The Ambivalent American Society

In his first inaugural address Franklin D. Roosevelt uttered the oft quoted phrase, "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" (Roosevelt). Is fear truly the only thing that one must fear? Should one fear the omnipresent government of George Orwell's novel 1984 or the acquiescence to oppression as detailed in Aldous Huxley's novel Brave New World? According to Neil Postman, a contemporary social critic, while it is irrational to fear the "Big Brother" government of Orwell's novel it is logical to fear the ambivalence illustrated in Huxley's novel since modern America has become a more narcissistic society. Postman's assertion that Huxley's prophecy has come to fruition is accurate due to the fact that the members of modern society have come to rely too heavily on the technology that they adore, choose to remain in passive ignorance, and focus more on the irrelevant details of pop culture rather than the important issues related to day-to-day living.

In modern society, and more specifically modern America, the amount of technology available continues to increase and numerous American citizens become consumed in a perpetual cycle of buying new devices to replace their old ones and relying too heavily on technology. With the introduction of the World Wide Web in 1993 came the ability for quick communications on a global scale. As technology continued to improve copious amounts of people began spending inordinate amounts of time glued to their technology. Lee Siegel once called the internet a "placeless place" meaning that when people waste their discretionary time browsing aimlessly around various websites their actions and communications on those websites mean very little. Countless people spend large amounts of time interac...

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...n it comes to the cruelty of human beings.

Henry David Thoreau once remarked, "Men have become the tools of their tools" which is a sentiment that mirrors perfectly the belief of Neil Postman that humans have become victims of the technologies that they hold so dear (Thoreau). American society has turned evermore towards ignorance and fail to utilize technology for their positive uses. Humans in general are prone to utilize technology in a negative way as was reflected upon by Albert Einstein when he stated, "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity" (Einstein). While members of modern society are surrounded by an unlimited amount of knowledge they fail to use it and instead turn to gluttony and sloth rather than perserverence and diligence. Sociey will ultimate be undone by the technologies that it holds in such high regard.