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Hello class. The following video is a lesson about the impacts of technology in the areas
of politics, economics, and society and culture. Please watch the video and complete the assigned
worksheet in order to prep for tomorrow’s class.
One of the major ways that technological advances and innovations have impacted the arena of
American politics is by increasing the exposure of politicians, political figures and candidates.
There are numerous platforms for them to reach constituents and potential voters, including
a multitude of 24 hour news channels, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook,
a nearly limitless amount of online platforms, and through traditional media outlets like
television, newspapers, radio, and magazines. Never before have candidates and politicians
been able to keep a mainstream profile so easily.
Technology has also changed politics in terms of elections by lengthening the election cycles
(24 hour news stations have played a tremendous role in this) and making political advertisements
so prevalent and commonplace. Think about the times you have watched TV in the fall
during election years, particularly the 2012 presidential election. Do you remember all
of the ads and commercials you would see? Also think about all the different media appearances
Obama and Romney made, as well as the pervasive media coverage. It is almost impossible to
escape election coverage, and technology has played a tremendous role in this.
Technology has also changed politics on the populace level, as well. Technological advances
have made political information about the issues, politicians, and candidates more readily
available. In the past, people would only be able to get information through daily newspapers
or television and radio news broadcasts, and these were not always totally up to date with
the most current information and were slow to react to new developments. Technology has
made accessing current information far easier for everyone, and the instantaneous delivery
of many forms of news through things like social media and smartphones means people
can always be informed if they choose to be. `Technological developments and innovations
have also impacted economics in myriad ways. The world is more interconnected now economically,
with nations across the world trading and sharing information and goods with one another.
Think about some of the products you or your family use. Do any of your parents drive foreign
cars? The computer or smartphone you are watching this video on was most likely built in a foreign
country, or at least contains parts that were assembled outside of the United States. Products
like cars and computers are also typically assembled by machinery, which demonstrates
how technology has made it easier to mass produce products without suffering losses
in quality. This has made for better economic competition and greater growth, particularly
in sectors that produce technological goods like computers, televisions, smartphones,
and video games. Technology has also changed economics on the
consumer level. Information about products is now readily available online, which allows
consumers to research products and make more informed choices about the goods that they
decide to purchase. Technology has also made purchasing goods much easier. If they so choose,
consumers can do all of their shopping online, even for necessities like clothing and groceries.
This is very convenient for consumers, who no longer have to venture to stores themselves
if they do not wish to do so. Also, online retailers typically have greater selection
than their physical store counterparts, allowing for greater consumer choice and access to
goods. In terms of society and culture, the biggest
impact technological advances have had is by making it easier for people to connect
and communicate with one another. I’m sure many of you are on social media sites like
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. I’m also sure that those of you with smartphones frequently
use them to text your friends and family members. These are all excellent examples of how technology
has made it far easier to readily communicate with others.
Technology, particularly social media sites, has also shaped the cultural zeitgeist in
tremendous ways. Twitter and Facebook both keep track of “trending” events, showing
the most talked about topics on global, domestic, and local levels, which makes it easier to
find information about these specific topics and allows users to explore the topics that
they find interesting. This has been a boon for social and political movements, as it
allows supporters to easily find information and create social media groups to help advance
causes. Examples of this include the Arab Spring and the gay rights movement in the
United States. Okay everybody that will wrap the video up.
What we’re going to do with the video is we’re gonna discuss some of the contents
of it as a class tomorrow. And then we’re gonna use what you wrote down in your worksheets
and you guys are gonna be put into some groups and make some posters about what you guys
wrote down, some interesting facts you thought about the video and technology’s role in
politics, economics, and society. See you guys soon.