Technology
Jenny Miller
Section 57
12-2-07
Comparison/Contrast
Technology
From black and white television sets to high definition plasma screen TVs, the technology industry has boomed in the past century. Through an interview with my own mother, I learned many things about technology and how it has changed since her generation. While certain basics like electricity are largely the same, communication, especially phones and TVs, have changed people’s lives dramatically.
According to my mom, about fifty years ago, technology was scant compared to today’s world. First of all, the way of life back then had a much slower pace. If someone wanted to write to his or her friend, he or she would have had to take out a piece of paper and a pen, handwrite his or her message, place the note in a stamped envelope, and send it through the mail. This process is seldom practiced because of the advancements made to this day. Secondly, there were less forms of communication, so it was more difficult to get a hold of someone when needed. If my mom ever needed to get in touch with a friend, she would either walk to her friend’s house or call the house phone which required talking to her friend’s parents, something kids these days are not accustomed to, including myself. Lastly, the amount of intelligence gained at a young age in the mid 1900s is far less than how much the kids of today are learning. In fact, a few months ago, I read in the newspaper that my generation’s grandparents would be considered mentally ill when they were young had they grown up with today’s high standards. I find it amazing how much society’s education has grown from fifty years ago.
In contrast, technology in today’s world had progressed tremendously since the mid 1900s. First of all, my mom commented on how cellular phones have become a huge part of people’s lives these days. Most individuals can’t stand to be away from the little devices for a second in fear that they will miss some important information. My mom talked about how cellular phones are very helpful even if they are a pest sometimes. For example, if one was in an emergency situation where help was needed immediately, the phone would provide life-saving contacts for that person. Secondly, televisions have advanced incredibly far in one generation. When my mom was growing up, her family received their first black and white television. To them, it was an amazing revolution, because for the first time, they were able to actually see what was going on around the world, not just hear it. Now, televisions have an endless amount of channels and varieties of entertainment. Lastly, computers have been reinvented to the extreme since the 1950s, and they have evolved into holders of mass amounts of information. To think that a person can find any information they could ever want on the World Wide Web with a touch of a fingertip in unbelievable.
Technology during both of these time periods does have some similarities. As my mom explained to me, many of the same products still exist today, but they’ve just been updated and more capabilities have been added to them. First off, cars have been around for a long time. They still serve the same purpose, getting from place to place. In addition to being sold as a form of transportation, they are now being marketed for their high tech looks and features. Secondly, aviation has been present in both time periods. Back then, flying an object in the air just wasn’t as safe and popular as a form of transportation as it is now. Lastly, electricity has had its place in both my generation and my mom’s. Neither my mom nor I could imagine living with now power or lights on the house!
Even if many things like TVs and telephones have drastically changed, some things such as electricity have remained the same throughout the years. I learned a lot more than I ever thought I would from just sitting down and talking to my mom about her childhood. The industry of technology sure has changed over the course of fifty years.