Technology: A Downfall in Modern Society

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Technology has grown rapidly in the past few years and has played a massive and beneficial role in modern human life; however, the technology that is present in society today has also become detrimental. Humans have difficulty performing everyday tasks without the aid of technology. Reliance on the Internet is causing humans to lose the ability to spell words, understand concepts, and even learn basic concepts. M.T. Anderson portrays several of the adverse effects of humanity’s dependence on invasive technology in his epic novel Feed. The novel examines a futuristic time where most of the population lives with a computer chip (referred to as the “feed”) implanted in the brain. It illustrates the story of the relationship between Titus, a high school student who has lived his whole life with the feed, and Violet a girl who is less dependent on the feed. The novel unravels into a plethora of scenarios which show how the feed affects the events of everyday life. Anderson explores how advanced technology opens the door for an influx of media messaging that influences how people perceive themselves, others, and their surroundings, ultimately creating a self-absorbed, consumeristic society that is robbed of real agency.
Media messaging is becoming a serious issue in today’s society. The term “media messaging” refers to the news and advertisements humans receive on their technological devices daily. Whether one is watching television, surfing the Internet, or playing a game on a smart phone, one is constantly exposed to media messages. For instance, in the event of watching television, hundreds of commercials display on a screen every minute, leaving the viewer no alternative but to observe every advertisement presented. In the same mann...

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...heir surroundings. The Disney Pixar film Wall-E, directed by Andrew Stanton, takes place in a futuristic world where no humans are found on earth. Instead, society is portrayed in an outer space “cruise” where all activity is controlled by technology. Humans are depicted sitting on chairs which take them anywhere they wish to go. All of the humans needs are met without them having to do any work to achieve their goals; they simply lay in their chairs all day long with a holographic screen sitting in front of their faces.

Works Cited

Anderson, M. T. Feed. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick, 2002. Print.
Wall-E. Dir. Andrew Stanton. Perf. Benn Burtt, Elissa Knight, and Jeff Garlin. Pixar Animation Studios, 2008. DVD.
Kite, Lexie, and Lindsay Kite. “Sex Sells, But We’re Buying More Than We Bargained For. “Beauty Redefined. Beauty Redefined, 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2014.

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