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"Dick Tracy Never Had It This Good" v. "You Call This Progre

 

            The rapid growth of technology today is on an on-going rampage. We now have more gadgets and gizmos than we possibly need. Today's generation would find it very difficult if not impossible to function with out the technology of computers, calculators, cell phones, etc. Learning the entire technology and computer lingo maybe overwhelming to those who have not grown up with it, some may even argue that it is ridiculous and even more of a problem. Technology is not a problem at all though; rather it is a solution to many past problems.
             In Joe Saltzman's article "Dick Tracy Never Had It This Good", he recalls how when he was young his friends and he could only dream of having the kind of technology, such as a miniature two-way radio watch, that Dick Tracy had. He then goes on to give example of the way technology today has way surpassed what even Dick Tracy had. Dick Tracy could only dream about the things you can do today through the uses of cellular phones, palm pilots, Global Positioning System watches, and in home theater systems. Continuing he makes reference to "those who still long for purple carbon paper, manual typewriters, and rotary telephones" (451), and those who believe that technology is leading to "a world of self-satisfied ignoramuses" (452). He states his opinion that people who are against such advances in technology are "pessimists who have complained about every new invention that has become popular" (452). In conclusion to his article he optimistically points out the much more relevant advantages that technology has brought to society.
             In contrast to Saltzman's opinion Seth Shostak puts down technology in his essay "You Call This Progress?". He does this mainly by expressing his dislike of his bothersome emails. He starts by introducing the fact that email began as something small, which only few people could access, but now anyone has access to it, "and everyone has something to say" (448).


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