Technology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Technology has become an essential aspect of our society and has completely changed how we interact with each other. It has also done lots of good for us in terms of the workplace, our entertainment, and our lifestyle. But has technology done more harm than good? Is society becoming consumed by the drastic advancements in technology?

Research has shown that technology can lead to poor sleep. This is because technology such as cell phones, TVs, tablets, and computers radiate a blue light that limits the body's production of melatonin. The reduction of melatonin makes it harder to fall and to stay asleep because it activates your brain, making it think it needs to stay awake. It is recommended to have unwinding between the time you use technology and the time before you go to bed.

Additionally, due to technology, there has been a rise in obesity and laziness. Technology is associated with a lack of physical movement and sitting down. A recent report stated that the average American has around 13.6 hours of media consumption a day. Because of this, people are spending less time with others and less time being active or exercising, which is linked to an increase in laziness and obesity.

Another terrifying aspect of technology is that it is affecting the mental health of social media users. Social media is linked to increased depression and anxiety disorders along with eating disorders. This is due to the fact that people feel the need to compare themselves and live up to what is seen on social media. Lately, there has been a push to spread body positivity, but it has not always been that way. For example, in 2015, one-third of Anorexia related videos on YouTube could be classified as "pro-anorexia". Additionally, these videos were more likely to get views than those that were informative, and that highlighted the consequences of eating disorders. But how is this allowed to happen? Personally, I believe that if there was less technology, there would be a decrease in "glorifying" these disorders and that the younger generation would be mentally healthier.

Lastly, children are getting technology earlier and earlier instead of playing outside or using their imagination. In a way, we are training them to become dependent on technology in the same way we are. Could parents just be handing their children tablets and phones as a way to get them to be quiet and to sit still? Possibly. But I feel like they disguise that by saying they are using technology as a learning tool.  In fact, nearly 83% of children aged six months to six years use technology daily to read, play, or learn. But is this a healthy habit to start? Probably not.

I, for one, love technology and all the good that comes from it, but I will admit that I have an unhealthy relationship with technology and social media. In a way, I have become a slave to my phone; for instance, anytime I hear a "ding" I immediately have to check the notification. My phone is always in my hand so I can feel connected to friends and family and to get on social media or play games if I become bored. However, after Apple released an update where you can check your screen time, I have become more aware of the issue and try to interact with the people around me instead of my phone.

The drastic advancements in technology allowed people to become slaves to technology and depend on it in their daily lives, yet this is never discussed. I believe this is something that society needs to be aware of. And yes, technology has done lots of good for our society, but does the good outweigh the bad?


https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2018/01/28/parkin-technology-harmful-helpful/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003636/
http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/sites/default/files/docs/coups-oeil/technology-in-early-childhood-education-info.pdf

Impact of the Coronavirus on our Psychology

The coronavirus not only has an effect on vulnerable populations and the economy but our mental health and anxiety as well. There is no doubt that this pandemic will leave lasting effects on our society.

Anxiety results from a heightened feeling of being threatened and this constant feeling may also leave lasting effects on our psychology and how we perceive others and the world around us. Research has shown that a pandemic or fear of contagion can make society more conformist, tribalistic, and less accepting of those who do not follow social norms. This will make us more conservative in terms of immigration, sexual freedom, and equality, and may even force us to reevaluate our political affiliations.

One study revealed that when participants felt threatened by disease or infection, they tend to be more likely to follow the herd and to be swayed by popularity rather than voicing their own opinion. Additionally, participants were more likely to be worried about the illness if they held traditional or conventional views, and they were less likely to associate with those who were creative or artistic. This demonstrates that during the current pandemic, individuals tend to value conformity rather than rebellion.

Another result of the pandemic is that people become even more morally vigilant. We become more likely to harshly judge a breach of loyalty, such as disrespecting an authority figure, because we associate that distrust with breaking the rules that are meant to help contain the virus.

Lastly, not only do we become harsher judges, but we also become more fearful and distrustful of strangers. Studies have revealed this is especially bad for those who are dating because less physically attractive people are judged even more harshly than those who are considered attractive. This also extends to us distrusting those of different cultural backgrounds, making society more prejudiced and discriminatory towards people of other cultures or countries and thus influencing people's attitudes on immigration.

These studies illustrate how the current Coronavirus pandemic may have long-lasting effects on our society and how we interact with others. Overall, these effects seem negative, but it is best to become aware of them so they can potentially be reduced.


https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200401-covid-19-how-fear-of-coronavirus-is-changing-our-psychology

Fox Sexual Harassment Scandal

Following the recent release of the movie Bombshell, it is easy to get wrapped up in what is fact and what is fictional concerning the movie. The movie's premise follows Gretchen Carlson's sexual harassment lawsuit against Roger Ailes and her hopes of attracting other women within Fox who have experienced the same thing.

In the summer of 2016, Carlson leaves Fox after 11 years when her contract expires. Carlson would later sue Ailes and claim that her contract was not renewed because Ailes wanted revenge against her for refusing his sexual advancements. She also claimed that Ailes was not alone in his misconduct; Carlson also accused Steve Doocy, among others, of sexual misconduct.

Eventually, after being called out for her silence, Megyn Kelly stated that the Fox CEO had made inappropriate advancements towards her. Kelly claimed that the misconduct occurred ten years prior to Carlson's lawsuit when she was new to the network. After the release of Bombshell, Megyn admitted she felt "powerless" and that she wished she had done more.

On July 21st, 2016 Roger Ailes steps down as chairman and CEO of Fox. Ailes was given $40 million as settlement and served as compensation for the rest of his contract with the network. By September 6th, Carlson agrees to settle her lawsuit for $20 million, however, Ailes did not pay any of the settlement himself as it came from Fox. 

After the scandal, the network announced that they created a new panel known as the Fox News Workplace Professionalism and Inclusion Council. This council consisted of two human resources executives from the network and four independent experts who will strive to increase transparency within the company by publishing reports given to Fox directors.

My question to you is, is this really justice? How is settling for a large amount of money punishing Ailes for his sexual harassment towards the nearly two dozen women who were brave enough to come forward? Personally, I believe that Ailes was not properly punished for his misconduct. He received no jail time and he did not even pay the settlements himself. I do not see how this was considered justice.

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a30225158/bombshell-true-story-timeline/

https://www.insider.com/megyn-kelly-felt-powerless-and-wishes-she-had-done-more-after-watching-bombshell-for-first-time-2020-1

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/20/business/media/fox-news-sexual-harassment.html

The History of Propaganda

The term "propaganda" is defined as, "information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a particular cause or point of view". Propaganda is a term that has long been associated with a negative connotation and many war efforts, especially after the first World War. However, propaganda is not a new concept, in fact, it dates back to Ancient Greece. In Athens, propaganda was derived from differences in political and religious opinions, and, because of a lack of technology and other modern advancements, the people of Athens spread propaganda through the incorporation of games, theater, religious festivals, and the courts of law. To the Athenians, this term was honorable and was associated with a multitude of religious activities.

Despite this, the term "propaganda" was not a common concept until 1622 when Pope Gregory XV created the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, which was supposed to spread their faith to the "heathen lands". After the Congregation was formed, the College of Propaganda was created by Pope Urban VIII and was used to train and prepare priests for these missions into the heathen lands.

However, the connotation of the word eventually was no longer considered honorable and was later thought of as deceitful and selfish. This was especially true after propaganda was used in the American and French revolutions and both of the World Wars. During the post-WWI era, communists and fascists wanted to spread their political message to other countries through the use of propaganda. Additionally, dictators such as Hitler and Mussolini can be credited for giving propaganda the large and terrifying role that it has recently had in the world.

More modern forms of propaganda have been on the rise within the past decade due to new technology such as computers, smartphones, and social media platforms, along with controversial presidential elections. This modern-day propaganda is known as fake news. Fake news has very important implications for our society because it is the newest and easiest way to spread lies, rumors, and misinformation.

However, to succeed, fake news needs these three things: tools and services, social networks, and motivation. Tools and services can include things such as paid likes and followers or forcing website owners to take down stories. But to use these tools and services, there must be platforms such as Facebook or Twitter that enable the spread of propaganda. Lastly, there must be a motive. Their motivation can come from monetary gain or even for criminal or political reasons.

The government, companies, and social media users are becoming aware of how dangerous fake news can really be. In order to combat this issue, government agencies are now finding ways and creating services to "debunk" false stories and publications. There have also been discussions of enforcing punishments on those who publish deceitful misinformation, such as social networking platforms.

It is extremely important that we, as a society, become aware of fake news and other forms of propaganda and to become educated on how to identify it. Many people see "news" on social media as accurate without looking into who had written the article or reported on the event. By learning to identify fake news and how to seek out accurate sources, propaganda may eventually have less of an impact on our society.

https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/propaganda
https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/gi-roundtable-series/pamphlets/em-2-what-is-propaganda-(1944)/the-story-of-propaganda
https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/pl/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/fake-news-cyber-propaganda-the-abuse-of-social-media

Privacy, Online and Off

Everone willing posts personal information about themselves on the internet daily. We have consented to social media sites knowing our phone numbers and emails, and we are allowing people who follow us to see status updates, photos, and anything else we put on social media. Technology has become essential in our society, but people are not considering the consequences of technology that we did not consent to. Most people are unaware of how much information about them is on the internet.

First, things we come into contact with daily such as social media, cell phones, GPS systems, security cameras, credit cards/scores, and Wikipedia are all considered "electronic tattoos". Whether you know it or not, these types of technology are tracking information about you which is then available to anyone forever. There is currently no way to fully hide or delete the information being collected and stored on the internet. Where you go, what you do, and what you like, is being seen by companies, stores, criminals, police officers, etc because these "electronic tattoos" tell a story about you.

To the right is a screenshot that I took from Facebook that states the dangers of putting too much information on the internet. It discusses how "fun games" that people love to share can really be used by criminals to learn important pieces of information about you that are often used to answer security questions on your email, banking, etc. 

On the governmental level, law enforcement officers are able to track cell phones and license plates and all the data that is collected is kept for no reason. Even if you have a clean record and no suspicious activity, every piece of information that has been collected on you is being kept "just in case it might be needed someday". Additionally, wiretapping has become easier within the last 100 years. In fact, our cell phones are wired for surveillance first. At any given time, someone could be listening to our phone calls, whether it be our government, a foreign government, or a hacker.

When it comes to the internet, we have little-to-no privacy. But there are specific apps that can prevent people from listening to or seeing your conversations. For example, FaceTime, iMessage, and WhatsApp do not allow anyone to see or hear the things you discuss, not even the government. These are basically the only "safe" ways to communicate that will not allow surveillance or wiretapping. In today's society, it is better to take precautionary measures than risk having all your information readily available to anyone who searches for it.

https://www.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_your_online_life_permanent_as_a_tattoo 

https://www.ted.com/talks/catherine_crump_the_small_and_surprisingly_dangerous_detail_the_police_track_about_you?language=en 

https://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_soghoian_how_to_avoid_surveillance_with_the_phone_in_your_pocket#t-4440

My Online Presence

The emergence of social media has been fun, harmful, impactful, and entertaining, and has completely changed the way people interact with each other. In today's society, we tend to focus on the good aspects of being online and ignore the aspects that could be hurting us, directly or indirectly. 

I will admit that I have fallen victim to being an active user of many social media sites including Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. This list does not include the sites or platforms where I have an account but am no longer active. Being the cautious person that I am, I have always tried to take precautions and not put too much information about myself on the internet, but I believe I have failed. For the most part, I do not add people to my social media that I do not know. However, when I first got admitted into High Point and everyone started adding everyone on Snapchat and Instagram, I became less picky and let anyone and everyone follow me to try and meet new people from school.  Additionally, I have always been told to be careful about what I post on social media, and I have been successful in doing so in the obvious ways such as no curse words or derogatory language, no posts that showcase the use of alcohol, and no skimpy clothing. However, I have failed in the ways people often do not think about as I have been less careful in giving out personal information. When I go on vacation, I am quick to post pictures, letting people know I am not home and basically inviting someone to come rob my house. Furthermore, if a cute boy added me on social media and asked for my Snapchat or phone number, I was quick to give it to them. I now know that I must be more careful in not disclosing personal information on the internet because it will only benefit me in the long run and keep me safer. 

Overall, I believe that social media does more harm than good. Yes, there are good things you can do on social media such as funny baby videos, staying in touch with old friends, or if you're like me, discover a whole new side of your family. But social media and the internet, in general, has led to an increase in eating disorders and mood disorders, such as depression. In fact, a recent study revealed that there is a strong and consistent correlation between social media and eating concerns. Additionally, after an analysis was completed on YouTube, it was discovered that 1/3 of anorexia related videos on the website were "pro-anorexia". As children are becoming more and more involved with social media, things need to change in order to protect them from the dangers that social media can bring.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003636/ 

Diffusion of Innovations

After being created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown in 2011, Snapchat quickly rose to fame among the younger generations, i.e., millennials and generation z. Originally named Picaboo, Snapchat was launched in a dorm, and then later released in the App Store in the home of Spiegel's father.

As of June 2019, the app had over 210 million users that were active each day, a large jump from 190 million within the first few months of 2019. As of now, Snapchat is the most popular form of social media among teens. However, teens and young adults are not the only people using the social media platform, many celebrities and influencers use the platform to interact with fans, promote products, gossip, and to flaunt their lavish lifestyles.

The first aspect of the app that made it so appealing was that your photos and videos lasted from anywhere from 1-10 seconds and then disappeared forever. Since then, Snapchat has released new features to keep users entertained. This includes things such as Stories (October 2013), Geofilters (August 2014), filters or lenses (January 2015), Snap Streaks (March 2016), and Memories and Bitmojis (July 2016). They even made it to where your pictures and videos can last longer than 10 seconds, basically until the recipient clicks off. Users are able to be creative by adding filters, stickers, Bitmojis, and gifs to their pictures and videos to share with as many friends as they would like.

I believe that upon the release of Snapchat, the platform had the attention of many innovators and the early majority. In November of 2013, two years after its release, Mark Zuckerberg tried to purchase the platform for $3 billion but the offer was turned down. Later on, in May of 2016, Google reportedly offers to buy Snapchat for $30 billion, but again, the offer was rejected. These two innovators had the social status, access to other innovators, and financial ability to purchase the entire platform and risk failure. There were no reports of early adopters, as it took time for the app's popularity to rise and the addition of the stories for celebrities to have a major influence on other users' opinions of the app. Most other users were a part of the early majority, adopting a new form of social media and sharing it with friends just to have fun. These individuals typically held above-average social and financial status, which makes sense because it appears Snapchat was only originally available to iPhones, one of the most expensive of the smartphone choices.


https://www.oberlo.com/blog/snapchat-statistics
https://www.buycustomgeofilters.com/blog/snapchat-history-and-updated-timeline
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations

The Value of Participation in Self-Government

Since the beginning of democracy, it has been argued whether a direct involvement or representative involvement would be more beneficial. It was believed that it would be unreasonable to have a direct democracy because not everyone is going to be able to vote for every issue and not everyone is educated enough to make the "correct" political decision, and thus came the rise of representative involvement.

While having society as a whole decide and vote on every issue may be time consuming and unreasonable, it's not true that people are incapable of making political decisions. In fact, some political philosophers have identified three things that factor into making a political decision: factual information about the effects of each option, information about what people prefer, and questions of moral principle. These philosophers argued that there is no proof that the citizens would be worse at making political decisions than elected officials. In fact, elected politicians rely on experts, meaning they do not have any special knowledge or expertise that allows them to do their job more effectively.

One problem set forth was that the average citizen was not very knowledgeable or interested in politics. However, according to ushistory.org, an important and common characteristic among voters is education. Typically, the higher the education level that an individual has, the more likely they are to vote. This could possibly be due to the fact that they may be able to better understand more complex political issues.

I believe that participating in self-government is important because it is one of the most significant rights given to us by the founding fathers. If our government is really the "government by the people" then the people need to be heard in full. Minorities especially need to participate because many are underrepresented in voter turnout when they may have the most at stake in a given situation. We were given this right to have a say in how our government is run, and yet we have taken advantage of the situation as voter turnout is on the decline.

On the other hand, there are ways other than voting in which you can participate in government. Individuals may write to their local officials, work for a candidate that is running for office, or propose ideas to the school board or their city council. Participation does not just have to be on a federal level, even participating on the state and local levels can make a difference, if not for the entire country, definitely for your city.

Sources
Political Philosophy Class Notes- Dr. Amy MacArthur
https://www.ushistory.org/gov/4d.asp