Social impacts of technology
Introduction
Our lives today are intertwined with technology in a lot of ways. Technology affects a lot of the
things that we do with aspects of it in use even in ways that we cannot even imagine. It is
difficult for people to even consider that there was a time civilization existed without technology.
Many of the technologies are very common today such that they have become an invisible part of
our lives. The impacts are substantial even in as much as they may not be obvious or even
understood. Technology has changed the way we live, work, play, and even how we express
ourselves. This is a well-known fact to most of us. Technology has changed civilization
considering our history, where we are now and making considerations of the future. There are
specific roles that technology plays in society that are very important. Living in an era where
technological advances are common, there are bound to be impacts on our daily lives, both
positive and negative. Some of them might be intended others unintended. Of specific interest
are the social impacts of technology trying to determine the positive and negative effects
throughout history and into the future.
As pointed out, technology is everywhere. Technology is a broad term but easy to relate to
whenever one thinks of it. Even so giving a definition or from the top of the head is not always
easy. At the core technology can be described as the application of scientific knowledge to come
up with tools that are able to address human problems. As a matter of fact, technology and
science go hand-in-hand and are key concepts of modernity (Schatzberg, 2018). On other
popular forums, technology is seen as the latest innovation in digital devices (Schatzberg,
2018). Through technological advancements there have been a lot of changes all over the world
from the Invention of the radio to steam engines and computers. These are examples that
indicate the use of scientific knowledge in creation of tools that are able to solve challenges in
communication and transport. Specific human problems have been addressed through
technology.
On the other hand, social change refers to the changes that take place in human interactions and
relationships. In return cultural and social institutions are impacted resulting in changes too. It is
always natural for change to occur and human beings are always known to desire changes. The
society will always experience regular changes from time to time even in as much as there is
always a tendency to seek stability. Considering that change is normal, and in this case social
change, there are certain factors that are bound to act as drivers for these changes with
technology being among them. Changes in a Social Change Context usually occur in the entire
community and not just in the life of a single person or a specific group. These social changes
will also tend to impact societies as a universal phenomenon. This means that these are changes
that take place all over the world despite the fact that some societies might be ahead of others
when experiencing the changes.
Technology and Human evolution
The social impact of technology on humans stretches far back during the time of early man. This
is the time during the evolution of our species. Go to point out various stages of prehistoric
technology matching them with the different stages of human evolution. The Oldowan tool in
technology example of an early tool that was used during the Paleolithic times. It wasn't all that
was characterized by crudely working table almost 2 million years ago (Britannica). The use of
such technology defined the activities the early man was engaged in. The Cognitive and cultural
development was shipped based on the tools that were used then. It all started from the simple
tools then the process of development started as man evolved all the way to realizing the
complexity of machines that we have today.
Another adoption of technology was the invention of fire early in the evolution of man. Through
the discovery of Fire more food resources and nutrients were made available. From the fire
higher brain capacities 1 locked in addition to facilitating development. The life of early man
was changed and revolutionized by the simple invention. He was able to spend leisure time and
energy and chewing and digestion of food. The ability to also be able to cook food allowed early
man to fight parasites improving his well-being.
Technological Determinism Theory
Technological determinism refers to the belief that technology is a key governing force in society
(Smith, 1994). The use of this theory get back in the early stages of Industrial Revolution. The
bottom line here is that changes in technology tend to have a lot of influence on the society more
than any other Factor. The theory admits that there are other factors that might lead to social
change and therefore have impacts on society. Even so, technology will always stand out as the
most important in having social impacts.
Technological determinism is an important concept to consider on the issue of social impacts of
technology since its interpretation in one way or the other emphasizes the significance of
technology to social change (Bimber, 1990). The technological determinism Theory points out
that the development of social structures and cultural values of a society are influenced by
technology. In order to certify technological determinism, social change should be considered to
proceed in accordance with technological change and technological change is expected to
proceed in a logical manner along a sequence that is pegged on the characteristics and laws that
Govern the technology (Bimber, 1990).
Through technological determinism, the stages in which a specific technology goes through to
have a social impact on society can be explained. Technological advancement starts out the
invention stage. This is where the new technology is created. It then goes to the discovery stage.
Here, the Invention is put in application in effect discovering benefits and drawbacks. For
instance, the Invention of weapons such as guns made it easier to kill enemies on the battlefield.
Fighting from a distance was made possible through this invention making it safer for parties to
engage in warfare since they did not have to meet face-to-face or in close range as they had to
fight using swords. Despite these intended consequences, there are also the unintended
consequences that came about such that it became possible for ordinary individuals to use guns
in killing people outside military use.
Then there is the diffusion stage. This is where a specific technology and its benefits are spread
in the entire Society. It is through diffusion that widespread adoption of a technology takes place
resulting in changes in Society. This is where old Technologies and their possibilities to suffer
replacement or being obsolete altogether happen.
Technology according to the Technological Determinism Theory is seen as a central force of the
modern world. It is seen as an important driver in defining the patterns and giving solutions to
problems that humans face on a day-to-day basis. It is ranked above other factors such as
international conflict, distribution of wealth, politics, conflicts, and gender, among others (Smith,
1994). It is therefore valid to have the thought does technological advancements indeed has the
power to drive social change and related impacts.
Due to technological determinism a lot of faith and enthusiasm was placed in technology and it
was considered as a liberating force back in the 18th century by the leaders at the time who were
pushing for enlightenment. The schools of thought behind technological determinism were both
enthusiastic and critical in considering technology as a powerful agent of social change.
Motivations of technology and Historical perspective on social impacts
It is worth noting that technology always has its drivers. These are motivations that would drive
the progress of Technology. It might be agriculture, War, or the search for prosperity. The list is
endless but it is important to point out that it is through these drivers that motivations are
identified to push the technological agenda. Many questions might be asked behind these
motivations as to whether they might have been born out of need or simply by experiment. For
instance, one of the biggest technology drivers is agriculture where Innovations have been sought
to be able to produce more food for populations all over the world. Looking at history man has
been able to push inventions to be able to produce more food. This might have been through
seeking better tools to try and make life easier or trying to get better output from the available
methods.
Whenever we make considerations on advancements of technology, it is better to rewind the
hands of time to go back in history especially during the time of World War II and the Cold War.
These are important times when technology started making significant changes in impacting the
lives of Man. Of course, science played a great role in realizing these technological advances.
During World War II in the 1940s and the time when the Cold War was just beginning, there was
an insatiable need for superior weaponry and an advantage on the battlefield. Physicists and
mathematicians were put to task to try and make sure that their knowledge was put to good use at
such a critical time. Concepts such as cybernetics were developed and expanded further even
after the war was over (Galison, 2011, p. 229).
Cybernetics was used as an idea to try and predict the position of enemies on the Battlefront so
that they can be stopped well in advance to give me literacy an advantage during war. This was
an emergency at the time and a need was created where technology Rose up to the challenge.
This was a nuisance that was born at the time that revolutionized the process of communication
and control. This was a time when the war had ravaging effects and there was an imminent threat
to humanity hence people were pushed to make inventions. At the base of it all is that a need or a
necessity is an important motivation in the development of technology. Maybe other scientists
such as Robert Houdini and Thomas Edison were also pushed by necessity fueling them towards
their inventions (Riskin, 2016).
There is also a craze and excitement that surrounds the development of new technology fueling it
even further. For the case of cybernetics, the media, the public, and other scholars were curious
to find out the scope of this new technology (Kline, 2015). People were excited at the Marvel of
technology and the way humans were developing machines at the time. Other scholars simply
wanted to be part of The Prestige that came with the new development. The media simply
capitalized on these new proceedings to make news and a name for themselves. Book and article
titles such as The Human use of Human Beings, “The Brain is a machine”, “Man’s image”,
“Machines that Think” and so on were popular at the time. It was immensely impressive to many
that machines could replicate human psychology and physiology even in as much as this had
been frowned upon earlier (Kline, 2015; Riskin, 2016; Schatzberg 2018).
It is clear that as the war waged on the opportunities were created for technology. These were
capitalized on as scientists were mobilized to make their knowledge count in the development of
technology. These efforts were productive as the inventions were not only limited to military use
but were extended to the lives of ordinary citizens. It is such efforts that have not only served as
motivations for technological development but also changing the lives of humans forever. The
war facilitated multidisciplinary contributions and public support giving developers a chance to
change the world on the technological front.
Writers from the late 19th century like Boyd also illustrated how important technology was at a
time and the social impact they had on society (Smith, 1994). Through his writings he was able
to demonstrate admiration of power, dynamism, and design of new technologies. He was able to
express how symbolic they were at the time. Developments in sectors such as electricity, novel
engineering, architecture, and chemistry were described to have not only power but they were
also seen as marvels of society (Smith, 1994). He was not the only writer who had this
perspective. Others from the time were also of the same view. The advances in technology were
described as being magical and glorious. This was a time when advances in technology and
societal development were being felt. The book in which he wrote about these "marvels of
technology" in the society was titled "Triumphs and wonders of the 19th century". He was
confident of the work that was being done at the time and he wanted to show that those
technological advancements were epic results for the society and the time.
Even in as much as the sentiments shared by Boyd may have been seen as an exaggeration to the
generations that came later, by the standards of the late 19th Century those new technologies
were justified to be expressed in the way Boyd did. The new technologies were able to
demonstrate the successes of man at the time and the progress he had made. Such successes in
technology laid foundation and demonstrated the power of technology to shape the course of
human history.
Technology and social change
With the mention of technology, social change is bound to linger at the back of the mind. This is
due to the fact that the two have a closely linked relationship. As pointed out, science and
technology have grown to be essential ingredients of life in modern times. Technology seems to
have transcended all boundaries touching the lives of human beings in a lot of aspects. Whenever
we look at the evolution of mankind, technology never seems to be far behind. From the time
when fire and the wheel were invented, the life of Man seems to be in constant progress to the
Marvel that we are today and so much potential looking into the future. In most of the
developmental stages of Man from the era of hunting and gathering, technological advancement
seems to be a clear distinguishing Factor. Hunters and gatherers, the agrarian society, the
industrialist society, and so on. A clear trend is clear here that technological advancement
distinguishes one from the other and that these are different times along the evolution of man that
the society changed tremendously. When the relationship between technology and change is
explored, the technology always appears to be on the quest for improvement (Friedel, 2010).
Technological factors play a vital role in seeing to it that there are great influences on what we
do in our lives. All along technology can be seen as a product of civilization. Taking a look at
technology we can be able to point out that social relations, human conceptions, and even
attitudes have grown to be dependent on technology. Technology can be used in many ways to
explain social change. It can be seen as a tool that has not only influenced but also changed our
Society in turn our environment. We are then forced to adapt in one way or the other. The
material environment is usually the first to change. We then make adjustments whereby our
customs and social institutions follow in making changes.
It is clear that technology and social change are not separable and that there is a clear
relationship between the two. This relationship can be better highlighted when we look back in
history. The two always seem to have a historical coexistence and they offer an avenue to get
more information about our past. Many scholars seem to have been intrigued by the relationship
between technology and social change. A lot of papers have been written and research has been
done referencing different periods in history and taking different approaches to explore the
interesting relationship between technology and social change. For instance, looking back at the
time when printing in the west was introduced, Eisenstein (1980) takes note of the fact that there
was a delicate balance between simplification and exaggeration in accurately understanding the
relationship between technology and change. Society was divided at the time with one side of the
Divide claiming that technology had changed everything while others claimed that the situation
had remained the same and there was no cause for concern. Printing brought about changes in
Society with the mindset of the people changing from a religious perspective to starting to
embrace Science.
Friedel (2010) also explores the matter of technology and social change and the article "A culture
of improvement: Technology and the Western millennium". An important aspect evident in his
article which is different from authors who write on the same subject matter is that he points out
technology will always change to seek improvements. What is common among most of these
authors is that a historical perspective is employed to be able to understand the Dynamics
between technology and the social impacts. All of them tried to remain subjective in trying to
justify how it is possible to achieve revolutionary social changes through technology.
The social Impacts of technology
Technology and industrialization
It is due to technology that Industries have grown leading to the process of industrialization.
Industrialization is a fundamental trend that affects societies all over the world (Treiman, 1970).
As countries industrialize transformations take place which is closely tied to the social structure
of societies. As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 18th-century Industries grew
tremendously. The factory system of production was the thing at the time as the family lost
economic importance. The production process was mechanized. The quality of commodities was
improved in addition to prices going down. It is through the factories that output was maximized
and the world was changed since that time. Traditional skills lost importance with a lot of
artisans losing their work. Employment opportunities are provided for in factories that were huge
accommodating up to thousands of people. The nature of the growth of economies was impacted
due to industrialization. Rural-urban migration started taking shape leading to the growth of
cities and the entire process of urbanization.
The process of urbanization
It is through the growth of industries that cities start springing up. Whenever Industries are born
in a specific area what usually follows is the development of a city. This was the case in the past
and it continues to be the case even at present. Urbanization is a process in which rural areas
change to become urban shifting the dependencies of the people away from Agriculture to other
economic activities common in cities. The behavior patterns of people soon correspond by
making changes. In recent times urbanization has become a global phenomenon. There has been
unprecedented growth in the number of cities all over the world in addition to the growth of sizes
of those that were available. People tend to move to areas that have Industries to search for
employment. Industrial areas therefore quickly develop into cities and towns.
Computer Technology
The 1990s brought about the explosion of computer technology. The way people worked was
revolutionized in the entire world. Through computers people able to work for businesses or
agencies in the comfort of their homes. People were able to transcend the limitations of
boundaries as they would be able to work away from traditional offices. There was a possibility
to connect to their offices through networking avenues. Phones, computers, and fax machines
revolutionized the entire world. Communication between people has since changed what is
avenues being exploding and changing even further. People would be able to work in different
states or even countries under the supervision of an individual in a different location. The
internet was also born taking electronic networking and step further. Ever since then the world
has never looked back.
The internet has grown to be a vital part of our lives facilitating human interactions in ways we
could not have imagined. People not only communicate but also form social bonds through
social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, among others. The internet has also
grown to be a source of revenue with most businesses shifting operations online. People are now
buying and selling commodities over the internet. A lot of businesses that depended on brick and
mortar have also been impacted negatively as trends shift to embrace online activities. Shopping
activities are conducted over the internet with other businesses taking advantage of this
opportunity to grow their presence on the internet.
The internet was initially intended for the U.S. Defense Department. This was an effort that was
intended to facilitate nuclear research programs. It was supposed to be used by individuals in
government and those leading research universities. It soon moved away from being a preserve
of few people in Society to the rest of the population. Currently, most people all over the world
have access to the internet. It is almost seen as a basic need. As pointed out, Through the internet
we can now work from home, read books and articles, conduct research, trade stocks, shop
online, communicate with others through social media websites, make presentations, attend
classes, and many more.
There are exciting new and endless possibilities that have been created by the internet. Even in as
much as there are all these possibilities of benefits and there are also concerns that are raised.
Top on the list among the main areas of concern is that children tend to be at risk of being
exposed to mature content. Uses of the internet can be able to access and download pornographic
material simply at the click of a button. Individuals can be able to trade sexual messages on
online chatting platforms without ascertaining the edge of the individual on the other side. Other
concerns include possibilities of social isolation, reckless dissemination of false information,
among others.
Social institutions
Our modes of life have also been greatly impacted by technology with social institutions being
part of the list. Families, religious practices, marriages, morality, countries, just but to mention a
few have all been impacted. The family organization has changed with roles in the family also
radically impacted. Both men and women are pursuing active lives in employment as the
industry shifts from the household. Economic organizations have moved away from the
household embracing other forms such as factories, banks and corporations. Women have been
elevated instead of biotechnology. Marriage appears to be losing the sanctity that it once had in
the past. Marriages are now seen as civil contracts rather than the view of them being sacred
Bond. There is a high rate of instability in marriages with cases of divorce and separation being
ever on the rise. Roles that the family had are being taken away by other agencies. People
becoming less religious in the perspectives and Outlook of life as they continue to embrace
secular, rational, and scientific schools of thought. Religion seems to be taking a backseat in all
this.
Through modern technology functions of the state have been changed with its activities widened
children the rules that were once part of the family. Functions such as protection of the elderly,
provision of education, keeping minorities safe, Healthcare and insurance benefits are just some
of the activities that the state has been enabled thanks to technology.
Biotechnology
Advances in technology have also been made in application to the practice of medicine. Areas
such as reproductive health, parenthood, and genetic engineering have been the subjects of
changes over the years due to technology. This changes of not only being dramatic but also
controversial with questions raised on the ethical and moral grounds. For instance, there have
been attempts that have been made towards trying to treat infertility in a lot of places all over the
world. Ovulation stimulating hormones are now possible in addition to possibilities of artificial
insemination. This has made it possible to help women who have shown inability to ovulate and
men that possess low sperm count.
It is also possible to be able to have Test Tube Babies. This is a process where eggs can be
fertilized outside the body of a woman. Women in their 50s can also have menopause effects
reversed through processes such as hormonal therapy. All these are activities that would not have
been possible without the aid of technology. Some of these procedures have remained
questionable due to questions raised on matters related to ethics, legality, and morality.
Biotechnology has also made it possible in helping couples to be able to choose the gender of a
child before they're born. This is a process of sex preselection where a number one separating
techniques are used on the sperm. Effective sex preselection has been accomplished in livestock
and also humans (Welch, & Johnson, 1999). Even in as much as sperm separation techniques are
controversial they have proven to be successful. Critics of such methods argue that they are
possibilities of creation of gender imbalances when people have a choice on the sex of their
children.
Modernization
This is a process which Modern Ways of Life and values are adopted in replacement of those in
the past. People turn to change their ways in line with the prevailing needs of the present to adapt
to the conditions, styles, and general ways of life. There are lot of things that change in return
such as the food habits, ways of dressing, speaking, food choices, preferences, ideas, recreational
values, and many others. As people embrace modernization science and technology seems to
take center stage. In this case Scientific and technological inventions have great roles in shaping
the modernization of societies. They are remarkable tools that have brought about changes in the
system of societies and social relationships. New ideologies and up being introduced to replace
traditional ones.
Development of Transport and communication
Through the development of Transport and communication national and international trade has
been facilitated in an unprecedented level. Societies have been able to interact with each other
irrespective of boundaries or geographical location. Trade has been facilitated on a large scale.
Three transport infrastructure such as roads, rails, ships, and airplanes the movement of people
and goods has been facilitated. Communication methods such as the internet and mobile phones I
also coming allowing people to communicate from all corners of the Earth. People can also be
able to send and receive goods easily enhancing interaction.
Evolution of social classes and unemployment
As people move from rural to urban areas to work in Industries, agricultural economies tend to
be turned into industrial economies. Depending on the jobs that people have and the incomes that
they make people tend to be divided into social organisation classes such as the working class,
middle class, capitalist class, among others. It all depends on the society in question.
There is also a problem that develops when technology keeps advancing. On one hand machines
will provide employment opportunities but at the same time take away other jobs. Machines are
sometimes more efficient in fulfilling some duties in addition to saving labor dispensing a lot of
individuals that were fulfilling the same roles. This tends to lead to technological unemployment.
Current and future Social impacts of technology
There is so much going on the technological front that it is easy to relate to the fact that we might
be at the brink of a technological revolution. The way we live, work, and relate with each other
have been greatly affected by technology and it is only bound to increase. The transformation
will not only be complex but it will be unlike anything we have ever experienced before. No one
can be certain on what the future holds for us but a lot will change in the society (Schwab, 2016).
The progress in technological advancements can be tracked based on the respective industrial
revolutions. The first Industrial Revolution made use of water and steam power in improving and
mechanizing production. The second Industrial Revolution is associated with making use of
electric power in mass production of products. The third industrial revolution was due to the use
of electronics and information technology in automated production. The fourth Industrial
Revolution is on the developmental stages and this is where we are. It is all about the digital
Revolution characterized by bringing together the physical and the digital spheres to facilitate the
running of our day-to-day activities (Schwab, 2016). In addition to the Fusion of the digital,
biological, and physical world, there is also bound to be a growth in the use of new Technologies
such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics, 3D printing, and the internet of things
(Ndung’u & Signé, 2020).
There are indications that things are changing on the technological front and that indeed the
fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us. Judging from the speed, scope, and impacts of tools of
technology it is without a doubt that the society is changing. We are witnessing unprecedented
technological breakthroughs and there are changes evident compared to previous industrial
revolutions. In addition, there are social distractions that cut across the board calling for
transformation in the way things have been running.
Billions of people are currently connected on their mobile phones. These mobile phones are
nothing short of Mini computers with amazing capabilities such as increased processing power,
improved storage capacity, and the power to access knowledge and information from a lot of
sources. Emerging Technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics compound further the
possibilities of a technological revolution. Aspects of artificial intelligence are already taking
over considering self-driving cars, virtual assistants, among others. Computer softwares and
technologies can be able to predict our cultural interests which is based on artificial intelligence
and the ability to collect vast amounts of data.
Considering that technological advancements are meant to improve the lives of human beings,
the fourth Industrial Revolution comes with the promises of improving the quality of life for
people all over the world. Through the digital world, technology facilitates efficiency of services
and increased pleasures of personal lives. It has become easier to get food delivered at our
doorsteps, or order for a taxi, or book a flight, or easily make payments, watch a movie, or listen
to music, among other things. It is not possible to do all these activities remotely even including
going to work as people can now work from home. Through these activities our interactions as
human beings will keep on changing. This justifies the current social impacts thanks to
technology. Transportation and communication are bound to get better as gains in efficiency and
productivity are aimed in all the Industries. The possibilities of new Markets is just developing as
people are not able to access different markets to facilitate trade between each other in different
places of the world.
Labor markets are also bound to be affected. There was a time when people moved from rural
areas to urban areas to look for employment in Industries. This is the time during
industrialization. Even so with artificial intelligence and robotics we are experiencing high levels
of automation of services. This means that human labor across various sectors has been
substituted by automation. There is a high number of people that are being replaced by machines.
These are efforts that might render the services of lot of people obsolete.
It is not easy and it will get easier as we head into the future to be able to determine the accuracy
the demands and needs of consumers. Technological gadgets such as mobile phones are able to
collect data of the users and using predictive software user trends can be determined. Through
technological developments these processes are bound to be streamlined even further to improve
the accuracy of predictions. It will therefore become easier to serve the society food specific
needs that are tailored to each individual.
New ways of consuming and providing services have also been created. Platforms have been
developed around the sharing and on-demand economy. People in different parts of the world are
therefore able to share spaces with friends, neighbors, and even strangers based on demand.
People can be able to share spaces in their cars, houses, rent out their bicycles, and many more
based on Demand and need and get an income from such activities. These are entirely new ways
of consuming goods and services in the society thanks to technology. Barriers for entry into
businesses has been significantly lowered allowing people different ways of wealth creation with
professional environments being altered in return.
It is also worth noting that through technological advancements there are a number of platforms
that have been created that have increased the capability of Citizens to engage not only with each
other but with their governments too. It is currently easier more than ever for grievances of the
people to reach those in power. People are able to voice their opinions in addition to coordinate
their efforts in trying to reach public authorities. There are also better surveillance equipment
that can be used by governments to keep track and control their populations. Similar to how
businesses can be able to collect data of consumers, governments can also be able to use
surveillance systems to not only get information about citizens but they also have the power to
control digital infrastructure. To some extent, some aspects of freedom are in one way or the
other getting Limited as people tend to lose grip of choice in terms of how the information
should be used and how they use their digital gadgets.
The identity of individuals is also bound to be affected based on the patterns for technological
use at the moment. Aspects of privacy, consumption patterns, working patterns, and leisure about
to be affected. People will have different ways of developing their careers and cultivating their
skills with possibilities such as working from home and taking classes online. The way we meet
people and keeping relationships will also keep changing. This is bearing in mind that most of
our communication will be done over the internet. There are concerns that the more we keep on
using technology the more likely lose our human capacities such as being compassionate. People
are spending a lot of time in front of the screens and we are not sure the potential effects of these
current trends. It is only a matter of time before we start seeing the effects and the potential
changes in human interaction.
Another concern of technology is that it leads to increased stress levels and isolation of
individuals in society (Mukhtar, 2013). People will use technology even in relationships and
keeping in touch with their loved ones. Such associations are not always entirely fulfilling and
people are sometimes left feeling empty. In as much as technology is viewed as a tool to ensure
that we remain social there is a certain level of "antisocial" that is being promoted (Mukhtar,
2013). The one-on-one interactions with people have been reduced and some people who spend a
lot of time in front of their screens have been quoted admitting that it makes them uneasy when
they engage in one-on-one communications and that they prefer communication over
technological gadgets.
Conclusion
It is without a doubt that the past century has been able to demonstrate the massive leaps the
technological advancements have made on the society. It is in the 20th century that we have been
able to witness inventions such as man landing on the moon, factory assembly line, the internet
among others. These have been accompanied by social changes The Impossible to come to the
conclusion that technology and social change are interconnected in one way or the other. History
plays a grateful in showing us how advancements in technology have had specific social impacts.
From this way understand our current position and can be able to point out possible social
impacts in the future. It is without a doubt that there are a number of lessons that can be learnt
from the social impact of technology.
History has been able to demonstrate that new innovations and inventions have been able to
serve man favorably in efforts such as facilitating the production of more food, creation of new
tools, in addition to making work easier. Wars have also been made devastating due to
technology such as the nuclear bombs that was dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan during
the World War II. Today the effects of technology are also ever-present in almost all aspects of
our lives. Even so it is easy to neglect or brush aside just how much the lives of people in the
past were profoundly affected by technology dating all the way back from the beginning of
civilization. Even in as much as the effects cannot be compared to the extent at which we are
being affected by technology right now the impacts were still dramatic in the past.
There are a number of lessons that can be learnt considering the advances of technology
throughout history until now, and as we look ahead into the future. Among the most important
lessons that we can take away from the social impacts of technology is that technology is not
always about coming up with something completely new. It is also cyclical in a way such that it
seeks to improve the Solutions that we have always had to our problems. Case for example is
the internet that facilitates long-distance communication making it easier to relay messages in an
instant. Before the internet we had the Telegraph that did the same over a century ago. It is only
that when the Telegraph was invented, the situation was different at the time that it did not lead
to the rapid embrace that the internet has received in recent times (Carey, 1989). In addition,
every time technological advancements are made there are always disruptions and changes in
social interaction patterns. It happens over and over again making the social impacts of
technology cyclical.
In as much as we have been able to create a virtual world using the internet where all or most of
our activities are run there, we have only managed to create an extension of the real world. The
internet should therefore not be seen as a strange virtual world. All the activities that people do
on the internet are a reflection of what we do in real life. Activities such as going for shopping,
watching movies, playing games, to all friends and family have only been transferred online
thanks to the internet. These are activities that we would have engaged in in our day-to-day life
physically but we are able to contact them over the internet thanks to new communication
Technologies.
It is also important to point out that we will always use technology if it best suits our interests.
Technology advancements are always due to the need to fulfill a certain need in Society. When
technological inventions fulfill certain needs they will quickly be adopted. A good example is the
internet that was adopted quickly as a tool that facilitate social interaction.
In addition, in as much as technology is developed to fulfill certain purposes, the possibilities are
always endless in terms of being leveraged for other uses. The social impacts should therefore be
looked at with an open mind. The effects can be both positive and negative contrary to the uses
that were considered initially. The internet is a good example in this case. Its intended use was to
allow people to connect in a meaningful way but there are a number of challenges that have been
introduced along the way. These include concerns such as those of privacy, identity theft, and
access to mature content by underage individuals. The plans for technological applications in the
future should therefore incorporate critical thinking to be able to see proper application.
We cannot also not run away from the fact that technology will always be disruptive. Whenever
new technologies introduced it always offers away of challenging the status quo. For instance,
when a television set is taken to a remote Village for the first time it will drastically change their
culture and way of life in extension. Members of that Society will be able to watch new things on
the television and in return try to copy or embrace new ways of doing things which in most times
tends to challenge what they were used to. Advanced societies are also disrupted. We no longer
go to collect video tapes to watch our favorite blockbuster movies with avenues such as Netflix
taking shape really fast.
References
Bimber, B. (1990). Karl Marx and the three faces of technological determinism. Social studies of
science, 20(2), 333-351.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Technology.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.,
Carey, J. W. (1989). Technology and ideology: The case of the telegraph. Communication as
culture: Essays on media and society, 201-230.
Eisenstein, E. L. (1980). The emergence of print culture in the West.
Friedel, R. (2010). A culture of improvement: Technology and the Western millennium. MIT
Press.
Galison, P. (2011). The Ontology of the Enemy: Norbert Wiener and the Cybernetic Vision. The
Search for a Theory of Cognition: Early Mechanisms and New Ideas, 53, 228-266.
Kline, R. R. (2015). The cybernetics moment: Or why we call our age the information age. JHU
Press.
Ndung’u, N., & Signé, L. (2020). The Fourth Industrial Revolution and digitization will
transform Africa into a global powerhouse.
Riskin, J. (2016). The Restless Clock: A History of the Centuries-Long Argument over What
Makes Living Things Tick. The University of Chicago Press.
Sanam Mukhtar. (2013). About the Impact of Technology upon Society, Munich, GRIN Verlag.
Schatzberg, E. (2018). Technology: Critical history of a concept. University of Chicago Press.
Schwab, K. (2016). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means and how to respond. World
Economic Forum.
Smith, M. R. (1994). Technological determinism in American culture.
Treiman, D. J. (1970). Industrialization and social stratification. Sociological inquiry, 40(2), 207234.
Welch, G. R., & Johnson, L. A. (1999). Sex preselection: laboratory validation of the sperm sex
ratio of flow sorted X-and Y-sperm by sort reanalysis for DNA. Theriogenology, 52(8), 13431352.