The Technopoly
As defined by Neil Postman, the technopoly is "the submission of all forms of cultural life to the sovereignty of technique and technology." The United States is the only country that has established a technopoly. All other cultures find themselves in either a tool-using society or technocracy. In his book entitled Technopoly:The Surrender of Culture to Technology, Postman argues that the technopoly is "strange and dangerous, and there is only a dull and even stupid awareness of what it is." He believes that technology is replacing our values and morals with new faith in progress and efficiency. He is wary of the popularity of computers and warns people to resist this "particularly dangerous enemy."
It is unfortunate that Mr. Postman attacks what he obviously cannot understand. He does not have the capability of conceptualizing all the advantages of technology and what technology will continue to do for us in the future. We should be proud of our nation and the technology that has enabled us to prosper. Progress and efficiency have given rise to a strong nation. We are a people wanting to continuously improve our society. Technological breakthroughs have improved our quality of life and medical advancements have enabled us to lead longer and happier lives.
We have not neglected our foundational values and morals. Indeed, technology has enhanced the ideals of our forefathers. Our freedom is not being jeopordized, it is being broadened by the possibilites of the computer. We are more united than ever before, as our means of communication have increased and how the Internet has created a global village. Let us herald this time of technological advancement. Learn about the technology and understand all of its potential and worth. Only then, can you truly value it and understand it. Technopoly is not the enemy. The enemies are the technophobes who want to hold on to a past that no longer exists.
