Thursday, September 12, 2013
Lamps and Loneliness
America is working hard to help Botswana become a first world nation. Outside the cities, people live in villages with dirt roads and cinderblock homes. If you follow our culture’s natural tendency, you feel some degree of pity for them. While the desire to bless them with electricity is noble, we often do not realize the impact of modernization. As homes are connected with power, cable, and internet, families within them disconnect from the community. Children stay indoors to watch television, neighbors interact less frequently, soon the community consists only of strangers. That is the American dream in a nutshell. I’m not saying technology is evil. I love computers and advocate modernization, but often it is easy to overlook the costs. As we embrace the marvels of advancing technology we must remain aware of its impact. Otherwise we may fool ourselves into thinking we need nothing but facebook friends.
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For me I often think of the internet "expanding" and creating larger communities. It was great to hear your insight and realize that it can also destroy possibly the most important communities.
ReplyDeleteThere are some costs to technology. What are those costs? Do you feel that Botswana would gain more by paying those costs? I agree that children stay indoors more often and that is certainly a concern that I agree with. Also, what are some benefits for Botswana for industrializing?
ReplyDeleteAnd we sometimes wonder why Thoreau lived two years on the edge of a pond. I think there is some merit to that. Technology though, only expands freedom, it doesn't restrict it.
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