Dustan Wilson
Eng 100
pages 301-305
In Cynthia Selfe's article " Lest We Think The Revolution is a Revolution", she talks about changes, technology and the status quo of how technology is affecting the way educators adapt to the always changing power of the computer. In Narrative #2 she explains the difference between " Land of opportunity" and "Land of difference." Land of equal opportunity, is that which was portrayed as the typical American family with a nice new house, smiling children - the family who kept up with the Jones as having everything that made them happy. Technology was just beginning the accelerating push toward growth and innovation. Its where people could get excited of all the things that could be discovered with the new software that was coming forth. America is still the land of opportunity but only for some, not all, thus the "Land of difference." The history of slavery in this country, the history of deaf education, women's suffrage, immigration, and labor unions remind us of the fact that opportunity is basically for the privileged groups within this country. Land of difference, is where people of different color, poor people, and people who are out of work, and single-parent families dont have the opportunities with technology that others have. The images in this article show people back in the 50s, happy and loving life.The ability to envision a world where race and differences don't matter isn't what the images, in this article show.
Part 2
" Americans are the canny and sophisticated minds behind the text, behind the image, behind the technology. We are the designers, the providers, the village benefactors".
I believe that I could talk more about the way we(Americans) have become rulers in this technological world.
How we have all this technology that could be shared with less fortunate people.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Nate Averna
Febaruay 21, 2010
English 100
Response, Cynthia Selfe
In the long titled article, “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution Images of Technology and the Nature of Change”, the author, Cynthia L. Selfe reminds Americans that the sugar coated, technical world lived in by americans is nothing less then a facade. Although technology allows many americans to feel as though they are people of the world- part of a global village narrative, they are in fact nothing but ignorant americans who live their lives vicariously threw technology- i.e. the television, internet, magazines, and fail to see the truth behind advertisements and technology. Selfe identifies many flaws with our americans dream of the global village narrative by using examples of advertisements- who where directed towards americans. As Selfe states “ In the first add, for example, with the tone of an old master, IBM provides the 3-D rendering technology needed to rebuild the Frauenkirche, a church destroyed during the allied firebombing of Dresden in 1945. The ad notes that this technology, along with the experience of talented stonemasons, allows the reconstruction to proceed, linking the power of a 21st century tool with the imagination of “18th century craftsmanship.” Selfe continues “In the next IBM ad, this set in South Africa, IBM helps the smiling driver of a South African Breweries truck “slack the thirst of... far flung customers... so precisely that no one's ever short a drop.” If the Previous series reduces the world to a series of tourist destinations, this par of ads- representative of a much more extensive series of technological “solutions for a small planet”- reduces the worlds' problems to a set of embarrassingly quick fixes. American technology and technological know-how, these images imply, can provide reparations for the cultural damage caused by the firebombing of Dresden, recreate the painstaking artistic achievement of a destroyed eighteenth-century cathedral, and serve as a corrective for decades of apartheid. These implications, of course, are not only absurd; they are humiliatingly small-minded.”
This passage from Selfe is suggesting that american companies use technology to disregard issues of the past. As Selfe cited the company, IBM, shows little support for the family and historical impacts for the issues concerning the firebombing in Dresden and the years of apartheid. But instead imply that their company has made everything proper and is concentrating on ways to rebuild and move past their old handicaps. I believe that Selfe arguments against Americans global village narrative show merit but nevertheless I would like to contradict her thoughts. Although many company's, such as IBM, may seam small-minded to Selfe, they are still informing and showing the world and Americans that issues of the past, such as apartheid, will not be issues of the future.
Febaruay 21, 2010
English 100
Response, Cynthia Selfe
In the long titled article, “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution Images of Technology and the Nature of Change”, the author, Cynthia L. Selfe reminds Americans that the sugar coated, technical world lived in by americans is nothing less then a facade. Although technology allows many americans to feel as though they are people of the world- part of a global village narrative, they are in fact nothing but ignorant americans who live their lives vicariously threw technology- i.e. the television, internet, magazines, and fail to see the truth behind advertisements and technology. Selfe identifies many flaws with our americans dream of the global village narrative by using examples of advertisements- who where directed towards americans. As Selfe states “ In the first add, for example, with the tone of an old master, IBM provides the 3-D rendering technology needed to rebuild the Frauenkirche, a church destroyed during the allied firebombing of Dresden in 1945. The ad notes that this technology, along with the experience of talented stonemasons, allows the reconstruction to proceed, linking the power of a 21st century tool with the imagination of “18th century craftsmanship.” Selfe continues “In the next IBM ad, this set in South Africa, IBM helps the smiling driver of a South African Breweries truck “slack the thirst of... far flung customers... so precisely that no one's ever short a drop.” If the Previous series reduces the world to a series of tourist destinations, this par of ads- representative of a much more extensive series of technological “solutions for a small planet”- reduces the worlds' problems to a set of embarrassingly quick fixes. American technology and technological know-how, these images imply, can provide reparations for the cultural damage caused by the firebombing of Dresden, recreate the painstaking artistic achievement of a destroyed eighteenth-century cathedral, and serve as a corrective for decades of apartheid. These implications, of course, are not only absurd; they are humiliatingly small-minded.”
This passage from Selfe is suggesting that american companies use technology to disregard issues of the past. As Selfe cited the company, IBM, shows little support for the family and historical impacts for the issues concerning the firebombing in Dresden and the years of apartheid. But instead imply that their company has made everything proper and is concentrating on ways to rebuild and move past their old handicaps. I believe that Selfe arguments against Americans global village narrative show merit but nevertheless I would like to contradict her thoughts. Although many company's, such as IBM, may seam small-minded to Selfe, they are still informing and showing the world and Americans that issues of the past, such as apartheid, will not be issues of the future.
Selfe summary
In the article, “Lest We Think The Revolution is a Revolution” by Cynthia L. Selfe, she focuses on the affects that technology is having on us today and how Americans shut their eyes to all of the negative affects technology is having on us. She starts off her article talking about how English teachers are having to accommodate with less supplies and budget cuts to make room for all of the new technology of the time. Selfe states that many people “believe that technological change leads to productive social change” (293). Everyone hopes and believes that computers can help make the world a better place to live. Most people focus on all of the good that comes out of technology, like how it increases communication around the world. Most people focus on the positives, like global communication, and don’t really see how disruptive it can be. So many people get left out; people who aren’t tech-savvy become foreigners in this new technological world. Another thing that Selfe points out in this article is that people around the world are all benefiting from what we control. So in a sense, we are using the internet to control everyone around us. Americans are beginning to use their computers to become world travelers without stepping foot outside of their house. The whole world can be seen and experienced with a click of a button. Too many people are under the impression that technology is the solution for all of the world’s problems, but in reality, it is the internet that may very well be a contributing cause to many of these problems. There are no “improvements in the world situation, nor the elimination of hunger or pain or suffering or war; not, in other words, an improved life for our fellow inhabitants in the global village or an improved understanding of their cultures and concerns” (301). These are major issues in the world, and technology is not improving the lives of our inhabitants, but rather making them worse in some ways. Technology can cause conflicting standards and incompatibilities and inefficient work habits among Americans today. It is sad that it has come to this, but it seems like families can achieve the same joy today by buying the newest technology as kids in the 50’s. Sexism, classism, and racism were all huge issues during the 50’s.Now it is becoming a problem with technology as well. There are fewer girls that use the internet, and the internet is primarily controlled by males, computer games are designed for boys. It is taking away from the ratification for women and men in our culture. Women use computers to support the work of their boss and to enrich the lives of their family; while men use the web to expand their personal horizon. Overall, people need to realize that “technology does not necessarily bring with it social progress” (321). Too many people rely too heavily on the internet to solve all of the problems around the world. As we put all of our focus into the internet, we forget to deal with the major issues, the internet does not solve everything.
Reading Responce #6
Kyle Barclay
English 100
Reading Response #6
Cynthia Selfe, author of “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution Images of Technology and the Nature of Change,” talk much about how technology is impacting the world simplifying lives, yet, creating potential fears. In this article, she creates three separate narratives. In her third narrative, she explains in general, that males are more likely to use technology than females. “In such a landscape, women use technology within a clearly constrained set of appropriate settings: to enrich the lives of their family and to meet their responsibilities at home—as wife, as mother, as seductress, as lover; within a business setting, women use computers to support the work of their bosses—as secretaries, exclusive assistants, and loyal employees,” says Selfe. Women are not as suitable to use technology compared to men. “Men, in contrast, use computers at home to expand their personal horizons beyond current limits—for excitement, for challenge, to enhance their own private lives as explorers, pioneers and builders,” she states. This is the “Un-gendered Utopia” story that Selfe lays out. Depending on which gender you are will determine how you use and learn new technology. In the revision part of this story, people fear this stereotype that men use computers more than women. People want to be equal, but are they ready to make that change? As Americans, we are still very stereotypical of how we see gender and no one can tell when people will be ready to make a change in how we look at others.
In Selfe’s article, she gives little reasoning on why we see others the way we do. By focusing on what women do and what men do, Selfe overlooks the deeper problem of why we make these stereotypes in the first place. People see a woman and think: “She isn’t into computers,” is completely false. Every one of my friends who is a girl uses a computer constantly. Guys, on the other hand, might not even use a computer as much a girl now days. It differs now than it did a long time ago due to that our society has changed so much. Overall, women and men are more equal in how we view and work with technology.
I chose to use Uncovering Values counter argument because I felt as if the Arguing the Other Side wouldn’t work as well. By using the uncovering values counter argument; I was able to point out that Cynthia Selfe overlooked the idea of why people stereotype one another. I was also able to point out that she was more wrong than right due to that society has changed drastically since this article has been written.
English 100
Reading Response #6
Cynthia Selfe, author of “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution Images of Technology and the Nature of Change,” talk much about how technology is impacting the world simplifying lives, yet, creating potential fears. In this article, she creates three separate narratives. In her third narrative, she explains in general, that males are more likely to use technology than females. “In such a landscape, women use technology within a clearly constrained set of appropriate settings: to enrich the lives of their family and to meet their responsibilities at home—as wife, as mother, as seductress, as lover; within a business setting, women use computers to support the work of their bosses—as secretaries, exclusive assistants, and loyal employees,” says Selfe. Women are not as suitable to use technology compared to men. “Men, in contrast, use computers at home to expand their personal horizons beyond current limits—for excitement, for challenge, to enhance their own private lives as explorers, pioneers and builders,” she states. This is the “Un-gendered Utopia” story that Selfe lays out. Depending on which gender you are will determine how you use and learn new technology. In the revision part of this story, people fear this stereotype that men use computers more than women. People want to be equal, but are they ready to make that change? As Americans, we are still very stereotypical of how we see gender and no one can tell when people will be ready to make a change in how we look at others.
In Selfe’s article, she gives little reasoning on why we see others the way we do. By focusing on what women do and what men do, Selfe overlooks the deeper problem of why we make these stereotypes in the first place. People see a woman and think: “She isn’t into computers,” is completely false. Every one of my friends who is a girl uses a computer constantly. Guys, on the other hand, might not even use a computer as much a girl now days. It differs now than it did a long time ago due to that our society has changed so much. Overall, women and men are more equal in how we view and work with technology.
I chose to use Uncovering Values counter argument because I felt as if the Arguing the Other Side wouldn’t work as well. By using the uncovering values counter argument; I was able to point out that Cynthia Selfe overlooked the idea of why people stereotype one another. I was also able to point out that she was more wrong than right due to that society has changed drastically since this article has been written.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Selfe's Essay
Part A:
“Computers, in other words, are complexly socially determined artifacts that interact with existing social formations and tendencies-including sexism, classism and racism-to contribute to the shaping of a gendered society”, (306) says Cythia Selfe, in her essay titled, “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution”. The section my group did consisted of talking about the gender gaps between technologies. Women held their own jobs when all of the men were away at war, but once they returned, the women were forced to quit, and stay at home. As far as technology goes, this took away from some equal learning opportunities for women. “Men use technology to accomplish things; women benefit from technology to enhance the ease of their lives or to benefit their families” (308). Now that women were out of the work force, they used the computers to benefit themselves and their families at home, while men had this opportunity, along with being able to use it in the workplace. Selfe explains that technology may have been more originally targeted for men, “Computer games are still designed for boys; computer commercials are stilled aimed mainly at males,” (306). Overall, Selfe feels that technology still falls under a class, that class being sexism. Although she does not say so directly, she feels that technology is definitely segregated and one sided towards males, and women don’t have an equal opportunity to work with this technology, the way men do.
Part B:
In Selfe’s essay, she proposes the idea that , “The Un-gendered Utopia story encourages educators to see and understand computers as educational allies that can support efforts to create new kinds of educational and economic opportunities for students-regardless of gender,” (306). Selfe is saying that technology may not be as threatening as it comes off to be in the educational stand point. She’s saying that if teachers can accept computers as “assistants” then they can work together to provide more equal opportunities for students, no matter what gender or background they come from. I believe that if technology is viewed as the enemy, we’ll be stuck in a permanent time warp; we need to accept the present time and what’s in store for our future. The more years that go by, the more technology will grow, so shouldn’t we get use to it now and not let it be an enemy?
“Computers, in other words, are complexly socially determined artifacts that interact with existing social formations and tendencies-including sexism, classism and racism-to contribute to the shaping of a gendered society”, (306) says Cythia Selfe, in her essay titled, “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution”. The section my group did consisted of talking about the gender gaps between technologies. Women held their own jobs when all of the men were away at war, but once they returned, the women were forced to quit, and stay at home. As far as technology goes, this took away from some equal learning opportunities for women. “Men use technology to accomplish things; women benefit from technology to enhance the ease of their lives or to benefit their families” (308). Now that women were out of the work force, they used the computers to benefit themselves and their families at home, while men had this opportunity, along with being able to use it in the workplace. Selfe explains that technology may have been more originally targeted for men, “Computer games are still designed for boys; computer commercials are stilled aimed mainly at males,” (306). Overall, Selfe feels that technology still falls under a class, that class being sexism. Although she does not say so directly, she feels that technology is definitely segregated and one sided towards males, and women don’t have an equal opportunity to work with this technology, the way men do.
Part B:
In Selfe’s essay, she proposes the idea that , “The Un-gendered Utopia story encourages educators to see and understand computers as educational allies that can support efforts to create new kinds of educational and economic opportunities for students-regardless of gender,” (306). Selfe is saying that technology may not be as threatening as it comes off to be in the educational stand point. She’s saying that if teachers can accept computers as “assistants” then they can work together to provide more equal opportunities for students, no matter what gender or background they come from. I believe that if technology is viewed as the enemy, we’ll be stuck in a permanent time warp; we need to accept the present time and what’s in store for our future. The more years that go by, the more technology will grow, so shouldn’t we get use to it now and not let it be an enemy?
Friday, February 19, 2010
Cynthia Selfe's "Revolution" - Jeremy K, Julie N, Hannah H, Nate A, Jill B, G, Cory N, Ian C
Cynthia L. Selfe
Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution
Narrative #1: The “Global Village” and The “Electronic Colony”
Popular Narrative
(Selfe)
The global village story necessitates unable even to imagine collectively ways of relating to the world outside previous historical and cultural experiences.
– Popular Narrative
(Our Way)
With technology arising, all our cultures are blending together, associated with fairness and equality. People want to believe that we will arrive at the same point, where no man is greater than another. How technology will bring us together under the same banner.
-The Popular Narrative
Revised Narrative
(Selfe)
In the revised narrative, the global village retains its geographical reach, but it becomes a world in which different cultures and different people exist to be discovered, explored, marveled at, in a sense, known and claimed by those who can design and use technology. The inhabitants of this electronic global village, in turn, become; foreigners, exotics, savages, object’s to study and sometimes to control.
-Revised Narrative
(Our Way)
Realistically, this global village will not work, for human nature is a factor into how the future will be portrayed. Greed and need will prevent us from wanting to become equals, to have the same abilities and same boundaries. The internet has provided a global commons for technological grouping, but the advancements behind and beyond will prevent us from becoming equals. Americans are a wonderful example, wanting to retain our power over the lesser nations, especially the government and the armed forces. Desiring to control the flow of information and security in the nations.
-Revised Narrative
Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution
Narrative #1: The “Global Village” and The “Electronic Colony”
Popular Narrative
(Selfe)
The global village story necessitates unable even to imagine collectively ways of relating to the world outside previous historical and cultural experiences.
– Popular Narrative
(Our Way)
With technology arising, all our cultures are blending together, associated with fairness and equality. People want to believe that we will arrive at the same point, where no man is greater than another. How technology will bring us together under the same banner.
-The Popular Narrative
Revised Narrative
(Selfe)
In the revised narrative, the global village retains its geographical reach, but it becomes a world in which different cultures and different people exist to be discovered, explored, marveled at, in a sense, known and claimed by those who can design and use technology. The inhabitants of this electronic global village, in turn, become; foreigners, exotics, savages, object’s to study and sometimes to control.
-Revised Narrative
(Our Way)
Realistically, this global village will not work, for human nature is a factor into how the future will be portrayed. Greed and need will prevent us from wanting to become equals, to have the same abilities and same boundaries. The internet has provided a global commons for technological grouping, but the advancements behind and beyond will prevent us from becoming equals. Americans are a wonderful example, wanting to retain our power over the lesser nations, especially the government and the armed forces. Desiring to control the flow of information and security in the nations.
-Revised Narrative
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
reading response #5
Nick Carr’s central claim in the article “Is Google Making us Stupid?” is questioning how much technology is changing the way that anyone it contacts thinks. One of the subsequent claims that Carr makes that I think is most important is when he talks about how he noticed reading online articles has changed the way his mind functions and the loss of focus that he noticed as a result of this. For me growing up with the internet at my disposal pretty much all of my life my brain doesn’t work any other way so when he describes that situation I cant really relate, but when he stated “Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.” I immediately felt that connection with him. All my life I Have struggled to read or write for extended periods of time and I am pretty much fidgety all the time and it just worsens when I do so. After reading the article a little more I noticed how long it was and couldn’t finish reading the rest without being distracted by the usual phone music and t.v. One of the other claims I saw to be important was when he talked about the Philadelphia steel company and where Fredrick Winslow Taylor used a stop watch to time out how long it took to do different tasks in the work place and create a system of more efficient workers and believe that Taylors system is still very much with us. I believe that the idea of Taylors stop-watched system is still with us today but for the most part machines replace humans in most manufacturing companies such as a steel factory. One of the places where tailors system has a direct correlation is at fast food restaurants. If you go into mcdonalds and look about the drive through window there is a timer that is counting down orders and my friend (who worked in a mcdonalds) said nothing really happens except for an annoying sound. I think one of his more subtle unnoticed for how controversial claims Carr sneaks in is when he talks about how google is trying to collect all of the information in the world and portray the most relevant answer to its users and at the very last second he states is “The last thing these companies want is to encourage leisurely reading or slow, concentrated thought. It’s in their economic interest to drive us to distraction.” Which is controversial because first he cannot just say that the last thing that these (google, yahoo, bing etc.) Companies don’t encourage leisurely and slow concentrated thoughts. Maybe they are trying to speed up the process like Taylor did with the steel industry to create a more efficient thought procces?
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