Ray Bradbury's Use Of Technology In 'The Veldt'

One of the first forms of technology presented its self on February 15, 1946 when the computer was introduced. In the early stages, the computer’s use was to browse through the information. As the years pass on, technology greatly expanded towards making life easier. Google, Yahoo and Bing are all forms of internet search programs that make finding information even more simple and fast. Along with providing a source for searching, technology introduces worldwide communication. Through different forms of social media, users can interact with people all over the world. While advanced technology presents benefiting resources, it also presents a problem. As new technology is created, the need for performing simple tasks is lessened. Present day
society shows early signs of becoming too dependent on the technology. While before, if people want to talk to one another, they would have to see them face to face, now they simply pick up their smart phone and send a quick text as a new form of communication. Therefore, each task we let technology control greatens our dependency and weakens our relationships.
Admittedly, technology cannot represent the main cause of dependency and loose family bonds. While it does make tasks simpler and easier, technology does not determine human laziness. Furthermore, we tend to blame technology rather than searching to understand why we are so dependent on it. It is not the technology that’s attached to us, it’s our own addiction to the technology. Technology is an escape from the hardships of our everyday lives. This leisurely escape becomes addicting to where we aren’t able to function without it. A New York Times Article written by Danah Boyd introduces this idea in her writing. She says, “ They [Americans] aren’t addicted to their computer; they’re addicted to interaction, and being around their friends.” The internet provides a way to interact with a diverse group of people. Not to mention the long lasting connection with people from diverse places. Megan Gambino also suggests that technology makes us better social beings. In her article written on “Smithsonian” she infers that people involved in technology, “ [They] have about nine percent more close relationships.” Both articles suggest that through technology, interaction is taking place, though we cannot see it. Although our socialization expands beyond states and country lines through the technological advancements, it can’t get all the credit. Even before a computer or cell phone came into use, people interacted beyond borders. Also, human interaction face to face is far more effective than through a computer screen. Technology limits natural interaction and social skills. Furthermore, It’s hard to not become dependent on technology when the creation of it was based off of our dependency. Advancing technology is expanding our dependency on it. The issue society is facing present day is that we allow technology to do and make decisions for us. We became lazy, taken the easy way out, and overall too dependent. Ray Bradbury’s short story “There will Come Soft Rain” represents the extent technology can advance if we remain dependent on it. The short novel briefly tells of a time in 2026 where a house performs daily activities. One passage in the story states, “In the kitchen the breakfast stove gave a hissing sigh and ejected from its warm interior eight pieces of perfectly browned toast, eight eggs sunny side up, sixteen slices of bacon, two coffees, and two cool glasses of milk.” In this futuristic fantasy, technology advanced to the extent of being capable of doing the simple task of making breakfast. Additionally, the house in “There will Come Soft Rain” description is“...an altar with ten thousand attendants, big, small, servicing, attending, in choirs.” All of these services providing assistance to activities that we believe to be simple. Bradbury’s “There will Come Soft Rain” gives an insight into the possible future of our society if we continue to let technology overcome the daily task we perform when interacting with others. Dependency on technology also plays a factor in our relationships.
The constant need to be using a source of technology weakens family bonds. Rather than communicating in person, we choose to text or call. As a matter of fact, most adolescents prefer browsing through their endless social media accounts on smartphones, rather than sitting down to have a conversation with their parents. In another one of Ray Bradbury’s short stories, “The Veldt”, he portrays how an attraction for technology is greater than human attraction. In “The Veldt” the mother says, “...I feel like I don’t belong. The house is wife and mother now, and nursemaid. The home is a fine representation of the advancement of technology in which it performs the task that mother might do. Furthermore, the children in the short story grow more fond of the technology in the “nursery” than of their own parents. The story explains that the parents, “..let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children’s affections”, continuing, “This room is their mother and father, far more important in their lives than their real parents.” Advance technology takes over the family base of love and comfort. “The Veldt” warns the readers of what is to come if technology is more comforting than others
presence.
Technology is the base for our society today. Most of the achievements we’ve made is due to technology assistance. Technology is our comfort zone, therefore letting it take over any hardships in life. Due to technology, our reliance increased and our social skills have weakened. Becoming too dependent on technology assistance causes us to forget how to do simple task. In addition to an increase in dependency, relationships are put at risk when technology becomes more important than one another. While advanced technology is not an overall cause of lack of socialization, it has weakened our social skills. If we continue to let technology run our lives we won’t appreciate those not presented on a digital screen.