"Geek Heresy": Chapter 3 [Post #9]

In Chapter 3 of Geek Heresy, "Geek Myths Debunked: Dispelling Misguided Beliefs About Technology", we finally read about a different perspective on human responses to new technologies. In other words, it's finally being discussed that we, as technology consumers, just might be more to blame for our addictions than the technologies themselves.

It's a pattern we see each time a new technology is introduced into our lives: we get it, we use it, and we slowly start to realize we have a hard time living without it. Every now and then, said technologies become domesticated and ingrained in our lives. Nothing new. However, before we place blame on the advancements of technology, the addictive nature of said technologies, or even the consumers of these technologies, we should take a step back- all the way back to the very fiber of our beings.

Toyama writes, "we certainly didn't walk around with tiny speakers in our ears prior to the 1980s. But that doesn't mean these new behaviors were out-of-the-blue creations of the technology, per se" (p. 39). He then delves into a discussion that technologies access aspects of human nature and amplify the tendencies we already have, but they tend to take the majority of blame for feeding our addictions to new technology. He then goes on and writes, "Sony leaders recognized this desire [to listen to music in a portable way] and built a low-cost, portable device to meet it. Consumers bought hundreds of thousands of units and adapted their listening habits...throughout, it's people taking action. The device is inanimate" (p. 39). Hmm...

As our technology and media advance, it's easy to see these devices, build them up to be of higher control than us, and give them credit as living, breathing, scheming beings with intent. However, we need to take a step back as consumers of these technologies and media and remember that only humans can acknowledge, act on, and adapt to human tendencies. And with these skills, humans have created these technologies and media, humans have interacted with these technologies and media, and humans have adapted their lives around these technologies and media. It's time to start taking credit!