Week 15 Journal

In everyday writing and composing, technology plays the role of increasing speed and allowing writers to write more efficiently. There is less mess when using a computer, where words are typed and edited without having to go to the trouble of erasing and leaving smudged ink or graphite all over the page. Nowadays, kids are taught to type at an early age, starting with computer games such as Type to Learn 3 with Father Time, moving on to a game that is not as fun to help them learn how to type, and finally put their skills to the test with projects that require a typed essay. Common technology, such as cell phones, allow us to stay in contact with people without having to flip through a giant phone book to find one person’s phone number. As people who did not have cell phones when they were younger, “We memorized phone numbers when we had to, but we never liked memorizing those numbers and we were never very good at it. We did it because it was a requirement for other things we did like, such as talking with our friends.” This, however, can also be a downside. Electronics require energy to work, so batteries need to be replaced or recharged. If someone is lost, his or her phone dies, and they do not have the charger, the owner most likely has not memorized the phone number of someone he or she needs to reach to go get them. While technology is faster, it does not help reduce the laziness of the human race.

Week 15

Technology has become a necessity in the 21st century for people in first world countries. Internet has become a place for expression on a large stage; people can reach millions of others due to the newest technology.
In the article, the elderly have started to learn new technologies as of late. Now, my grandparents still have trouble using email, but I have heard of many people my age having grandparents that Skype them frequently and even use Facebook and Instagram.
The article also points out that people have made these technologies by using their time in generous ways. I disagree, most inventors invent so they can say that they did something amazing. I do not believe that every person that invented something worked their entire life to selflessly give us The Goonies.
Technology has helped every day writing become wide spread so that others may collaborate and  share their opinions on certain subject matters.

Week 15 Journal

What role does technology play in everyday writing and composing?

Technology has sufficiently evolved the world we live in, in even more ways than we even realize. Before the age of computers, there was no email or long distance communication, or accessible knowledge at the click of a mouse. If people wanted to compose or view others' writing, they had no option but to leave the comfort of their homes and send their letters from a post office and find their information from the library. Before cell phones (and more specifically smartphones) print writing or face to face was the only means on interpersonal communication. Now, however, there is a technological tool for just about any task that someone could ever wish to complete. This led to the decline of print newspaper sales, magazines, libraries, post offices, etc because there no longer was a need to venture out and complete these everyday tasks by purchasing these goods when they were more easily accessible online. Following the movement in the direction of technology and online sites, technology has vastly impacted not only what everyday writing is, but also how its done. Technology now helps to define everyday writing in that it enabled individuals to compose through new methods such as email, text messages, blogs, online newspaper and magazine sites, as well as granting the ability for anyone to create their own web pages on the Internet. The emergence of new types of everyday writing goes hand in hand with how these pieces are composed as well, in that due to the ability to instantaneously publish an individual's work and have it be seen by an immense amount of people, a trend has started in the direction of digital composing over print. More and more people are taking this easier and more accessible route and so the technology that allows this is continuously changing what everyday writing is and how we are going about creating it with the help of all of these advanced technological tools.

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Technology was made by humans and intended for us to use it. The point the article makes about us not wanting the technology itself but wanting it because of what it lets us do seems to be an obvious one. When we think of computers we don't start thinking about microchips, motherboards, and servers. What comes to our mind is Google, Microsoft Word, Facebook, or in other words how we use computers. This is because, as the article is also saying that we're more concerned with the ways we satisfy our human desire to connect, interact, and get attention from others. 

In the terms of writing and everyday writing this means first that those who want to write are going to use computers to do so because it allows them to satisfy that desire.

Another point in the article talked about the Z-boys and what their collaboration and shared interest did for skateboarding. These boys were able to work together satisfying their desire to skate, which led to the expansion of the sport.  I would say that the same thing has happened with technology and everyday writing. As people that love to share, communicate, and interact are able to collaborate by using technology like the computer, keyboards, and various sites on the internet the field is able to expand. For example genres we have covered in this class such as status updates, we only have through the creation of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

People have always been social and therefore will continue to be social by the means available to them. The article also talks about this point bringing up mobile phones. Before there were contact lists people had to memorize each phone number. However annoying it was necessary and we did it. Now we don’t have to because of advancement in technology. This same idea can be applied when thinking of everyday writing and technology. We may see a form of everyday writing we use today become a thing of the past with advancement in technology. Technology has the power to do this because we as people are constantly coming up with new ways to do things and changing the world around us. 

Technology has allowed many generations to evolve. It has allowed older people to keep in contact with friends and younger generations to perform tasks easier. All generations use technology in different ways. In the writing community technology has also allowed things to evolve. Long gone are the days of handwriting on hundreds of sheets of paper or blocking out mistakes on a type writer, instead computers allow faster typing and immediate editing. Technology also allows writers to share their ideas to a larger audience. Posting on blogs, emailing or creating emails reaches a way greater audience than simply mailing the works. Writers, no matter they're age, have adapted and used technology in a way that benefits them and their work.

Week 15

     An interesting point made in the article was the fact that we, as humans, do not want the technology itself, but what the technology does for us. For example, the article talks about electricity. We do not like electricity as a thing, but we like what it does for us- turning lights on and allowing us to use the kitchen. In writing, I believe this means we do not like the computer as a technological device, but because it gives us the ability to write.
    The article also states, "Given the right opportunities, humans will start behaving in new ways."
In relation to everyday writing, given technology such as computers and texting devices, humans will use those to act in new ways by communicating differently. Technology plays a very important role in everyday writing. Technology does not have to just refer to electronic devices. I found it very intriguing that skateboards, a form of "technology," could be used to help groups of people collaborate. Michael Farrell said that working together as a group or even just being together will "...improve the ideas of a group and spread them..." This proves how every kind of technology can influence everyday writing and composing. Composing of certain ideas is what communicates messages.
     Napster, an online music sharing software, is another way that people are brought together and can share their ideas and interests. As the times change, people grow older and technology increases, thus requiring everyone to learn it. While some people are reluctant at first, I feel that eventually everyone comes around and learns the new technology because it will help life function more efficiently. We use technology everyday to communicate messages and spread ideas. Phones, emails, social media, interest groups, blogs, etc are all updating constantly which is also continuously renovating the idea of "everyday writing." Technology aids people in adapting to the ever-changing world in order to get across the same ancient purpose which is communication.

 

Week 15 Journal

Technology plays an active role in multiple ways when it comes to everyday writing. For starters, technology has been the forefront of publicity. Ever since the internet was created, not only did writers and composers receive several supplemental resources to use at their disposal, but their unique works had the potential to be widely publicized. This could be done simply by creating a blog, or sharing the work via social media applications such as Facebook. Sure, publication could be possible without technology, but it is technology that makes the process of publication more accessible to both professional writers and casual writers. Technology also serves as both an extension and a heuristic. According to Clay Shirky, people generally use an object not just to simply use it, but to use it in order to conduct another task. The fact that people use emails in order to communicate to friends and relatives indicates that there are other ways to communicate from a distance than by hand-written letters. Because of this, technology can be seen as an extension to the process of communication. It is conducted in the same manner but in a different format, and produces the same outcome. Technology serves as a heuristic for communication because it extraordinarily efficient when it comes to time. Emails are sent and received almost instantaneously. There is almost always no time spent in between sending an email and receiving an email, whereas in physical hand-written letters, writers must usually wait a few days in order to successfully communicate with each other, depending on the amount of distance in between them. Overall, technology has become a big part of everyday writing over the years since its dawning. whether you post on a blog or send an email, just remember; it is technology that initiates the uniqueness and efficiency of your written work.