computers and the internet

This week the reading was an article called ‘Mind Control and the Internet’, written by Sue Halpern. The article discusses the future of technology in the form of ‘biochips’. ‘Biochips’ are a microchip computer that is inserted into a persons brain, so that whatever information is desired would be searched on the internet and immediately be available in your brain. Despite many people being doubtful, this technology is defiantly possible in the near future, as more and more discoveries are being made and everything is constantly being improved on. In my opinion these ‘biochips’ are not needed in the world, and despite the amount of work put into them, are a form of laziness as people cannot be bothered to learn or do things themselves. This being said, if they were to develop this technology, it could be useful in helping people with paralyzing illnesses communicate, and I believe that that is an important aspect, but it should not be available for people who are fully capable of doing or learning things without the help of these devices. A main point of technology is to make humans lives easier, but in reality it is just making people lethargic in all activities. In my opinion, the people who are designing items like this could be putting their minds to better use, solving problems that actually need to be solved, rather than making this to help people that cant be bothered to help themselves.

The lecture spoke about the development of computers over the past few decades. It was interesting to find out that in the 1950s the worlds needs were met with just six computers, and that an electronic card that sings happy birthday has more computer power than the earth did in the 1950s. Since the basics of technology were developed in the form of computers, advances in the field have come quickly. It seems almost impossible that the massive block cell phone of the late 80’s and early 90’s has turned into such a thing as an iPhone. It is quite funny that despite all the advances made, we do not have majority of the things television shows and movies of the past envisioned to the world. No one knows what the next decade holds in regards to computers and technology, but when we look back I am sure we will wonder how we every lived without it.

Halpern, S 2011, Mind Control & the Internet, viewed 3 August 2013,  https://bblearn.griffith.edu.au/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_group=courses&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fcontent%2FcontentWrapper.jsp%3Fcontent_id%3D_530301_1%26displayName%3DLinked%2BFile%26course_id%3D_18082_1%26navItem%3Dcontent%26attachment%3Dtrue%26href%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nybooks.com%252Farticles%252Farchives%252F2011%252Fjun%252F23%252Fmind-control-and-internet%252F>

Swalwell, M 2012, Question about the usefulness of Microcomputers in 1980s Australia, viewed 4 August 2013, https://bblearn.griffith.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-502011-dt-content-rid-896290_1/courses/1501HUM_3135/Swalwell%2080s%20Oz%20Computers.pdf

Stockwell, S 2013, ‘Week 3 – Computers and the Internet', Retrieved from Griffith University, School of Humanities, Learning@Griffith Website: <www.griffith.edu.au>