Modernization in the United States: technology, agriculture, and telecommunications

¶ … Future of Modernization in the United States

The past few decades have witnessed the introduction of a number of innovations in technology and transportation that have created a truly globalized marketplace and all signs indicate that these trends will continue well into the future. The economic benefits of increased international commerce are well documented, of course, but there are some other factors involved in this equation that may not be so readily discernible. To determine the impact of the inexorable march towards continuing modernization in the United States and abroad, this paper provides a review of the relevant literature concerning these issues followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

How does modernization manifest itself in U.S. society?

As the nation with the largest economy, prolific agricultural industry and most sophisticated military forces, modernization is clearly evident throughout U.S. society. In this regard, Huffman (1999) notes that that while agricultural output has increased more than five-fold in the last century, the number of workers required to produce this output has been significantly decreased, a trend that is directly attributable to the modernization of the agricultural industry. Perhaps nowhere are the signs of modernization so apparent, though, as in the telecommunications industry. The increasingly widespread use of cellular telephones, personal computers, and wireless connections to the Internet have created a truly modern society that has immediate access to more information than has been available at any point in the history of mankind. The use of consumer robots is also becoming increasingly prevalent as well as innovations in healthcare.

Is modernization likely to continue in the U.S.

The wheels have been set in motion and there is no turning back now. While there will always be some people who believe that "getting back to nature" al a Thoreau and Walden Pond is the best way to live, and Americans are always on the lookout for the newest, fastest and best of whatever is available. Computers are becoming smaller and will soon disappear altogether as ubiquitous computing is realized. Americans will likely receive some type of brain or ocular implants that eliminate the need for any type of external connection to the World Wide Web and Americans in the 22nd century will likely look back on this period in the nation's history as one of the major turning points in the drive towards modernization.

Is modernization a world-wide trend?

Modernization is without a doubt a global trend that has affected both developed and developing nations and the signs of these trends as easy enough for all to see. For instance, Snyder (2004) emphasizes that, "Around the world over the past generation, the children of traditional societies are growing up wearing Western clothes, eating Western food, listening to Western music, and (most importantly of all) thinking Western thoughts" (p. 22). Even the poorest of the poor in remote places in India and China now possess cell phones and have access to the Internet and the same forces that are driving modernization in developing nations will become more readily available in these developing nations as economies of scale drive prices down even further.

Which theorist best reflects personal perceptions of modernization?

In his essay, "Five Meta-Trends Changing the World," Snyder (2004) makes several points that coincide with this author's personal views concerning where the world is heading and what will happen when it gets there. According to Snyder, among the most prevalent trends shaping America today is the move towards home-based activities including employment that will likely change the manner in which people interact with other in significant ways in the years to come. Based on these trends, it is reasonable to suggest that Snyder' observation that, "Given the recent accelerated growth of telecommuting, self-employment, and contingent work, one-fourth to one-third of all gainful employment is likely to take place at home within 10 years" will in fact be what takes place in the United States, but the percentages involved will probably be much higher than even this futurist believes.

Conclusion

From a strictly definitional aspect, American society is "modern" at any given point in time but from a theoretical perspective, the forces of modernization are becoming increasingly powerful forces in the world today. Although innovations in technology can provide a number of benefits for consumers, the downside of these trends is the manner in which they are being forced down other people's throats and the impact that technology is having on the environment. The next century will be an eventful one but it will also be a modern one unless the world's population continues to grow faster than even the United States can feed it and a breaking point is reached where reactions such as food riots and increasing resentment against the Westernization of the rest of the world will spawn further attacks on the U.S. And its interests abroad. In this eventuality, the prediction made by Albert Einstein that, "I do not know what the third world war will be fought with, but the fourth world war will be fought with sticks and stones" will become a harsh reality.