Andrews Journal 1

Coming into this class, I was not sure what to expect. During the crazy, cut-throat time that is the scheduling period at Bucknell, the ambiguous title of the class “Time/Machine” intrigued me. After the first couple days, the intrigue has continued to grow.
I like to think that I am a curious person. However, when it comes to technology, I tend to leave the exploration and the innovation to the experts of the field or those that have a greater interest than I do. I then wait and reap the fruits of their labor in the form of cell phones, computers, cars, etc., all the amazing gadgets that have sort of shaped how I’ve grown up. On Thursday, we discussed the passage in which Hank Morgan reflected that he feels as though there is a certain void within him as he lives without the technology that his is used to. This prompted me to attempt to place myself in his shoes, in a world without technology and the commodities that I am used to. I wondered whether our brains, those of whom, like me, have been privileged enough to constantly use and access a large amount technology, have become sort of wired to require technology in close to everything that we do. With the advancements in cell phones and texting, communication has been drastically altered. Higher education and entering high paying jobs require a certain amount of expertise in technology and introduction of technology has trickled down into the education system itself until my mom, who is a kindergarten teacher, is required to learn the ins and outs of the iPad, a device that is given to every student in her class.
Then, as was suggested on Thursday, we also tend judge those who do not have a certain threshold of expertise in technology. Hank Morgan believes the people in the sixth century have such an inferior level of knowledge that he compares them to animals many times throughout the work. However, if we are to apply this to our day to day life, then people like my Grandfather who has not dedicated time to embracing new technology would also be judged as inferior. If he, who I have always held the highest respect for due to his wealth of experience and his character, is judged as inferior due to his lack of technical knowledge, then I personally believe that this notion is extremely flawed.