Final Blog Post

Final Blog Post

If a prospective employer were to go online and google me, the first thing that would pop up is a ballroom dancers DVD. But after finding me they may see the videos I did back in my high school media class or maybe even the picture of me in my local newspaper in the third grade. I know that the internet is forever, if you don't want something bad to follow you dont post it. I remember getting my first talking to when my sisters and I got our first Ipod, our parents talked to me about cyberbullying and not talking to strangers. I had the advantage of growing up with phones and ipads, and  at a young enough age where I caught on quickly that not everything can be good, so it's best to be cautious.

I do believe that the internet was probably the best thing that could have happened for us. There are downfalls, but do the costs outweigh the benefits? It's a hard question we have been asking but I think the answer is right in front of us. Morally whenever we see the curle underbelly of the internet we all greve. We are appalled that this is possible and that technology has failed, but technology is not the problem. To be frank, people are the problem. Technology on its own can do great things when used for that purpose. When the internet is used as a weapon, it is a very effective one. 

The government wants to be able to know everything because they think we want safety and security above all but that’s not the case. Just like Ben Franklin said, “ those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety”. We surrender our information to companies, businesses, and websites all day long but at least we know we are doing it. That no one came and took this information without our consent or knowledge.

I find technology very helpful when it comes to staying in touch. I go to school across the country from my friends and family and when I go home from school, my friends are scattered across the world. Having a phone to be able to call them, and apps to send them pictures keeps me in tough. It is kind of hard to live in 21st century America and not have a relationship with technology. Even some Amish communities have a phone for emergencies. Technology was intended to make our lives better and it has done that. We the people who use the internet and these technologies are the ones causing problems. It is when someone decides to not use this gift to improve our lives and our communities, they use it to bring it down. 

Although I know I am learning very much through technology and through the Internet I do know that there is a very good possibility I have taken in misleading and unreliable information. I follow and subscribe to new sources such as The Daily Mail, Boston Globe, ABC News. I do try to get the best information out there but that is not always possible. I do believe overall technology has made me smarter, not only for being able to use it for its purpose, but also for being able to understand the social construct behind it.