Post Classifieds
The burdens of technological advancement
By Bryan M. Wight
On September 26, 2012
We humans have a pre-programmed, animalistic tendency to take the shortcut method whenever
plausible. It is something that has been, and forever will be, encoded into our very genetic makeup.
This notion is supported by the central fact that distinguishes us from other forms of bipedal, human-
like creatures (e.g. orangutans, chimpanzees or gorillas). We have always more effectively and efficiently
used tools to sustain our reign of supremacy.
This is the elementary principle on which our species developed. From "discovering" fire, to sharpening
stones to hunt with and eventually attaching them to sticks to form spears, the shortcut method has,
and almost always will, served humans well.
Continuing this trend, we have adopted several new forms of technology we rely far too much on to
complete our simple tasks. One ease-of-access technology we have become far too reliant on, and to
which many would attest, is spell check. This simple and handy function has deteriorated the ability of
many humans to complete the once rudimentary task of spelling.
This is a skill we practice and attempt to master in grammar school. However, due to the recent changes
in technology, it has eluded many teenagers and adults. Ironically, as we progress and more technology
is created, the need for better communication greatly increases.
Interstate and global commerce are at all-time highs. Corporate businesses are doing away with their
local warehouses and assembling goods in virtually every abyss on the planet. This means that effective
communication, be it in person, over the phone or on video calls, must be unblemished. But finding an
effective communicator is very hard in this day and age.
Personally, I would need a third or fourth hand to count how many of my friends cannot distinguish
between "your" and "you're" or between "their", "there" and "they're" without the help of a trusted
spell-checking component. It's embarrassing.
Perhaps there is an indirect relationship between the intelligence of your phone and the intelligence of
oneself. Is it the case that the smarter the phone, the dumber the person? Not always, but at times it
very well can be.
Now, using Apple's Siri or other comparable applications, one's need to read is slowly evaporating
as well. By saying a simple command, "Read me that last text, Siri," you can get the message without
having to look at your phone or talk to an actual person.
Imagine not being able to read, formulate syntax, use grammar or spell. Oh, wait we have a name for
that - illiterate.
While technologies are created and discovered with the intent to create new opportunities for humans,
they are ostensibly creating paradoxes to the very intention on which they were created. By creating
new opportunities they are also removing many opportunities. This can be good. But, as we can see, it
can also have drastic effects on our society.
Everyone, do yourselves a favor and turn off spell check the next time you write a paper for class. When
you are done turn it back on. If you have more than five errors per paragraph you should probably
spend some time thinking about this.
Aristotle once wrote in his work 'Poetics' about the characteristics of tragedy. He described the nature
of a hero as having a tragic flaw - the ignorance-induced defect that caused his or her downfall.
Humans should tread very carefully when allowing technology to complete so many of our basic tasks.
We could sightlessly be subjecting ourselves to a demise caused by the very thing that we believe to
advance us as society. Technology could, one day, be our tragic flaw.
For comments on this story, contact bscrecord@gmail.com.
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