What is Technology - My Thoughts

What is Technology – My thoughts
I think this is a very tough question because technology can be many things for different people. For my grandfather, it is his home telephone, remote control, and the satellite dish. For me it includes such things as my cell phone, the internet, my blog, Shutterfly, Facebook, and Skype. To my former students, it’s online gaming, music sharing, texting, and instant messaging. Technology is a medium, a tool in which you use to communicate, share, and receive information.

Culture
I think our culture shapes how we use and interpret technology. If your demands are high, such as mine, then the technology is used more and it reflects the culture and world in which I choose to work and live in. But on the flip side, my grandfather’s world and culture is very different. He has no draw to that world and sees no point in connecting in that manner.

Mixed benefits
With that being said, I do believe technology has mixed benefits, as illustrated in the posting detailing, “Not all tech users sold on benefits, study says” (Associated Press, 2007). I would categorize myself somewhere between an “Omnivore” and a “Connector.” I use technology all day long but I strive to be mindful not to lose the human connection. That is where I think the biggest mixed benefit resides; with all of the technology we have at our fingertips, it’s easy to stop the face to face interactions for a quicker and easier method.

Example - Email
For example, I used to sit in a large room with four other desks and instead of turning around and talking to my coworker, I would sometimes shoot her an email. How many people can say that they do the same thing?
Email is a powerful tool that can get work done across the miles in a fraction of a second, but when does email inhibit the verbal communication? When does email create miscommunication when we depend on our written word to be determined by others? How has email affected the culture of grammar conscience individuals?