Pros and Cons of Computer Technology Advancement

Computer Technology Advancement

The pace at which computer technology has been increasing in speed and efficiency is a modern marvel of science. There is no denying that the world has been completely shaken by the rapid spread of information, and the increased access to communication methods. The humble beginnings of computers after World War II was an evolution of needs by the United States government. The Space program contributed greatly to the process of computer modernization, and the continued shrinking of processors has meant the rise of the graphical user interface, the internet, and miniaturization of the overall computer experience. There are disagreements as to whether all of this progress has really created the best results for humanity, and therefore this paper will be a struggle between these two points-of-view. In this paper I will analyze the pros and cons to the rapid advancement of computer technology, and argue why I believe that being in favor of computer technology advancement is far better than being against it.

The greatest evidence for the pro argument to computer advancement is the efficiency gains by businesses around the world, causing a worldwide increase in wealth. The United States has been at the front of this evolution, with a combination of American design and business practices, with labor from China and resources from the wide fabric of American global trade networks. This process has meant that businesses can provide consumers with cheaper goods in higher quantities in the most efficient trade system built yet, all a result of advanced computer technology. It is difficult to argue with the benefits of a strong economy, and computers have contributed substantially to the huge amounts of wealth America has seen in the past twenty five years.

Globalization has meant not only that Western firms are becoming wealthy, but also that previously bare societies now have access to Western goods. From electronics, to toys, to food, to cars, there has been a widespread expanding of presence of goods for sale. The world has become more connected by the stock market and the earnings results of a single Fortune 500 company may affect multiple nations. Offering the possibility of a better future is one of the strengths of the computer age, where financial devices such as credit cards have extended credit to people in ways to allow for the greater flexible use of money, which has evolved into microloans in developing countries which lack a formal banking structure. Now it is possible to go onto the internet, order an item off of Amazon.com, and expect your item to be shipped to your door around the world with a small fee. This is a remarkable change from the pre-internet days, when shipments were particularly dangerous and unsafe investments.

Another incredible achievement made possible by modern computers is that of instant communication between governments, media outlets, and individual citizens around the globe. In the past, communication was limited both by distance and by language. If you needed to send a message abroad, it became important to understand international customs and mailing practices, and the quickest communication was by horse. More recent inventions such as the telephone and fax machine have greatly improved people's ability to communicate. Computers, however, have given way to new functions in people's daily lives, with companies like Google, Face book, Skype, Twitter, and LinkedIn all fighting for control of the users time. The average internet user has evolved from the 1990s, and these powerhouse internet titans are now pulling in the greatest traffic from users online.

Politics has been shaken by the proliferation of Face book and twitter usage in the Middle East, as the Arab Spring has brought about change in leadership in three countries so far. In Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, computer technology was critical to the success of the anti-dictator rebel groups, who organized through social media. It has been because of the anonymous nature of the internet that subcultures have been allowed to thrive in the most repressive regimes. Other repressive governments, such as that of China, have been even more proactive in its observation of all comments made on the internet from within its country. As computer technology keeps linking together the various peoples of the world, a greater level of understanding will inevitably be built, and cultural values and practices will morph to be worldwide in nature, starting with the choosing of leaders by election in an open democratic society.

Healthcare has been greatly aided by computer technology progress, as previously fatal illnesses have become perfectly curable problems with the correct technology and doctor to perform the procedure. For centuries diseases like Tuberculosis, Cholera, Chicken Pox, and certain types of Cancer plagued humanity with miserable results. Other illnesses, less ominous in nature but still detrimental to ones overall health, such as psychological problems or common sicknesses, have had their effects greatly overcome by the results of modern medicine. It is now possible to have one's own cells sequenced and analyzed in a lab to check for problems, to have ones brain scanned in an MRI machine, or baby checked by sonogram, all due to technology. Technology will even incorporate biology in the future, according to IBM Head of Research John Kelly.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Lohr, Steve, October 31, 2011. Big Data, Speed and the Future of Computing. The New York Times. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/big-data-speed-and-the-future-of-computing/?scp=1&sq=computer%20technology&st=cse]

In my personal life, I have seen firsthand the benefits of advanced medical systems. My father had cancer, which due to modern medical practices was caught in an early stage. With a quick and painless operation, his tumor cells were removed by a robotic procedure, and to this day, his survival has been credited due to the modern marvels of the health industry. Future advancements in the medical field depend on the medical research offered by the latest computer tools. It will take more investment in medical advances in order to solve humanities longest problems, particularly solving the most dangerous forms of cancer.

Despite all of the great benefits of computer advancement, there are indeed downsides to having the entire world connected, with no room for authoritative knowledge or restraint. The internet is rife with misinformation, that is, incorrectly supposed knowledge, as well as disinformation, where knowledge is intentionally altered for some purpose. Also, the greater presence of news stations operating on twenty-four hour cycles, less emphasis is being put into excellent journalism in favor of up to the minute events which take up a massive amount of time on important news days. To top it off, there is a problem of information overload, when one's day is turned into a grinding cycle of stress, and no reprieve from technology may result in negative consequences. It is difficult in the modern world to stop using computers and computer gadgets even for a minute, and there will be no easy way to reach some sort of compromise with technology needs and human needs in the near future.