Essay #1, Part 2

Jacob Osmer

Professor Miller

English 110

September 25, 2023

Technology Essay 1, Part 2

Technology is an ever-present variable in the lives of anyone not living under a rock, and this has subsequently invited much discussion on whether technology is good for us, or if it has “taken over our lives” (Smith 1), as Smith started her essay with. Nicolas Carr, Shelby Budzko, and Siobhan Smith each presented their opinions on technologies’ role in our lives and how it might affect how we think, act, read, and write. While all three writers take a generally negative stance towards technology, Budzko’s “Technology Essay” seems to focus more on the academic aspects of technology, like finding information, reading, and writing, while Smith had strong feelings about what technology has done to her on the social side of things in her “Technology Essay”. Carr’s “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” illustrates his belief that we are turning into “pancake people” versus the “cathedral-like” (Carr) thinkers of the past. Each writer has their own personal opinions about technology and how it has impacted our academic and social skills for the worse.

In today’s world, a seemingly unlimited amount of information can be found in an instant on the internet, which might not be what is best for society. In their essays, Carr and Budzko both discussed the effects of the internet, Budzko saying, “Having access to any information, the answer to any question or the findings of any study right at our fingertips is a lot of responsibility to put on anyone” (Budzko 1). She introduces her fears about how everyone has access to anything on the internet. An interesting point of view that she poses is, “I don’t think that everyone is meant to have the answers to everything right at their fingertips, because we become much more authentic people when we go out and find our own answers” (Budzko 1). Budzko is concerned that the shortcuts technology provides us when using the internet might be causing us to become lazy and change what intellectual standards we hold ourselves to. Budzko’s point of view on the internet is almost identical to Carr’s. He sets up his argument by describing the increase in the efficiency of factories, and how having a goal of “maximum speed, maximum efficiency, and maximum output, factory owners used time-and-motion studies to organize their work and configure the jobs of their workers” (Carr 3). And just like the factory, the internet has become streamlined and is “a machine designed for the efficient and automated collection, transmission, and manipulation of information” (Carr 3). Throughout his essay, Carr touches on this idea that the internet was built efficiently like a factory to keep us clicking, and the owners of content get paid by our distraction while our attention spans are destroyed. Both Budzko and Carr share opinions about how the internet has led to people being less willing to think for themselves and stay focused on intellectual talents, instead getting sucked in to the efficiency and laziness of the internet.

Technology is integrated not only into our personal lives, but academic lives as well. Budzko observed that “while both a pencil and my laptop are pieces of technology, I find that using my laptop makes my writing feel flatter than when I’m using a pencil” (Budzko 4). She feels as if she herself is one of Carr’s “pancake people” when typing. She goes on to say that writing by hand makes her think more, and that it makes her feel “so connected to my work when I can reach out and feel the indents that my pencil made on the paper” (Budzko 4). Budzko feels that when writing with paper and pencil as the medium, the writer can feel more connected to the work due to the physicality of its creation. Smith also shares Budzko’s preference of physical materials, briefly touching upon technology used in the classroom. “There is rarely pen and paper used in classrooms anymore; it is all computers and projectors. Some think this is the greatest technological advancement that could have ever happened for teachers and students, but personally as a student it has made my learning experience extremely difficult” (Smith 2). While she did not go very far into the specifics, Smith made it clear that the transition to electronic learning techniques like projectors, ebooks, and computers made her education harder, evident by her saying, “not having the physical book in hand to read along with makes my education struggles even more extreme” (Smith 3). Both Smith and Budzko discuss in their essays how technology in the classroom has negatively impacted their educations. While my personal experiences differ from those of Smith and Budzko, we can all agree that technology in the classroom has changed how we learn.

One of the main talking points when discussing the impact technology has on us is how it hinders our interpersonal skills. While Budzko agrees with Carr when he makes his “pancake people” claim, she also believes that technology is an “excellent and important tool,” and she uses it every day, “specifically with [her] personal relationships” (Budzko 3). She acknowledges that technology, even if it does have a negative impact on us intellectually, has also provided us with direct lines of communication. Smith, however, discussed damaged relationships and the elimination of “genuine social interactions”, saying, “Yes, technology has improved and enhanced our lives, but it has severely damaged communication skills in all aspects of life.” Both writers admit that technology has done some good for us as humans but have different reasons for why they share Carr’s opinion about “pancake people.” While I agree with Smith that technology can have damaging effects on communication skills, I also agree with Budzko that technology revolutionized how often we are able to connect with the ones we love in an instant.

Technology is such a broad concept that covers the many goods, products, and inventions that humans have invented over the course of our history. In turn, every individual has had different experiences and all hold their own beliefs. In the three different essays about technology by Budzko, Smith, and Carr, each writer has their own reasons to feel negatively towards it. Smith takes her thoughts on technology’s effect on interpersonal skills and brings up the interesting point that dating has become increasingly difficult with texting, calling, and social media. Her main argument is that no one meets up and goes on dates anymore, even going as far as saying, “If I could, I think that I would choose to have grown up in a different generation because I would enjoy face to face interactions way more than this online world that we live in” (Smith 3). Smith’s claim is that technology has ruined physical interactions, and you can “never tell how people actually feel or if their thoughts and feelings are truthful and genuine” (4). Through personal experience, she has discovered how technology, even though its purpose might have been to increase access to communication, has actually made communication worse. I completely agree with Smith’s point — Since first having access to a mobile phone sometime around middle school, I too have noticed that dating, and having relationships with people in general, has become difficult. The ease of sending a text instead of going through the effort of meeting up face-to-face with someone has hindered our generation’s ability to form real physical connections, a which will follow us into adulthood.

Smith, Budzko, and Carr each have their own opinions on technology, many of which overlap, and many of which are exclusive to their own experiences. However, each writer seems to agree that in some way, even if just a little, we are becoming “pancake people” and it’s at the fault of technology. Another big piece of each essay is how the authors all agreed that technology was having a negative effect on them, but still use it in their daily lives. Budzko said, “I openly and shamelessly use technology every day, but I’m still actively aware of the way that it is shaping me as a person. I think that this level of self-awareness is very valuable to have in the world we are living in, because the wonders and achievements of technology can often blind us to the effects that it has on us” (Budzko 3). She uses technology, isn’t ashamed of it, but is aware of the effect it has on all aspects of her life. Just like these authors, I too have a love-hate relationship with technology. I understand the impacts that my phone and other pieces of technology have on me, yet just like Budzko, I continue to use them.

Works Referenced

Budzko, Shelby. Technology Essay. Portfolio, 2023

Revised Draft

Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 3 Oct. 2023, www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/.

Smith, Siobhan. Technology Essay. Portfolio, 2023

ESSAY #1, PART 1

Jacob Osmer

Professor Miller

English 110

September 25, 2023

Technology Essay 1, Part 2 (1000 word draft)

1000+ word draft notes – I have a paragraph formatted like the formula in class, Body 1 still needs to be fleshed out more, introduction and conclusion (except end of conclusion) are feeling pretty good.

Introduction

“Technology has taken over our lives, especially mine.” Technology is an ever-present variable in the everyday lives of anyone not living under a rock, and this has subsequently invited much discussion on whether technology is good for us, or if it has “taken over our lives,” as Smith started her essay with. Nicolas Carr, Shelby Budzko, and Siobhan Smith each presented their opinions on technologies’ role in our lives and how it might affect how we think, act, read, write, etc. While all three writers take a generally negative stance towards technology, Budzko seems to focus more on the academic aspects of technology, like finding information, reading, and writing, while Smith had strong feelings about what technology has done to her on the social side of things. Carr believes that we are turning into “pancake people” versus the “cathedral-like” thinkers of the past. Each writer has their own personal opinions about technology, good and bad.

Body 1

Education/reading/writing

In today’s world, information can be found in an instant on the internet. Carr, Smith, and Budzko all discuss the effects of technology in the academic world. Budzko said, “Having access to any information, the answer to any question or the findings of any study right at our fingertips is a lot of responsibility to put on anyone,” introducing her fears about how everyone has access to anything on the internet. She is concerned, just like Carr, that “the shortcuts that technology and the internet have granted us have made us less informed and thoughtful individuals.” Smith also shares these concerns, briefly touching upon technology used in the classroom. “There is rarely pen and paper used in classrooms anymore; it is all computers and projectors. Some think this is the greatest technological advancement that could have ever happened for teachers and students, but personally as a student it has made my learning experience extremely difficult.” Smith believes that the transition to electronic learning techniques like projectors, ebooks, and computers has made her education harder, like “not having the physical book in hand to read along with makes my education struggles even more extreme.”

Body 1 Part 2?

A commonality shared between all three writers is the effect of technology on their abilities to read and write. Budzko noticed that “While both a pencil and [her] laptop are pieces of technology, [she] find[s] that using [her] laptop makes [her] writing feel flatter than when [she’s] using a pencil.” She goes on to say that writing by hand makes her think more, and that writing by hand makes her feel “so connected to [her] work when [she] can reach out and feel the indents that [her] pencil made on the paper.”

^ referencing the paragraph above – not sure if substituting “I” and “my” for third-person pronouns ruins the flow. Should I just keep it as “while both a pencil and my laptop are pieces of technology…”?

What to add:

Smith briefly talks about how technology has changed the field of education, and changes in reading and writing.
Carr’s opinions on the internet’s efficiency, story about the blind writer’s style changing, reading vs skimming.
Talk about how I, too, have noticed some of these effects in my life.

Body 2

Interpersonal skills/communication

One of the main talking points when discussing the impact technology has on us is how it hinders our interpersonal skills. While Budzko agrees with Carr when he makes his “pancake people” claim, she also believes that technology is an “excellent and important tool,” and she uses it every day, “specifically with [her] personal relationships.” She acknowledges that technology, even if it does have a negative impact on us intellectually, has also provided us with direct lines of communication. Smith, however, discussed damaged relationships and the elimination of “genuine social interactions”, saying, “Yes, technology has improved and enhanced our lives, but it has severely damaged communication skills in all aspects of life.” Both writers admit that technology has done some good for us as humans but have different reasons for why they share Carr’s opinion about “pancake people.” While I agree with Siobhan that technology can have damaging effects on communication skills, I also agree with Budzko that technology revolutionized how often we are able to connect with the ones we love in an instant.

Body 3

Misc

Technology is such a broad concept that covers the many bits and bobs that humans have invented over the course of our history. In turn, every individual has had different experiences. In the three different essays about technology by Budzko, Smith, and Carr, each writer has their own reasons to feel negatively towards it. Smith brings up an interesting point about how dating has become increasingly difficult with texting, calling, and social media. Her main argument is that no one meets up and goes on dates anymore, even going as far as saying, “If I could, I think that I would choose to have grown up in a different generation because I would enjoy face to face interactions way more than this online world that we live in.” Smith’s claim is that technology has ruined face to face contact and you can “never tell how people actually feel or if their thoughts and feelings are truthful and genuine.” Through personal experience, she has discovered how technology, even though its purpose might have been to increase access to communication, has actually made communication worse.

Conclusion

Smith, Budzko, and Carr each had their own opinions on technology, many which overlapped, and many which were exclusive to their own experiences. However, each writer agreed that in some way, even if just a little, that we are becoming “pancake people” and it’s at the fault of technology. A big piece of each essay is how the authors all seemed to agree that technology was having a negative effect on them, but they all still used it. Budzko said, “I openly and shamelessly use technology every day, but I’m still actively aware of the way that it is shaping me as a person. I think that this level of self-awareness is very valuable to have in the world we are living in, because the wonders and achievements of technology can often blind us to the effects that it has on us.” She uses technology, isn’t ashamed of it, but is aware of the effect it has on all aspects of her life.

Works Referenced

Shelby Budzko

Siobhan Smith

Nicolas Carr “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”

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ROUGH Draft #1 (about 750 words)

Jacob Osmer

Professor Miller

English 110

September 25, 2023

Technology Essay 1, Part 2

Introduction

(Introduce Carr’s, Budzko’s, and Smith’s essays. State their positions on technology, how they compare, and how they might differ.)

Body 1

Education/reading/writing

In today’s world, information can be found in an instant on the internet. Carr, Smith, and Siobhan all discuss the implications of this when it comes to academia.

Budzko talks about how she has noticed changes in her reading and writing.
Smith briefly talks about how technology has changed the field of education, and changes in reading and writing.
Carr’s opinions on the internet’s efficiency, story about the blind writer’s style changing, reading vs skimming.

Body 2

Interpersonal skills/communication

One of the main talking points when discussing the impact technology has on us is how it hinders our interpersonal skills. While Budzko agrees with Carr when he makes his “pancake people” claim, she also believes that technology is an “excellent and important tool,” and she uses it every day, “specifically with [her] personal relationships.” She acknowledges that technology, even if it does have a negative impact on us intellectually, has also provided us with direct lines of communication. Smith, however, discussed damaged relationships and the elimination of “genuine social interactions”, saying, “Yes, technology has improved and enhanced our lives, but it has severely damaged communication skills in all aspects of life.” Both writers admit that technology has done some good for us as humans but have different reasons for why they share Carr’s opinion about “pancake people.” While I agree with Siobhan that technology can have damaging effects on communication skills, finish this explanation.

Body 3

Not sure what to make body 3 – Smith talks about modern dating, Budzko talks about how we all might actually be pancake people. I could make this paragraph about how everyone has different opinions on technology, like how Budzko felt strongly about the education side of things while Smith decided to focus more on the social aspect. I could also mention again how they both agree that technology has done some good for us but have completely different reasons why they stand with Carr.

Technology is such a broad concept that covers the many bits and bobs that humans have invented over the course of our history. In turn, every individual has had different experiences with technology. In the three different essays about technology by Budzko, Smith, and Carr, each writer has their own reasons to feel negatively towards technology. Smith brings up an interesting point about how dating has become increasingly difficult with texting, calling, and social media. Her main argument is that no one meets up and goes on dates anymore, even going as far as saying, “If I could, I think that I would choose to have grown up in a different generation because I would enjoy face to face interactions way more than this online world that we live in.” Smith’s claim is that technology has ruined face to face contact and you can “never tell how people actually feel or if their thoughts and feelings are truthful and genuine.” Through personal experience, she has discovered how technology, even though its purpose might have been to increase access to communication, has actually made communication worse.

Conclusion

Works Referenced

Shelby Budzko

Siobhan Smith

Nicolas Carr “Is Google Making Us Stupid?”