Technopoly

Technopoly: the Surrender of our Culture to Technology by Neil Postman discuses a major problem seen in today’s world; technology taking not only our culture, but also our minds hostage. Postman identifies three cultures “tool-using cultures, technocracies and technopolies” (page 22) Tool-using culture as indicated by the name was at time before technology. When society looks back on the scientific minds of this time, such as Galileo and Copernicus, we view them as men of knowledge, challenging the accepted beliefs of the time in an effort to bring logic and science into society. Knowing what we know today, history lands in favor of these learned men. However, the tool-using society fought against these men and their ideas, jailing Galileo. Even though the men were right, maybe their society had the right idea in fighting. Postman describes an experiment on pages fifty-six and fifty-seven where he makes up ridiculous scientific news stories and records people’s reactions, sadly most believe him. Similarly, on an episode of 30 Rock the writing staff inserts fictions and outrageous lies on Janice Joplin’s Wikipedia page and laugh as Jenna Maroney acts out what has been written. While really funny, these two experiments demonstrate people’s blind belief in new information. Living in a time of constant change, we also assume facts and information change as rapidly. These thoughts fostered by the convenient and constant access to information guaranteed to us by technologies.
Instead of accepting new information society should ask the necessary question: How much should or has society surrendered over to technology? Information controls what people do, and technology now controls information. Any book used as a resource comes with an index, a place for the author to demonstrate the validity of their ideas. The Internet does not have to come with an index, or any distinct way to prove what is written derives from fact. I have no idea which source is more accurate, just wondering if in gaining an abundance of information at our fingertips, we have let down our guards and are simply willing to believe.

In the beginning, science was feared and mistrusted. When society entered into Postman’s second stage of civilization, the Technocracy age people still had doubts about technology. This age brought about the first real technological inventions and mass changes both good and bad. The skilled workers were replaced by machine. At the same time the fusion between technology and information began with the masses having access to the written word. Postman says of this time that “the technological and the traditional- coexisted in uneasy tension” (page 48). While living in Postman’s last stage, this uneasy tension may need to exist to balance out the good and bad of technology. While society has gained a great deal because of easy access to information through mediums such as school, media and the Internet, it is important to think about what is being lost; our willingness to question the flood of information given to us by technology.