Technology's influence on women's movements, youth culture, and dating in North America

Science/Technology Impact on the North American Society

The latest advancement in science has led to a shift of ways of operations and developments in almost all the quarters in the globe, the North American Society not exempted movement not exempted.

This paper will briefly look into the benefits that the development in technology has brought to the North American society and the youth and women of the region in particular.

Technology and women's movement

The growth of ICT has enabled women in North America to have access to information about development projects and opportunities as well as sources of funding for the projects involving women. Further to this, the various organizations that involve women participation have been able to link with each other through technology in form of emails, teleconferencing and video conferences.

The continued use of technology among women has also enabled the women's movement to bridge the gender gap that there before existed. This is achieved through sharing of information on empowerment of women throughout the North American Society (Usha AHarma, 2003). The improved women's movement and lifestyle is directly reflected on the society as a whole since women are known to be better contributors to the welfare of the society.

II. Technology and Youth Culture

The youth have been studied to be easily influenced by trends and fashions. It is these two that majorly shape the culture of a group at a particular time in a given time span. Technology has played a central role in shaping the culture of the youth in the North American society. For instance what the youth dress in, the cars they drive or long to drive, the music they listen to, vide games and so on are those that are possessed or engaged in by the popular people and the pop music world. These trends get down to youth through the internet advertisements and video clips like on YouTube, television, texts and phone images and a myriad of other technology advanced gadgets. This exemplifies how the youth are influenced by the technology in shaping their culture.

III. Technology and dating habits

The youth are the majority of the technology consumers especially when it comes to the internet. There social media in particular capitalize on the youth for their benefits. Social media can be viewed as a social or shared instrument which enables communication from one person to another, exchange between individuals or groups and most significantly interactivity between/among the concerned groups or persons (about.com, 2011).

The youth are known to be very interactive and any medium like the social networks that will enable them do that will be readily imbibed among them. It is through these social media that there have been interaction and dating among the people of North America as there are readily available social networks like tweeter, facebook, Hi5, Neighborhood America, yahoo messenger and Last.FM among many others.

Disadvantages of Technology to the North America Society

Apart from the above advantages that technology presents to the youth and women as well as the general society, there are some disadvantages that come with it. There have been great concerns to the harmful content that the internet exposes the youth, particularly those who are still not mature enough to distinguish what to take in and what to leave out. Contents with pornographic scenes, violence, foul language, racist undertones and many other socially demeaning structures have been a worry to many since they are all over the internet. The video games as well have been a contended issue since they are believed to encourage children into docile entertainment which is a recipe for obesity and other heart related complications.

The North American society has also suffered its better share of image crisis thanks to technology. There has been a continued portrayal of the perfect image that is acceptable by the society through the technology that we have today. The internet, television, magazines, display boards (all product of technology) have been promoting through advertisement some slimming pills and supplements (all products of technology) that gives ladies a 'slim and fit' body that is socially acceptable and on the other hand muscle building supplements that give men an 'awesome look' acceptable in the society. These have led to cases of women of all ages starving till they suffer from anorexia and men using the supplements till it becomes medical detrimental to their health, some ending in death for both cases (Psych Central, 2011).

Reference

About.com, (2011). What is Social Media. Retrieved April 7, 2011 from http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/social-media.htm

Psych Central, (2011). Media Can Damage Self-Image. Retrieved April 7, 2011 from http://psychcentral.com/news/2006/10/27/media-can-damage-self-image/362.html

Science Ray, (2011). The Effects and Influences of Technology on Society and Human Kind.

Retrieved April 7, 2011 from http://scienceray.com/technology/applied-science/the-effects-and-influences-of-technology-on-society-and-human-kind/2/

Usha AHarma, (2003). Women Empowerment through Information Technology. Authors Press.

Retrieved April 7, 2011 from http://www.vedamsbooks.com/no32382/women-empowerment-through-information-technology-usha-sharma