Summary:
In the essay “Computers and the Pursuit of Happiness,” David Gelernter explains the influence of new technology, especially Internet and Computers on people’s life and society. David Gelernter divides his essay in three part, in the first part he speaks of information age. He believes that we are not in the information age, therefore he considers the necessity of coal, steel and concrete unchanged, even though we are not in the old industrial age anymore. He also states that internet can’t have any influence on our physical needs.
There are arguments between believers of new information age, that Gelernter sorts them in three categories. The first one is about the capability of these fancy machines to create, move and store the information that has effected by all type of electronic devices. The second argument is about defeating of Geography which had happened because of computer network. The last one is the intelligence of these new machines, but this idea has argued with the fact that we had smart machines long before the invention of computers.
Gelernter has also pointed at the effect of technology to defeat distance between places, which was one on the goals of industrial revolution from beginning. Additionally Gelernter mentioned that computers and internet caused a revolution in world of science and engineering which he considers as actual computer revolution.
In the second part of this essay Gelernter speaks of the valuation of computers in people’s life. He speaks of happiness in people’s life and way that is has changed since past decades. He didn’t say that people are happier now or they were happier, Gelernter compared the way that he and his wife use to enjoy their childhood without computers with new generation who have been attached to computer games and technology.
Improvements that technology had until now were so grateful in Gelernter opinion and he considered them as a tool for building social structure. Each new technology that is invented replaces the ole one for good and this calls improvement. We can also notice this improvement in shopping. These days face-to-face shopping is switching its place with online shopping which is one of the other improves of technology.
In the last part of Gelernter essay he questions the future of mankind by facing all these quick changes regarding to new technologies. He explains his opinion with an example of school that how education system can be effected by technology. He believes that online classes can take place of face-to-face classes in future, but Gelernter thinks that he rather his children go to an actual school with an actual teacher to be educated.
My Response:
Out of all the reading that we had in this book, this article is the newest one according to the date of publish, therefore Gelernter pointed to the issues that are more recent and make more sense regarding today’s technology.
Gelernter is debating about information age as he mentioned the beginning of his article. I didn’t find his world very clear about information age, I am not sure that he is totally agree with this opinion or not. However in my opinion we are surrounded with information in our life and whoever provides the fastest and more detailed information can build a better business.
Information is a huge part of nearly all of the people in the world and this is something that we cannot ignore. He also mentioned three arguments about information age that got my attention in which he questioned the ability of new technology. I am one of the believers of information age, thus I prove the ability of new machines to create and store information, defeat Geography and defeating the distance between places. However I challenge the idea of smart machines. Technology has always improved daily and the idea of not having any smart machines before computer is not acceptable.
During last century after the industrial revolution mankind had been introduced to smart machines and this technology has improved throughout these years until computers or smart phones reached to this level that we experience now. In summary the machines became smarter than they were before. Online schools and shopping online were two other topics that he spoke about in his article. He made a statement that he prefers to enroll his kids in an actual school with real teacher rather than fake online classes. I am strongly agree with his opinion and I will do the same thing, because children need a pattern while they learning in early ages and we can’t exclude them from experiencing the environment of school.
The same thing applies for online shopping too. Online shopping is a very good experience and a quick way of finding the product that you look for, however it cannot be replaced by face-to-face shopping. There are people that never can get over with new technology and like to stick with old fashion style. At the end I admire Gelernter essay, I am mostly agree with all of his opinions and enjoyed reading this article. The world technology has always improved and will never stop its movement towards reaching higher level, and we need to try very hard so we can catch up with this fast changes.
