We've talked about this since the beginning of the year. Any helpful tool to living life in the physical world comes with a trade-off. Some of the trade-offs are obvious, but many slip by unnoticed. These trade-offs might be well worth it, but we should train ourselves to look for them so we can at least make informed decisions about what we're choosing to give up in favor of easier living.
So that's what you're going to do right now. 1. Pick one scientific/technological advancement (high tech or low tech, it doesn't matter) that improves/eases your life, and 2. describe how it benefits you. Now comes the tricky part...3. think about what you give up (i.e., the trade-off) as a result of adopting this useful tool. Be specific and clear in this last part. The trade-off can be physical, mental, emotional, character-/virtue-based, interpersonal. Avoid trite notions, such as "texting while driving causes accidents." Think broader AND deeper (these aren't oxymoronic terms!).
Here are a list of commonplace technologies as examples...internet, smart phones/computers, wireless/cellular connectivity, electricity, batteries, jet travel....
This will be a significant chunk of your fourth quarter assignment grade (being that we don't have very many assignments). Here's the deal, you're welcome to choose one of the above topics to discuss, but, if you do, you can't earn more than 90% on the assignment. To have the possibility for full credit, you have to identify a different technological advancement on which to ruminate. Your response should be a solid paragraph. DUE TOMORROW!
Extra credit: For those interested in going a little deeper, here's a follow-up assignment DUE NEXT MONDAY. Having already identified a beneficial technology and explained the trade-off, now write an additional two paragraphs about 1. whether or not you feel this trade-off is worth it (wholly or partially); and 2. how you can add back into your life (at least, in part) what you've given up in this trade-off. Again, this should be two solid paragraphs (at least one page double spaced).
In singers' lives, microphones are a very important technology. They allow the sound of a voice to be much louder than the voice is naturally, allowing the voice to carry through big audiences. Most singers use this technology for concerts; however, they are giving up their pursuit of a stronger voice as soon as they put on the microphone. With the microphone, singers are able to rely on technology to make their voice as loud and strong as they desire and they may become complacent. They do not need to do vocal excercises to strengthen their voices anymore, and will overtime develop weaker voices due to their relying on microphones.
ReplyDeleteMicrowaves can prove to be beneficial because we are able to heat up our food quickly and it is faster than an oven. We are also able to heat the food up in a certain time so we know when exactly the food will be done so we can do something else during that time or even just wait the remaining time. However the microwave doesn't necessarily make the food tastes better, and sometimes doesn't even heat the food through completely leaving cold spots. The technology can also sometimes make us lose our "common sense" and the sense of the real world. Some people do not know how to use an oven or even cook because there are so many pre made meals that people can put in a microwave and it only takes a minute or two.
ReplyDeleteAir conditioning
ReplyDeleteWe used to have to adjust to the temperature, Now, we adjust temperature to match our current state, taking ourselves out of evolutionary loop. We have lost ability to endure. Everyone's expectations are much higher. If the car is too hot or too cold, people refuse to sit through a car ride. Air conditioning waists 14% more gas, yet we are willing to sacrifice the environment just to feel comfortable.
Winter coats:
ReplyDeleteWhile winter coats provide protection from weather and specific cold environments, they tend to make humans a little more comfortable in situations where their endurance would have originally been tested. Survival of the fittest worked to evolve humans to their environments; therefore, this added technology renders that evolution almost useless. Also, winter coats allow humans to be relatively ok in any cold environment which only furthers many peoples' sense of entitlement to be comfortable and relaxed in all situations. They almost provide a false notion that humans can conquer their environments when really, the environments should conquer the people and dictate how they live and how they develop. Of course there are obvious benefits to winter coats: they are fashionable (most of the time), protect from warmth and so on. However, the trade offs are a little more substantial than most would think.
THE DISHWASHER. (I hope this doesn't count as electricity...)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure every young person hears a story of how much better he or she has "it" (life?) than his or her forefathers ever did - I've heard my own mother share her experiences as a teenager working at Burger King, walking 5 miles under the blazing California sun in a polyester uniform that was neither cute nor climate friendly. These stories sometimes sound ridiculous because doesn't the teller bear memories of the tedium of being a young listener? Sure lady, I bet it was really hard working at Burger King...
And yet, the dishwasher is a modern convenience that makes even me, an eye-rolling listener, wax nostalgia about a time I've never experienced. The dishwasher saves time and work and it cleans thoroughly, how could one say the dishwasher has any trade offs at all? But it does: I've heard pleasant "when I was your age" stories of times before the dishwasher, times when the family that cleaned dishes together stuck together through thick and thin. They learned the value of diligent work together, gossiped together, and helped each other. Even solitary washers gained the benefits of a period of time (an hour? I'm not sure) spent ruminating on the day's events, perhaps playing a record in the background..
Sure, the dishwasher saves time by completing its assigned task with little intervention from its owner (only loading the washer and pressing a couple of buttons) but what do we do with this saved time? I wonder if more time spent on instagram is really better than time spent thoughtfully hand-washing dishes.
NAVIGATION SYSTEMS (GPS).
ReplyDeleteWhen I hop into my car, whether I am traveling five minutes away to friend's house or two hours away to Palm Springs, I can always count on my navigation system to tell me how to get there, how many miles my journey will be, how many minutes or hours my journey will take, if there are "hazards" along the way (and in this case, which alternate routes I may take). As if this couldn't get any better, my "personal" navigation director can be male, female, British, or American.
This is the life.
Twenty-five years ago, by contrast, my mother, a newcomer to California, drove with a Thomas Guide in one hand and the Rand McNally map in the other—that’s right, folks... A MAP.
Though the GPS is an extremely convenient tool and the thought of getting around town with a map sounds archaic, "there's no free lunch."
Consider those times your trusty GPS decides to be not-so-trusty. In today's society, few of us youngsters actually know how to read a map. We rely so much on our GPS systems, that when we're heading to a destination, all we have to do is pay attention to the direction the nice lady tells us to go. It is quite frightening to realize that we fail to acknowledge points of interest along the way, landmarks, and our surroundings.
Should our GPS systems shut down and we find ourselves to our own devices in the middle of nowhere, would we know where to go? I'm sure a map could tell us.
David Yona
ReplyDeletePhysics
Mr. Roman
April 8, 2013
We use stoves almost every day, three times a day. Before stoves, humans used fires and other means of heating for cooking their food. In our everyday lives, if we want to cook food, stoves allow us to quickly heat our food efficiently and easily. Even though the invention of the stove has made life much easier for the everyday chef, there is no free lunch. Because of the invention of the stove, people don't have to know even the emits basic of survival skills, making a fire. If there was an emergency and nobody had a lighter or a stove, people need fire for heating and to cook their food. It has also made it easier to cook meats, increasing the amount of animals being killed. If there ever was an earthquake and all the lights, heat, and electricity was taken away from us, we would quickly parish due to our reliance on the stove.
Watches or clocks are used in order to tell the time. We have grown more accustomed to relying on the strict pattern of a time-based schedule in the modern era we live in. We are constantly reminded of how important time is. It starts with the alarm sound of a clock or watch that wakes us up at a precise time that signifies when we need to get up in order to stay on schedule. Furthermore, clocks also dictate when we finish work and what time we need to go to bed at. We have in a sense, lost touch with the past; a world not dominated by a rigorous schedule that has relied so heavily on clocks. We have given up the freedom to perform our work with care and leisure. Now we value the quickest and fastest ways in order to achieve tasks. Very rarely would you find products today that were made strictly by hand. Before, when time was not such a big issue we witness more care and effort in a job or task.
ReplyDeleteThe invention of the digital camera in 1981 soon displaced the old-fashioned camera, as the hassle of taking pictures was now eliminated. Taking pictures of whatever one might desire to has always been present worldwide, ever since the original camera was invented. Soon after the invention of the digital camera, very few people had the outdated version of the camera. With its ability to zoom in or out, its clearer picture, a screen to see what the picture would look like before being taken, and now even to record a video, the digital camera is a common item to have in a household. However, the drawback to this invention was that pictures lost their sentimental value, as it is now much easier to take a picture, and few now know how to work an old fashioned camera, which was one of the most important inventions in history.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGPS- I have been a licensed driver for about 9 months but for about as long as I can remember I have been directionally challenged. The invention of the GPS also known as a navigation system has greatly impacted the world today. Society is really no longer required to understand directions or for that matter have any sense of what direction we are headed in, as long as you plug in the right address the GPS will get you there. For example, lets say I'm heading to a dinner at sugar fish in studio city with Tara. I live on the west side and so I really have no concept of where any thing is so I hop into my car plug in the address and go, as Im driving I accidentally make a wrong turn and my GPS automatically corrects itself and gives me a new route. If I didn't have a GPS i would have to pull over, take out a map and analyze my next route. THis brings me to my next point, I have absolutely no idea how to read a map or use one nor do I think do any of my fellow classmates. I, along with the rest of my generation, have become increasingly dependent on technology to an almost unhealthy level. Of course the GPS is a great invention and is such a good advancement to our society, but like any other technological gadget it holds some major drawbacks. As I previously mentioned, reading maps and understanding directions has been lost amongst all the new gadgets. Also, our dependence on the GPS has , or at least in my case, made me extremely timid and not confident when I am trying to drive somewhere. Even if i already know where I am going I plug in the directions, just in case I happen to make a mistake. I am convinced this fear of getting lost is caused by our lack of directional sense and inability to correct a driving error. I would never in a million years give up my GPS but yet by using this gadget i give up my will and understanding of directions. And of course if your GPS makes a mistake, and you end up in some unrecognizable area, being unable to read a map could prove to be a serious problem.
ReplyDeleteTelevision has revolutionized the way ideas and most importantly products can be showcased to the masses of contemporary viewers and potential consumers the bustling world contains. As a means of reception and communication, television has allowed important information such as weather reports, global and political issues and economic news to reach a greater audience who would normally not receive such ground breaking notice without the speed of television broadcasts. While the achievements of television and global communication are quite obvious, the trade offs we face as spectators are not so obvious. By having a means of instant news feed and reliability we as humans lose our drive to discover and seek our own personal truth. This lack of thirst for more and personal interpretations makes us subject to brain wash and loss of identity. This personal drain is mostly evident in modern generations whose interests and opinions are widely based on what they see on television.
ReplyDeleteModern shoes offer immense comfort while walking. More so , shoes are the perfect way to express one's individuality. Lastly, shoes allow us to avoid cutting or harming our feet on daily obstacles. However, this comfort has made our feet much weaker and susceptible to injury. Furthermore, by using shoes we cause back problems making us live in much more discomfort. By having more comfortable feet we become much more pampered and fear any kind of struggle. This sense of entitlement makes us unable to cope with any discomfort and makes us overall weaker and more sensitive than our predecessors. Shoes are also used as an expression of wealth dividing people even more. Ultimately, shoes have changed us vastly not only beneficially but also harmfully.
ReplyDeleteThe FREEZER! (And refrigerator)
ReplyDeleteBefore the fridge and freezer were invented, food was highly susceptible to harmful bacteria and would spoil quite easily, especially in climates prone to excessive heat waves. Because of the fridge and freezer, fresh fruit, vegetables, all sorts of dairy products, and different types of meat can be kept in prime condition for days without a trace of decay. However, because of the advantage of preserving the shelf life of certain foods, people have become slovenly about the quality of the food they eat. Large corporations have created countless pre-packaged frozen meals that contain dozens of preservatives, chemicals, and low- quality ingredients. A frozen meal can replace a fresh, home-cooked meal solely because a person deems it more convenient, despite how unhealthy and processed it may be. By all means, people should utilise the fridge and freezer and recognise what great assets they are but still be appreciative of the benefits of fresh and unprocessed food!
I really do hope that made somewhat sense.... Xx
A fairly new gadget that proves to ease the life of me and many other people are headphones and earbuds. Headphones are one of the greatest technological advancements because it allows any human being to enjoy there music and other MP3 sounds as loud as they want without disturbing any other human around them. However, one may be affected by these headphones over time without being able to recognize the issue. Headphones directly play music and sounds into our ears and due to the high pressure of the music it can affect our hearing overtime eventually leading up to hearing loss. Although we are now able to enjoy and control our own music without bothering others, we risk our ear drums and risk hearing loss overtime.
ReplyDeleteOne scientific improvement that has made my life easier is the invention of scissors. Scissors are helpful for cutting out precise designs. If I need to cut my shirt, or trim a photograph, scissors are the most perfect invention. I also use scissors to open things like boxes, cards, packages, and other sealed items. While scissors have given me tremendous assistance in a few technical activities, they allow me to neglect some of my own creative and physical abilities. Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with my lack of artistic ability. I’ve been able to hide behind scissors because they cut straight, precise lines. Instead of forcing myself to bend and tear paper in an effort to be creative and abstract, I personally have resorted to scissors and claimed to be fonder of symmetrical and sharp designs. Additionally, I will not open a package that is taped or sealed unless I have a pair of scissors. I would spend 10 minutes looking for a pair of scissors rather than gently and slowly remove the tape from a box to open it, rip the plastic of a food package with my own physical strength, or tear open an envelope. The scissors in my life have represented an escape from expanding my own artistic growth. To mankind in general, scissors are representative of the dependency on a tool to complete a task that we as humans are physically capable of completing ourselves.
ReplyDeleteOne of the greatest innovations for all baseball players, high school to MLB, has been the weighted baseball. The weighted baseball aims to improve throwing speed and distance. The weight in the baseball strengthens the shoulder and rotator cuff as well as the back with each and every throw a player makes. The use of the weighted ball has helped many players achieve their desired velocity in a short amount of time. Stephen Strasburg has had his fastball reach over 100mph training with the weighted ball. The weighted ball is usually used in the off-season to avoid major injury; however, many players tend to use it during season to maintain and strengthen their arm. With constant repetition the muscles strengthen because the ball is much heavier than a regular baseball; so, when a baseball player returns to the original baseball the ball feels light as a feather and the player can throw it much farther and faster than ever before. Unfortunately, the weighted ball invention does have its downfall. Training with the ball can cause serious injury to the back and shoulder of baseball players; Strasburg who used the ball was injured in July 2010 due to an inflamed shoulder, and many other pitchers and players alike have experienced the same type of injuries due to excessive use with the ball. Since the rotator cuff and shoulder is made up of many tiny muscles, it is very easy to pull one when you use the weighted ball. The moral of the story is that the weighted ball, while being a great strengthening tool, can only be used in minimal amounts, and definitely not during regular season play. The ball can tear the muscles inside your shoulder and you will never be able to play again. Using the ball is only good for the off-season, and even then in minimal amounts.
ReplyDeleteHi Mr. Román!!
ReplyDeleteSo here is my assignment on the common watch:
No matter if it is from Cartier or your nearest Target, a modern watch is a luxury to us in the 21st century. With this common accessory for the human wrist, we are granted with the extreme convenience of being able to know the time at any given moment. We have been able to organize plans and schedules, adjust our paces accordingly in order to turn in an exam by the end of the class period (or maybe 5 minutes after), and even create such vital modifications to time zones in order to properly run such travel mechanisms as train rides or airplane flights. Also, fancy new watches can now even tell the date and act as alarms to wake you up for school in the morning. But as Henry David Thoreau would attest, our reliance upon this technology has hindered our ability to be "at one" with nature or just to not constantly be on the lookout for when to start moving on to complete the next task ahead. We have reduced ourselves to the demands of the clock, as once the clock strikes, one thing ends and another begins (just ask Cinderella when her carriage turned back into a pumpkin at midnight!). Sadly, I think we've forgotten how it feels to simply rise naturally in the morning, as in not to the buzzing of your alarm clock, or to take the time to watch the sunset instead of go inside because "it's time to hit the books." Therefore, as with most everything (especially in our physics class), there's no free lunch!
The invention of auto-correct has made put us all at ease when it comes to spelling out words. We use it on our phones, computers, and most other electronic devices. On the iPhone, auto-correct even automatically replaces your misspelled word with the correct word. Auto-correct not only deals with with misspelled words but also incorrect grammar and punctuation errors. This amazing tool will even capitalize words and fix spacing mishaps. With this truly innovative invention there are some trade-offs. The first is the losing the ability to see common errors on our own because with auto-correct we can simply press a button and accept the changes being made without any insight why. We give full power to the tool most of the time not even thinking whether or not the function is correct, which brings me to my next point. Auto-correct is limited in its understanding of what we want to type. This instrument is powerful but not not powerful enough to read our minds and so it will correct things incorrect and give wonderfully hilarious but terribly embarrassing auto-correct fails. The final final downfall of using auto-correct is the death of the dictionary a tool used for thousands of years. Instead of looking up the word in the dictionary and using our high thinking powers to sound out the word we simply press a button and the misspelled words go away.
ReplyDeleteKindles/iBooks
ReplyDeleteKindle and iBook users enjoy the convenience of having countless books at their fingertips. With Kindles and iBooks, people get lazy, and, in actuality, don't get to enjoy the book as much as they would with an actual book. An iBook makes it too easy to read, you can look up words as you go, you can even annotate. These electronic books have taken over our lives. Although there are benefits to this replacement, there is also no free lunch. On a side note: we are getting lost in these electronic conveniences. Having a real book, the actual paper I mean, has it's advantages. These advantages get lost in this electronic maze. A good thing about having a hard copy of a book, is you can lend it to people. If someone wants to borrow a book, they ask a friend, and the friend simply hands them the book. I don't know about you, but I don't really want to give anyone my Kindle or iBook. Also, one of my personal favorites: smell. There is nothing we enjoy more, than opening up a fresh book, and smelling the pages. Not only that, but turning the pages, the feeling of accomplishment and seeing how far into you are.
The Automobile.
ReplyDeleteThe invention of the automobile has changed the lives of many over the past century or so. Such a form of transportation has allowed more efficient distance to be traveled at a more efficient time with more efficient capacity to transport more people at a time. However there are a major trade-offs with this advancement. First, the enviornment takes a toll with the use of gas-powered autombiles which is the majority of automobiles used in the world. The smog formed from hese gas using vehicles causes enviornmental issues such as burning into the ozone layer. Secondly,in the sense of health, automobiles eliminate the need for exercise to travel in which bicycles and walking/running or even horseback riding might have enabled. Lastly, character-wise cars bring more of a lazy and hardly goal driven attitude toward society, as for before the creation of automobiles one would have to set goals on how to get from one place to another and would have to rely on a good sense of direction and other traits or goals to figure out how to get from point A to point B.
Mr. Roman,
ReplyDeleteBeing that you are a fitness guru, I think you would love my idea. The invention of the treadmill is one of the most basic uses for fitness in our society today. Tons of people cannot afford gym memberships so they buy treadmills to use in their homes, especially when they are too busy to leave the house. The is a great invention because the treadmill allows for great exercise while not having to leave the house. The technology has upgraded over the years, however, giving a person a chance to run on incline, change the setting of the conveyer belt, and change speeds instantly. A downside to having this technology in ones home would cost an incredible amount of money, is very heavy to move around, and if used improperly, can severely injure a person.
Though we may not use as it as often, the train has revolutionized transportation technology. By 1850, the United States had more than 9,000 miles of track; 10 years later it had more than 30,000 miles. The introduction of the railroad transformed the national economy, social classes, and shifted the travel of commerce. A prime example of the effectiveness of the train is during the Civil War. With the war being fought hundreds or thousands of miles away, the train was the most effective means of transportation versus boat or wagons. The North had the most rail tracks and supplies could reach the frontlines within days. Today, the train is beneficial to me because I can visit my grandparents(they live in Apple Valley) a lot faster versus driving. The trade-off is that we can save gas, money, and time by traveling via train.
ReplyDeleteThe invention of motion pictures and television affects the actor both creatively and in choosing a career path . Acting began on the stage, and before the invention of film, actors were only trained for performing on the stage. Although most training actors receive is for the live theatre, many conservatories now teach specific classes aimed to train actors for film. Actors can now choose to be stage actors, film actors, or both. Also, the ease of technology allows performers to be more creative and take more risks. For example, many actors enjoy studying other forms of performance creativity such as directing, filming, set designing, or light designing. Now that many of the technologies used in doing these professions are not too difficult to learn the basic skills. Technology has progressed so much that we can now record on our cell phones; thus, if a performer were to choose to make a short film, they can easily record and create a piece of art without having to learn too much about another profession. However, the trade-off for actors with having so much technology with film making is that a lot of the work we see on television and in movies is not very special. Many film and television actors nowadays are not very skilled, but are able to be in the public eye as "actors" for other varying reasons. Many people in the profession are not trained as they should be and create mindless entertainment that can hardly be called "art." Also, the viewers of these certain actors do not respect the profession because the performers are not putting any thought or care into their creations.
ReplyDeleteIn modern cities electricity and energy are taken for granted. We think that it is just a given to have lights and energy to power our advanced technology such as our laptops and cellphones. There are many underdeveloped countries, cities, towns and more who are not as fortunate as us to have energy at our own disposal. While other countries and cities do not have energy to power televisions and other entertainment electronics they are driven to become good at sports such as soccer. Four women at Harvard University have recently created a soccer ball that generates energy every time it is kicked. This invention is being sent to hundreds of areas with insufficient necessities even the simple light bulb energized with the soccer ball's energy. This soccer ball cal light up a light in a room which would have seemed impossible to people in these kinds of situations, literally a glimpse of hope by the gift of light. Just fifteen minutes of kicking the ball around results in up to three hours of energy to light up a room. This remarkable invention is starting to help hundreds of children around the globe light up their rooms with a simple soccer ball allowing them to work at night on their studies and what not. This invention benefits me not in a physical manner since I am not in the need for an energy capturing soccer ball, but it does benefit me in my thinking and reasoning because if four women can create such an inspiring creation then why can't I? Living without energy and electricity would have completely changed my entire lifestyle, i rely on having lights energy to power my needs at night and even during the day time because I was raised with it, unlike the children who weren't. Those children and adults probably have a more rough mentality and could survive without what I call necessities and what they call non-essential. A trade-off of gaining this magnificent invention would probably be gaining the mentality of taking something for granted and over estimating how much you rely on energy and electricity rather than yourself. The trade-off of having energy is also enormous, people in Los Angeles for example are no where near as athletic and determined as people in a less developed area because they don't have the opportunity that we do, they become more determined to rise to their true potential where as we just believe it will come to us.
ReplyDeleteFor many vanity mirrors in cars provide a quick easy way for people who were in a rush to leave the house, or just plain forgot to check or maintain their appearance to make sure that they look acceptable and ready to start the day, but this technology has trade offs for both the passenger and the driver. For the passenger the biggest trade off of using these mirrors is stated in the name, because these mirrors being available in such a convenient place causes the constant urge of passengers to stare at themselves, which further aids in society's obsession with appearance and with themselves. The biggest trade off for the driver is that they know the mirror is there and they take it for granted, so instead of taking the extra few minutes at home to put on makeup, brush their hair, check the corners of their eyes etc. people rely on the vanity mirrors to do these things in the car. The issue with this is that it is a distraction while driving and compromises the drivers ability to focus on the road ahead instead of worring about making themselves look acceptable while driving, instead of doing so while parked or stationary as intended .
ReplyDeleteMass production has been the staple of our economy for almost a century, and it's benefits have been greatly reaped by our nation, as evident in our present wealth and power. Mass production has helped the United States become what it is (a global superpower) and has not only helped the United States, but almost all nations considered developed, (ie USSR, China, Japan, Brazil). Most economists can conclude that mass production in a capitalist society is key to development and wealth, so mass production has its benefits. Mass production's main benefit is the acceleration of the creation of goods from raw materials/the increase in efficiency of production(how much is produced per a certain amount of time) and lowering cost of production a benefit which mostly is seen by the consumer, and these benefits in turn act as a catalyst for the economy's growth as well as globalization(which is another "double-edged sword" that I not dare delve into). I personally benefit from mass production whenever I go to a McDonald's and buy myself some fries for only a dollar, or when I go shopping and buy cheaply made goods from a sweatshop in China. Mass production also has its downsides, though, for example, as previously stated, many goods are made in sweatshops in China, in which mass production only benefits the employees of the sweatshop with unsanitary areas, deplorable conditions, and minimal pay for each employee, supporting the chronic poverty experienced by each region. Mass production also can lower the standard quality of many goods, such as food, (let's be honest here, McDonald's fries are not the healthiest or best tasting), or Nike clothing poorly stitched by a minor in Indonesia. Mass production also affects me, and to a greater extent, all affluent populations by allowing us to think that deplorable and unsanitary conditions that we know are inhumane, are acceptable. We fool ourselves into thinking that it is acceptable because it is a necessary evil, after all, who wouldn't like a brand new pair of air Jordans at $70 versus $600, the mass produced 70 dollar version seems more appealing than the $600 hand made pair. Personally, I think that in buying goods that are mass produced, I surrender my sense if ethics to those that I buy from. I also surrender political willpower, through funding a company or corporation that will surely pursue its interests in congress.
ReplyDeleteAn example of a technological advancement that helped ease the lives of many in 1908 was the invention of the standing mixer. The standing mixer was extremely beneficial to those who were constantly in the kitchen. The standing mixer ended up being extremely time efficient and got the job done much more efficiently then if it had been done by hand. Before 1908 individual’s only options were to manually mix ingredients in a bowl with a spoon. This then led to frustration that the mixing manually took too much time and it wasn’t nearly close to being perfect. The trade off with adopting the standing mixer was that they were expensive and took up a lot of space because of their large size. Most importantly, the standing mixer began as only being able to be used in outlets. Which then meant that electricity was going to be wasted when in fact it did not have to be. You could, in fact mix your ingredients yourself without spending any of your money or wasting electricity.
ReplyDeleteA refrigerator helps our food stay good for much longer than as if food was left without such low temperatures outside. We take refrigerators for granted but they do consume plenty of electricity. We think of refrigerators as not that big of a deal but civilizations used to have battles for salt since salt is and was a good food preserver. Because we have refrigerators we do not have to go shopping too often for food that needs to be kept cool in order to stay edible. Foods that have excellent nutritional properties that need to be kept cool and could be considered essential are fish and many different types of meat. By not going shopping as often we miss out on the social interaction that could occur as a result of a quick stop at our local super market. Although there is a negative side regarding the use of a refrigerator, I would not stop using it.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most innovative inventions of the most recent years is the Sleep Number Bed. This revolutionary mattress utilizes two separate systems inserted into a mattress in order to allow two different people with different comfort levels to be equally comfortable in one bed. Those who love a soft and plush bed can lie only inches away from those who can only sleep on rock hard surfaces! The Sleep Number bed prevents couples from making any real compromise on sleeping arrangements! For somebody like myself who loves a squishy bed to sink into, this technology would be especially beneficial if I ever found myself a husband who couldn't stand the same type of bed! On the other hand, we must pause and remind ourselves that not all technology has positive effects on our lives as a whole. Yes, the average couple could avoid the bickering over who gets to choose the bed, but no, this couple does not grow stronger from the test of this decision. Small compromises test a couples' strength and weaknesses. Without little struggles to test each other, how can a couple know they could last forever? Technology takes away the little fights most couples of the past had to endure so how can we, today, remain willing and ready to be tested? We can to be a little less perfectly comfortable everyday to ensure our future happiness.
ReplyDelete1. Calculators
ReplyDelete2. From doing the easiest to the simplest of math problems, a calculator always comes in handy for all types of mathematical operations. It saves one from making careless errors in their arithmetic and saves a countless amount of time in doing problems involving trigonometry, long division, calculus, and more. It even comes in handy in the real world when one is calculating the tip at a restaurant or calculating sales tax.
3. By using calculators, we may lose our intuitive thinking in mathematics. By letting calculators do a lot of the work for us, we may know the answer of a difficult math problem but we wouldn't know why, or how the calculator got there. Therefore, we are letting ourselves get a more shallow understanding of the mathematics itself rather than working it out to see why the answer is actually the answer. This could be dangerous because if we slowly start to lose the intuitive understanding of math and let calculators do all the work, the necessity to learn the fundamentals and a lot of upper division math will begin to disappear. If so, then it will be hard to create new formulas and new math for future generations to solve future real world problems that need new, critical thinking since the calculator would have been doing all the work the whole time before.
The invention of the gun has vastly changed the world as we have previously know it. With one flip of a trigger one man is capable of taking away someones life in a blink of an eye. The gun has allowed anyone, no mater the size or strength of the person, to physically harm any person. The gun has provided thousands of families all across the United Stated protection from intruders. However, with all the benefits the gun possesses, it does have it's draw backs like everything else. Since the invention of the gun, people in society have lost sight of the importance of physical education. This has led to a great deal of obesity throughout the United States.
ReplyDeleteThe invention of excersize equiptment has severly changed our society. Now one individual can run, bike, or climb miles while staying in the same location. One can also work out in the comfort of there own home. However, with all the advantages that this technology brings to us it is still nice to go for a nice bike ride or a nice jog outside. Excersize equiptment may isolate some from society.
ReplyDeleteCoffee machines have significantly affected the average lifestyle of working adults tremendously. Coffee machines allow people to make caffeinated energy drinks that allow them to get through the energy with vim and vigor, without leaving their house, or putting much brainpower into the process. It has its defects though. People who claim they "need coffee to get started in the morning" have become so addicted and dependent on coffee that they literally cannot build up enough energy to put effort into everyday tasks without it. Coffee machines propagate this dependency, making it easier for people to make coffee in their own homes, instead of driving to a coffee shop and maybe even socializing, or take extra time to make homemade coffee. Additionally, it allows managers to put more stressful situations on workers, because they now they think they can handle it. It certainly creates a fast-paced society, but it creates a more demanding lifestyle as well.
ReplyDeleteSpell check is an innovation that greatly benefits my essays and in simple emails to a teacher (where a spelling error may be a bit embarrassing). Spell check allows me to type fast and spill out all my thoughts at once, then go back and simply right click on words with red squiggly lines. It makes my life easier, for it is one less task I have to worry about. However, as I have spent more time online relying on spell check, my spelling skills have dwindled. For example, in-class essays never used to be such a struggle. However, I now find myself wasting precious seconds going over the rule "i before e except after c" in my head, wondering if it's the other way around. Of course teachers don't mark off for simple spelling mistakes, but it bothers me. For in the 6th grade I won the spelling be at my middle school. Now my spelling skills are mediocre at best. This lack of superb spelling skills does not just hurt my pride. Being able to sound out words and spell them off the top of your head is a valuable asset. It reveals reasoning skills and it also shows how much you know about basic vocabulary and grammar rules. So even though I owe a great deal to spell-check for correcting silly errors, I have become so dependent that my silly errors have increased.
ReplyDeleteEXTRA CREDIT!!!
ReplyDelete1) Whether or not the trade-off is worth it?
The GPS was a revolutionary invention that allowed society a new, faster, and easier
approach to directions on the road. The GPS does not require knowledge of the area in which you are in, an understanding of direction (North, East, South, West), and most certainly does not require previously mapping out your destination with a hand- held map. The GPS basically gives us a technological map at our fingertips. All that is required of this revolutionary device is two addresses, the destination from which you are currently at and the destination where you want to arrive. Although this device has obviously been a substantial help to our society, it also takes away the ability to read maps, plan out routes, and understand direction. Personally, I posses less directional sense than a dog, so for me the trade-off of losing the ability to read maps isn’t too much of a loss, because I grew up in a society where map-use was already fading out. Overall, I think the GPS has really been useful in helping those directionally challenged, but of course it has its drawbacks.
2) How you can add back some of the trade-offs?
Of course I am very thankful to my parents for making sure there was a GPS in the car, but this really did take away my ability to learn the directions and area of Los Angeles, or any other city that matter. I got extremely lost the other day heading toward Rancho Park for a boys tennis match, and I called my dad trying to get directions to find the right place because the GPS was working, but it took several minutes for him to figure out which direction I was heading, because I of course, had absolutely no idea. Maybe to avoid this calamity in the future, I could study the maps and streets and really improve my understanding of which streets travel north/ south or east/west. Another way is new drivers could have a map added to their permit test, and must be able to identify the direction of a few of the major streets. There are many ways to add back some of the trade-offs, I just have to spend some quality time.
EXTRA CREDIT:
ReplyDeleteIs the trade off worth it?
YES!. The trade off is completely worth it. This is because digital camera truly improve the life of an average citizen, because some digital camera are quite affordable, and the advantages they bring to the table are too beneficial to ignore. Some of these are a sleeker and more creative design concept to the camera, a rechargeable battery, a bigger overall camera lens to improve the quality of pictures, the ability to record videos, wi-fi capability, and more slots for memory cards. These are just some of the many new advantages that make the digital camera a common item to find in a household. While I am not big on having my picture taken at all, a digital camera was and is a vastly improved version of the original camera.
How can you add back into your life (at least, in part) what you've given up in this trade-off?
Well, the majority of people around the world take advantage of the numerous technological advances that have graced this planet, one of these advances is the evolution of the digital camera. If one wants to limit the trade off of losing the sentimental value of digital pictures, then one has to truly appreciate the world we live in and how advanced society has become in terms of technology. I am guilty of this myself, as it is extremely easy to forget about the advanced world which surrounds me everyday. Ultimately, one should appreciate what they have and take advantage of its new features, while still trying to preserve the old values in which an older item, such as the digital camera, created.
Extra Credit:
ReplyDelete1.) Whether or not is the trade off, in my opinion, worth it (wholly or partially)...?
The trade off of using a refrigerator is partially worth it. By using a refrigerator not only do we save food that could be most likely thrown away, we also decrease the chance of running out of food for longer. The fact that a refrigerator requires plenty of electricity to function, however, bothers me. Refrigerators are efficient tools with many positive outcomes, including the fact that people have a place to grab food from if filled and improves their mood, therefore, creating a happier aura to produce even more positive outcomes. The trade offs are also partially worth it because foods that require transportation to arrive from a food producing company to a supermarket or restaurant can stay in a perfectly fine state, ready to heat up and be served. Food is essential for every living soul, the better the conditions are for food, the better life is.
2.) How you can I add back into my life (at least, in part) what I've given up in this trade-off...?
We can ameliorate the condition through which electricity is consumed in a refrigerator. Adding solar panels to a home where a refrigerator, and other objects that require electricity to function, can help reduce the amount of electricity unnecessarily taken from the same source. By using a refrigerator that requires solar panels to function, other objects that require electricity can be used with no guilt of wasting electricity. As humans we now are traditionally used to using up great amounts of electricity that we do not really think about benefiting from inventions that seem basic and are available. Hopefully in the future there will be better ways of preserving foods that require so much to be kept in an edible state. For now, the refrigerator will do best.
EXTRA CREDIT:
ReplyDelete1. whether or not you feel this trade-off is worth it (wholly or partially)
I feel like this trade-off is not worth it. Risking the health of one's body is not worth it just to increase your arm speed and strength. Even if the weighted ball can boost your strength and speed in a short amount of time, the risk of injuring your rotator cuff or any other muscle in the shoulder is too great. Sometimes after an injury players do not come back the same, therefore, the trade-off is not worth it at all. Even if used in moderation there is always a slight risk of injuring your arm; although, that risk decreases a whole lot if you use the weighted ball in moderation. Overall though, I believe the trade-off is not worth it and that the health of one's arm is much more important.
2. how you can add back into your life (at least, in part) what you've given up in this trade-off.
You cannot really add back the trade-off, once your rotator cuff or shoulder is injured you cannot add back and repair it instantly. A rotator cuff takes a while to heal, most players even require surgery. Unfortunately in athletics a painful injury can take a lot of time to patch up and heal. You can attempt to use the ball in moderation even more, focusing on using it only on specific days when you are specifically focused on building arm speed and strength; however, even then you can risk injuring yourself. Overall, you cannot really add back to your life once you've already injured yourself.