important in homes as people’s lives become easier – this is not true in every case as it did not necessarily mean that women had a lighter workload, they were just expected to do more Social Isolation: Addictive use of TV / video games / internet can lead to social isolation, increased depression, academic failure, financial debt of job loss Societies have relied on social interaction and dialogue for centuries to survive, what happens if this element is taken out of our lives? Example- room that is centred around the television; individual who spends all time in front of a computer would lack social skills

Theory on Cultural Lag William Ogburn –analysis the effects of technology and the environment. Developed the theory of Cultural Lag. Cultural Lag describes the process of integration to technology. Acceptance of new technology goes through three phases: Invention Discovery Diffusion. If all three are verified then technology has been successfully integrated into society. Technology introduces change that temporarily destabilizes society and, until society adapts, a period of transition occurs. Ogburn identifies that there are a group of people that impede change that technology may bring by resisting and rejecting technology. Members who oppose technology are referred to as “Luddite”

Resistance to Change “Luddites” is a term taken from the name of people who belonged to a secret society whose goal it was to destroy new textile machines during the early years of the Industrial Revolution in England, 1810. Watch “History of Luddite” (3.45)