Final Blog Post

     Throughout this semester in Media Law and Literacy, we have explored technology extensively. We have covered the evolution of technology, technological inventions and advances, as well as how technology has become integrated into our society. Technology today often feels like second nature for many, is this really a good thing?

What are the Positives?

    Technology is incredibly powerful and has many positives. The video of the Futurama ride in 1964, predicted how technology could create a brand new, shiny, society. The ride talks about putting a man on the moon, new interstates, and high tech public transportation. Although American society doesn't necessarily live up to the vision of the ride, we have inherited a lot of the "futuristic" ideals. 

The Planet's Health

The Futurama ride exemplifies the wonderful possibilities of technology and highlights the potential of American society. This video sparked my interest in mentioning the power of electric vehicles. Although electric cars have risen in popularity, it is predicted that they will only become more prevalent. I believe that generation Z will widely benefit from the technological advancements of cars. Sustainability or "going green" has been a large concern for gen-Z. 

    Today, we are able to find the lifecycle carbon analysis of electric vehicles in less than a minute. It is evident that the manufacturing process of electric cars makes up a heavy portion of the vehicle's carbon emissions. However, the vehicles emissions throughout its lifetime outweigh the effect of the creation process. While every new advancement in technology can be beneficial, create new standards, and reshape society's priorities, we should recognize the detrimental effects tech creation has on our planet. 

Our Health

As a society, it is safe to assume our physical relationship with technology is far past unhealthy. The national average screen time in America is seven hours and three minutes, for seven hours a day, most Americans are staring at a blue light screen. Blue light has impacted humans' physical health immensely. Most people develop the habit of scrolling before bed, checking Instagram, or watching a show. A Harvard study was conducted where participants were exposed to blue light, finding that there was a direct correlation to exposure to blue light and a decrease in the production of melatonin. 

    As our physical relationship with technology has gotten out of hand, we should also take note of how our mental relationship with technology has become toxic. A study from the university of Pennsylvania found that there was a large link between social media usage and anxiety and depression. When participants only used social media for 10 mins a day, there was a vast decrease in negative effects. If lowering usage has this much improvement, think about what a week could do.

    While we can make big changes like trading in our traditional cars for electric cars to better our quality of air and physical health, we can also take small steps to ensure our technology has a limited effect on our mental health. Technology has and will continue to own part of our daily lives and creative thinking. With new major advancements like AI, we should continue to be cautious of the effects of overusing technology and strive to keep a healthy relationship with new technological advancments.