Reaching Across the Parting Lines: How Technology Breaks Down Cultural Borders

We live in a day and age where we encounter technology at every corner. 91% of American adults own a cell phone (Brenner), and a laptop is considered a staple among college students in order to complete work for school. Televisions and social media are the primary sources for news outlets, and it becomes more evident over time that we as a world have become more and more dependent upon technology in order to communicate more efficiently than ever before. Technology has now reached far beyond the boundaries of well-developed, first-world countries, and is prevalent in even the most primeval of societies. It now allows for us to communicate with individuals who were once far beyond our reach, further improving the lives of those living in third-world countries. As a result, global technology breaks down cultural borders and ushers in a new generation of new, more globalized individuals, as well as stitching together the world because of increased communication.

“These more globalized exchanges have the potential to provide new pathways to knowledge and understanding about world events and even to foster sympathy and interaction across national and other borders” (Karraker 93). As the expanse of technology increases, the size of our world begins to shrink, in terms of difficulty in communication. In an age preceding laptops and cell phones, correspondence between two people from different countries was very difficult and often resulted in miscommunication on both parts because tone and context were

Lea 2 often easily misconstrued. When the only images presented of different races were the stereotype created by one person, it was very easy to create a border between the known and the unknown. One example is American soldiers and th...

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...r strengthening the strained relationships of those who have been split up from their families. It is a provider of education and a powerful tool for globalization. When used correctly, “The development and diffusion of technology has, 'contributed immensely to the improvement of living standards of millions of people in many parts of the world,' resulting in reduced poverty, improved health, greater opportunities and choices, and access to products that have enhanced the quality of life …” (105). Individuals in

Lea 6 impoverished countries may use technology to reach out for help and create a stronger sense of community in their homes. Alternatively, individuals in more developed countries can use their technology resources to reach out to those who need help, learn more about the milieu outside of his or her own, and expose themselves to a more diverse lifestyle.