Barbara Jarabik talking about culture and technology synergy these days : The very nature of all technological systems has altered human behaviors and interactions in some negative ways, but has also created unprecedented opportunities for modifying human behaviors in positive ways. Modern technology was initially advanced with the purpose of making our lives better, as it serves a a reflection of society’s needs and the search for comfort. Effectively, technological advancements have made life easier for multitudes, and gifted many with the resources, education and tools needed to live an easier life.
People developed the language so they could communicate and learn from elders through their stories. They invented tools for agriculture, to build homes, and to create weapons for hunting and protection. More technology is developed as increase in population. Technology not only increased humans’ life span but also the way how we live (Barbara Bray). Initiated with the use of printing press, allowed the masses to receive news, read books and attend school. Communities developed within large cities to protect and sustain the different cultures. Every nation and its community has its own identical coherence, culture, tradition and social norms and values. Living standard of people has highly risen up and has become sophisticated due to technology.
In case of mobile phones initially mobile phones were designed for an industrial purpose in a factory by Motorola, the main reason why mobile phones became famous was when Japanese companies were influenced and inspired by their own culture of talking and sharing knowledge with each other. Technology sometimes gets integrated with a culture and community, in cases when technology cannot integrate, technology adapts to the culture as seen in Kosher phone which was made to adapt to the Jewish culture (which prohibited cameras, text messaging service).
It’s important to stay updated about what’s going on in the world, but how do you get your news? My grandparents got their news from reading the newspaper, or by interaction with other people. While my parents were able to watch TV, and follow the news daily. Today, I get the news at any time on my smartphone and via the Internet. This evolution is all due to the advancements of technology that is gradually shaping our culture and society. Read additional information at Jarábik Barbara.
Another example of technology getting integrated with a culture would be washing machines, in some cultures, washing clothes used to be a way in which communities used to get together and wash their clothes and today slowly they have adapted to washing machines. Before gas or induction based stoves, cooking used to be done on fire from wood or coal and there were various rituals, which used to be part of the culture8 since fire was considered holy in that culture, but slowly in due course of time people started getting adapted to the change. Culturally, we observe that people used to put salt on meat or dry the meat so that it stays for a long time, but after a refrigerator was invented it took some time till people integrated it into their lifestyle and now we can see a large section of the cultures around the world have got an integrated simple concept of using a refrigerator.
