Technology, Society and Culture

About Technology

If you look at technology as tools (instruments, machinery, …), methods (systems, procedures, ….) and organizations (teams, networks, …) there is very little left out of human life activities. As the author, Daniel Chandler, in “What is Technology?” stated technology becomes so big it turns into something “amorphous” that could mean everything and nothing at the same time. It seems we are living in a turning point time, where new definitions need to be develop or even new words have to be constructed so that the different types of technology could be defined unambiguously.

Besides, the use of technology, in all its manifestations, can make people dependent of the world s/he lives in. The gadgets all around him/her can become more important as to loose control of him/her and have as a purpose of live to acquire more technology. In this sense people can become slaves of technology.

About Society and Culture

Society and culture are presented by Fernand Lubuguin, in “Beyond Melting Pot and Tossed Salad” as one dependent of the other. Both composed of members or individuals that could share social practices (culture) or belong to the same social structure (society). What is not clear is which concept is the umbrella of which: is society part of a culture or culture part of a society?

The “melting pot” metaphor as well as the “tossed salad” metaphor does not help to solve the distinction between society and culture. Lubuguin’s multiculturalism questions is left to be solved elsewhere. As different cultures share the same space (world), I wonder if just by respecting each other will suffice to say that they are part of a society that follow the same rules, although have different social practices in their closest environment/communities.

In this sense, I beleive it will be politics and governments who will help establish the “commonality or compatibility among cultures” needed for them to live in peace, without conflict.

References:

Chandler, Daniel. (2002). What is Technology?. Retrieved from the University of Wales (UK) website on August 31, 2003.

Lubuguin, F. (n.d.). Beyond Melting Pot and Tossed Salad. Retrieved The Society for Descriptive Psychology website on August 31, 2003.

Miraglia, E., Law, R., & Collins, P. (1999). A Baseline Definition of Culture. Retrieved from the Washington State University website on August 31, 2003.

What is Society?