A Review of Breaking Down Borders: How Technology Transforms the Private and Public Realms

Jenny Tae
English 100
Professor Nicole Pekarske
I’m Sorry, What?
Robert Samuels, “Breaking Down Borders: How Technology Transforms the Private and Public Realms.” Reading Popular Culture pages 9-12
I completely agree with this article that technology makes people oblivious to everything around us and be consumed in our own technology. This article portrays exactly what is becoming of the society with the progressing technological advances. Samuels explains how technology can be a barrier to the outside world, our surroundings, and even our loved ones. He explains his observations in the Borders Café and how the people are so tuned into their technology and there is barely little to any actual social interaction. He continues to say how anyone can make any public setting their own personal space filled with their technology and their business. I was especially interested and could relate to how he couldn’t even go on to the second page of his book because of a woman talking on her cell phone along with her computer turned on and a magazine on her lap. She’s oblivious to her surroundings and has made that table space her own personal office. Everyone around her learns how she had to cancel her appointment on Friday because of her loud phone conversation. Probably not knowing there were people around her she continues to loudly announce her schedule on her device. Some people might say that technology is a definite positive development with only positive changes. However, although the technological advance have been and is extremely helpful to everyone around the world, people need to think about how people can be too consumed in the technology that they can isolate themselves from the outside world even. Having fun with technology is normal, but we must not forget how to really communicate without the use of texting or email. Communicating face-to-face should be a key skill humans should never lose. The saying, “having too much of a good thing, can be bad,” is what comes to my mind when I think of technology. The progressing advancements in technology can be hurtful and turn into losing loved ones, with only your technology to console you. Many people don’t realize that having all of this technology is a privilege and they abuse it. Something Samuel said in this article really caught my eye, “ With wireless technology, laptops and cell phones not only help us cross back and forth between the public and private, but they also function to determine the distinction between work and play.” (11) This quote really makes me think and caught my attention because I could relate so much and I’m sure many other students, even adults can say that they have done this at least once. We know that we have work to finish or something we have to do and need technology to accomplish it, yet our hands and eyes wander to personal interests and make us less productive. Technology tempts us to slightly or extremely go off track even though we know we have work to do. The way Samuel presents this problem in the article really shows people to stop and take a look at their personal lives and how much technology we consume ourselves with without even knowing how much we depend on it. He tells the reader how technology growing so rapidly results to us becoming less aware of our surroundings and can hurt loved ones around us. Have you ever had the experience of going out with your family or friends and they are constantly on their devices? Then when they’re not listening while you tell them a story, they go “I’m sorry, what?” That just makes the outgoing very dull and can make the other person even very upset. Although he/she is out with someone else, they are texting someone else. How about going to a public setting and seeing very young kids on their technological devices talking about web camming with each other and facebooking together. I see that everywhere to kids even young as 10 talk about facebook and twitter and texting 24/7. When I see that I remember how it was when I was a kid and remembering going outside with my friends and talking about how boys were gross. Now as technology grows faster it seems that young children feel that they are more grown than what their actual age is. Remember newspapers, magazines, and book? Who needs them if we can buy anything online onto our kindle, iphone, or laptop? Want to pay your bills? There’s a site were you can dot that. Anything these days can be found online and can be purchased online so we don’t even have to go to the store. Technology has given us the opportunity to become lazier and more content with just pushing one button and not moving from our seats. Technology also can be contributed to people exercising less which can result into the growing obesity rate of America. Technology is rapidly growing to make life more convenient, but we need to make sure that it does not damage and disrupt our personal lives. Being aware of our surroundings and still interacting socially is key. We cannot abuse all of the technology around us that is ever so changing. There are positive aspects to technology and how it has helped the world, however, the negative aspects outweigh the good. The negative aspects can be detrimental to society if people do not realize the damage technology can have if we let technology consume our lives.