12. Final Blog Post

The Futurama ride predicts technology aiming to help the worldwide needs of men in the future, but there is a stark contrast between this utopia and the current world. Nowadays, technology seems to focus on what can make the most money. The video shows a preview of a city in the future, mentioning public transportation being more convenient than ever. Still, now, more than ever, public transportation is focused more on money. As someone who takes the MBTA into Boston daily in the summer, there are constant delays, malfunctions, and injuries caused by these trains. It has taken years for the MBTA to implement new train cars or even address problems like the Green Line trains constantly crashing and harming pedestrians. Just three years ago, an Orange Line train caught on fire while crossing the Mystic River about 3 miles away from me. Passengers were seen jumping from the train into the grimy waters of the mystic. Instead of addressing these issues, the MBTA has raised fare prices and has added new technology like Apple Pay at the Gates. Why prioritize money and fare evasion when there are much more serious issues within the MBTA? They want to make more money off commuters but do not put the money towards commuters' experience. The Futurama ride also shows technology being used for underwater explorations and ways to travel through luscious coral reefs. In the current day, we have barely made a dent in underwater exploration and have destroyed our coral reefs through technology: climate change, pollution, and overfishing all stem from increased technology and damage to earth's reefs more and more every day. Climate change stems from many things, but a major cause is burning fossil fuels to generate electricity, power transportation, and heat our homes. Electricity prices are rising, giving more and more money to the people feeding into the climate crisis and loss of coral reefs. Overfishing has also become easier through technology, bigger ships, larger nets, and the technology to easily pull said nets up. Not to mention large-scale freezers and production centers inside these massive fishing boats. These practices prioritize profit instead of the well-being of people and the planet, a huge contrast to the future that the Futurama ride had envisioned. 

The video, including the remix of Moby by Tears For Fears, shows a disconnected world where everyone is glued to their phones and missing what is going on around them, an accurate depiction of the current state of the world. I see videos of concerts and see a pool of cell phones, people not living in the moment. on a more extreme note, I recently saw a video of a man who had fallen off of a train platform and was about to be hit by a train; two bystanders eventually helped him, but the woman filming was right there in front of him and chose to pull out her phone and record instead of save the mans life. People have begun to see other people's pain and despair as a way to become “viral” instead of an opportunity to help. This disconnection is only going to worsen. Our society focuses on spectacle rather than substance, prioritizing whatever will attract views. We have transitioned from a society that valued connections and community to one where everyone is a brand and a means for fame and money. Social media has become a tool to satisfy our need for attention; the more views and interactions you gain online, the more valuable you become.

Money has become the center of everything, especially social media. California recently passed a law that included child influencers within the definition of “child performers.” This law enforces that family vloggers who include their children in their vlogs must establish a fund and place 15% of their earnings from all content into the child's trust fund. This law is vital for protecting children from being exploited, but many influencers have moved to states like Tennessee in recent weeks to avoid this and continue to exploit their children for views. Other social media influencers stage “authentic” content, advertise products they don’t like or use, and much more just for the sake of money. Social media has made it easy for people to get money with little to no effort; one viral video or post can make you thousands, and that’s why we see people recording such insane situations as the man in the train tracks. 

I don’t believe my relationship with technology is healthy; I spend hours at night scrolling through posts to no end, which affects my sleep habits and attendance in early classes. Apps like TikTok and Instagram that allow you to scroll for hours on end are harmful to us because we spend hours on these apps that could have been spent outside and in the real world. These social media apps are constantly updating, adding shops to their apps that were originally meant for connecting with friends. Snapchat and Instagram, in my eyes, should be meant for people you know, but still, people my age are adding people from suggestions and interacting with strangers with nothing in common other than having the same app downloaded. People now want strangers to follow and add them simply for the status symbol and monetary value of followers and likes. Social media has also led people to conform to extreme levels. If you want to be popular on an app like TikTok, you must appeal to as many people as possible, leading people to buy the same things as influencers and look identical. I often say I would much rather have a flip phone and a camera simply to text and take photos. In reality, our generation is so tied to technology and apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. Snapchat, in particular, has replaced text messages for many of my friends, and if I were to get rid of it, I would miss out on plans and other conversations. On the other hand, my dad has a very healthy relationship with technology; he only uses his phone for text messages, camera, LinkedIn, and the occasional Facebook post to update his family and friends on his whereabouts. To me, messaging cameras, news, and weather apps are where we should have stopped innovating phones and the apps that are available.

Money has become the main goal for these apps at the expense of true connections.  My digital footprint isn’t too bad compared to some people I know. I have private accounts on everything except LinkedIn, and even on Instagram, I only post when I travel or want to share an update with my friends, as it is authentic to me. I know plenty of people who make plans out of social media photoshoots; why not actually do something fun, go outside, and live life instead of posing for a camera and pretending to have a good time? Social media and technology in general have become a huge money makers, leading to greed and insensitivity, when it had the potential to create a connected, positive world. Greed in tech can be seen in everything; medicine, transportation, social media, and even basic needs like water and food. 

11. EOTO 2 Reaction

I find disinformation to be particularly interesting because of its similarity to misinformation. Before this presentation, I understood that misinformation refers to the spread of false information. Disinformation, however, is like its cruel sister; it involves the intentional spread of false information with the goal of misleading people. Individuals may be drawn to disinformation because it can create a sense of unity, alleviate shame, and provide a feeling of power. This pull towards disinformation often stems from how disinformation confirms preexisting beliefs. For instance, if I were a flat earther and encountered information claiming that NASA supports the flat earth theory, it would reinforce my preexisting ideas. Furthermore, disinformation is enticing because it can explain unexplainable events and offer answers that people desperately seek. Although it may help individuals cope with various challenges, it poses significant dangers. Disinformation undermines trust in the media, requiring individuals to double and triple-check sources and any news they encounter due to the risk of being misled. In the example of flat earthers, while the flat earth community may be united through disinformation, the divide between them and those who believe in the round earth continues to widen. The inability to discern what is real and what is disinformation can create dangerous uncertainty, leaving people unsure of what to believe. So, how can we combat disinformation? The key is to conduct thorough research. By seeking out supporting news, checking publishers and publication dates, and consulting knowledgeable individuals, you can protect yourself from falling for disinformation. It is also important to examine your own personal biases while doing research to ensure you aren’t believing disinformation simply because it aligns with your prior narratives.

8.Diffusion of innovation

The mobile phone spread quickly because it enabled people to communicate from anywhere at any time. Originally, phones were tethered to a wall, making them impossible to use outside the home or office. Many people became early adopters of this technology because it made communication convenient. Late adopters might not have been able to afford a mobile phone or may have believed that their home phone was perfectly fine, seeing no need to spend money on a new device. However, I see many negative consequences of mobile phones. As they have evolved from simple models like the Blackberry to smartphones, dangers such as social media, phone scams, and a lack of privacy have become more prominent. Social media is particularly dangerous for children; it often provides unearned serotonin, leading to addictions. These addictions can result in body image issues, depression, insomnia, and more. Phone scams have also become increasingly common due to the widespread use of mobile phones. Almost everyone owns one, and if you enter your number on any website, you're likely to receive spam calls, including scams asking for money. Furthermore, mobile phones, especially smartphones, have contributed to a significant loss of privacy. Our movements and conversations are no longer private, and anything posted online is permanent, even if deleted. While mobile phones have opened up communication channels for everyone, this can be dangerous, particularly for children. I have seen many cases where predators use mobile phones to exploit young individuals.

6. EOTO Reaction

Bluetooth was invented in 1994 by Dr. Jaap Haartsen, who worked for Ericsson's Mobile Terminal Division. He was tasked with finding short-range radio connections and began considering whether he could create a service that would enable devices from different manufacturers to connect seamlessly. This innovation would make mobile phones even more versatile. Haartsen's idea led to the establishment of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group in 1998, comprising companies like Nokia, Toshiba, and Intel. In 1999, the first hands-free mobile headset utilizing Bluetooth technology was launched to the public. 

Bluetooth has brought about many positive changes in our daily lives, one of which is solving connectivity issues. Before Bluetooth, wires took over all forms of technology, making it a hassle to operate and alleviate problems. Bluetooth allows us to connect laptops, headphones, smartphones, and speakers without the hassle of wires, enhancing the mobility of these devices. With mobile technology, we can now wear items like smartwatches, enjoy music anywhere, and communicate with others anytime, anywhere. Cross-platform compatibility is another significant advantage of Bluetooth. Over the years, Bluetooth has become a standard for all devices, meaning I can connect a JBL speaker to my Apple iPhone easily. This development greatly enhances the flexibility and convenience of the devices we use. Bluetooth continues to evolve to meet consumers' needs. In 2010, Bluetooth Low Energy was introduced, allowing devices to operate even with low power. In my personal experience, this feature has helped me locate my phone when it was dead on multiple occasions. 

Overall, Bluetooth technology has enabled us to connect on a much broader scale. Portable speakers, headphones, and cell phones rely on this technology. Bluetooth has simplified the experience of using technology by eliminating the need for wifres and allowing consumers to connect to devices with just one click.