response 5

Aaron Noice
English 100f
Reading Response #5
The article ‘Lest we think revolution is a revolution’ by Cynthia Selfe is a long but very intriguing article. It goes into great detail and good explanations on technology and how most just assume that it brings only positive benefits, while to the contrary there are many problems that are arising due to the vast growth of technology. She goes through narratives in the article, 3 to be precise, each explaining what the overall assumption is about the good technology brings, followed by the reality of the situation, bringing light on the problems brought on from it. For example, the first narrative is titled ‘The Global Village and the Electronic Colony’. Here she starts out by only just briefly explaining the most known assumption of technology which is that the internet, all the ways to connect with cell phones will create a giant global village that will unit everyone and help solve the problems, saying that ‘digital technology can be a neutral force, drawing people into greater world harmony’. But that statement to Selfe, is false, that there is no global village happening and technology pushes us away. She refers to this as the revised narrative, what actually is happening. She states that there are too many cultural differences and that now, with the technology, American feels they must be the leaders of a said ‘global village’. That Americans think they ‘are the smart ones who use technological expertise to connect the world’s peoples, to supply them with technology and train them to use it’. She gives the feeling of how can there be a global village if one country feels like they are in the power seat, needing to dish out technology to those they see fit.
This is something I have thought about many a time, even before reading this article, it is a subject that I care about, and I agree with Selfe almost to the fullest extent. While she states that there was an assumption that Technology will harmonize the world and bring everyone together, it really is just pushing everyone away because they feel like America is policing the technology, handing it out and training to whoever they want. That America is knowingly doing this. I feel like this is true, beyond a doubt. For me I see this being true for the fact that in hundreds of ads, and our military, it’s a constant struggle to keep updating and creating new technology, forcing ourselves to be above everyone else. I see it in army commercials where they show flashing gadgets and equipment stating you will be working with the best equipment around. Also, with television ads for tech products like T.v.s or cell phones each company boasting they have the best, slowly programming into the minds of Americans making them feel they need this technology and it will make them better, this can be seen by turning on any channel and watching the commercials.