The Effects of Technology on Society Essay -- Papers Computers Modern

Today we swim in a sea of ever-changing technology that affects us as much as our thoughts and actions shape it. The technology we have chosen, either by the preferences of those who use it, or the agendas of those who own and benefit from it, has had its own influence on us from gross examples such as increased pollution, or a higher Western-style standard of living, to the way one person perceives another. Some people who resist using some, or even all technology; they are often called Luddites by those who embrace all things new; another type calls themselves Neo-Luddites, such as Kirkpatrick Sale. In his book Human scale, Sale describes the slow rotting of the stones of the Parthenon and other ancient monuments to civilization from the acid pollution developed by our present Industrial civilization and compares it to the slow disintegration our industrialized society has seemed to have undergone. He identifies effects of technology which have been harmful to the human condition and the environment, but seems to not quite "get it" about the Luddites: they were not fighting the machines themselves; they were struggling against powers of society that, for the past century, through enclosure and the abolishment of commonality [and the subsequent arisal of a class of people who lived by renting their labor: the working class] (Laslett, 195), had been seeking to disempower and disenfranch ise the mass of people, and were now striking anew with the latest, and most powerful manifestation of their social policies, the Industrial Factory. The men of Nottinghamshire who died as Luddites were fighting a system, not a technology, a system whose intentions were not to cut costs and increase efficiency, but to increase the co... ... Bibliography: References Black, Bob (1987). The abolition of work. In Sylvere Lotringer and Jim Fleming (Eds.), Semiotext[e] USA (pp. 15-26). Browning, J. (1996, July). New stars for a new media. Scientific American, p. 31. Laslett, Peter (1984). The world we have lost. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Law, John, Ed. (1991) A sociology of monsters: essays on power, technology and domination. London: Routledge. Martinez, E. (1996, April). You call this service? Technology Review, pp. 64-65. Noble, David F. (1984). Forces of production. New York: Alfred A, Knopf. O'Malley, C. (1995, June). Drowning in the net. Popular Science, pp. 78-88. Sale, Kirkpatrick (1980). Human scale. New York: Coward, McCann, & Geoghegan. Stix, G. (1994, December). The speed of write. Scientific American, pp. 106-111.

Levels of the Managerial Communication Process Essay

Becoming a first time manager is an excellent goal and a great marker in a successful career. However it can also be a daunting task without a few tips to ease you into you new responsibilities. With careful observation, planning and a few pieces of advice, a good manager can become great manager. An important trait many great leaders have is being able to successfully communicate any message to a wide variety of people. They also have the ability to transcend work groups, culture, situations and subject.. Being able to relate to different direct reports is key to opening a two way channel of communication with a group. One of the first layers in successful communication is establishing an environment and culture that encourages it. Allowing open communication amongst each other fosters a cohesive and united environment. A good way a manager can reinforce that notion, would be to serve as the example. Walk around and meet with everyone in the group. This allows the manager to be accessible to everyone and in turn the manager can get to know the members of his or her group. Another suggestion would be to establish an open door policy. This will allow the flexibility to hold short meetings informally and encourage the flow of communication with each other. A good way to get to know the group better would be to setup a meeting with each individual. This allows a manager to get a back story on each group member, establish preferences in communication and find out if any cultural differences exist. This can also establish trust between a manager and an employee. Scheduling this meeting either bi-weekly or monthly allows the channel of communication between manager and subordinate to remain open. If at all possible, an important element in establishing an open environment is to physically setup the office in a way that allows for easy communication with each other. Having conference rooms available allows for group meetings and also provides private areas if discussions are of a confidential nature. If allowed, take into consideration the furniture used in the group’s space. Tailor the furniture and office designs to your group’s needs. If possible, equip rooms with teleconference equipment which allows for a virtual face-to-face with others in remote office either across the street or across the country. A second layer of successful communication is the interaction of sender to receiver. When speaking to groups or individuals, a manager should always maintain a steady emotion. Employees can easily misinterpret the mood or  content of the message if a manager is either too happy or too sad. A good sense of humor can bring comfort or levity to a group or situation, however caution should be used. A joke or comment can be misinterpreted easily depending on the audience. A good rule of thumb would be to err on the side of caution until the manager gets to know the group thoroughly. Allowing for questions during or at the end of your message encourages two way communication. This allows the audience the freedom to ask for clarification if something isn’t understood and also provides a venue for discussion. Possible issues can be resolved when more than one point of view are presented. A manager should also make themselves available after a meeting in case any questions comes up that did not want to be asked in a group setting or is of a confidential nature. The third layer of successful communication involves four elements that affect each other. Content (what is said), Channel (How it’s said), Environment (Where it’s said) and Time (When it’s said). It is important to tailor the content of your message to your audience. The following are short questions that a manager can ask themselves about each element: Content What is the message about? Who is the audience? What is the tone of the message? Do you thoroughly know the subject matter? What level of detail should the message include? Channel What channels are available? (ex. voicemail, email, public or private meeting)? Will the contents of the message be fully understood using the channel chosen? Will the channel help or hurt if the message has a deadline? Is the channel chosen appropriate for the urgency level of the message? Is the channel chosen appropriate for the tone of the message? Environment What locations or venues are available? Is the venue/location chosen appropriate for the message given? (ex. Technically capable) What setting is fitting for your message (ex. Formal or informal)? Who is the audience? How large is the audience? What is the confidentiality of the message? Time How urgent is the message? When is the best time to deliver this message? Does the message follow a timeline or deadline? How long should the message take? Along with these factors to follow, there are some errors to avoid. Focus your message strictly on facts to stay true to the message at hand and avoid â€Å"spinning† a message with opinions. Opinions are fine to state when and if asked by the audience, however a message spun on opinion will be evident quickly and can easily lose or disrupt an audience. Do not present the message in a manner that is not subject to change. Messages, like situations, can change at any given moment and may require some clarification. Always prepare with a contingency plan to follow-up with changes if needed. Having prior knowledge of the subject matter will minimize any confusion when presenting the message and will better equip the manager in the event of any questions asked. The intent of the message can be greatly lost if the presenter looks uncomfortable or lost during the presentation. If at all possible, have someone with knowledge of the subject matter review any notes that will be used, or have them available for any follow-up questions afterwards. When it comes to communicating effectively, there is no â€Å"one size, fits all† approach to any message. Each communication instance requires a thorough analysis of all the factors provided and presented accordingly to the audience. Mastering these tips will help on the road to managerial success. Works Cited Hynes, Geraldine. Managerial Communication. New York: McGraw Hill, 2011. Myatt, Mike. â€Å"10 Communication Secrets of Great Leaders.† Forbes (2012): 12/6/2012 http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/04/04/10-communication-secrets-of-great-leaders/.

The Philosophical Question of Suicide Essay - 2077 Words

The more a question is argued the better that question becomes it is often said. That question begins to grow and the side effect of this is the more people it reaches. Whether that question can be put into a category of right or wrong it begs to be answered. Knowledge is something that people instinctively need to function when faced with a problem, an answer must be found or it begins to form eminent possibility in any direction. The problem is a question that no one can truly answer for anyone other than the person faced with it, which is ones own self. The arguments from either side of this philosophical problem must not be centered around ones own belief but all that share the dilemma, which is in fact every human being.†¦show more content†¦Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy. (The Myth of Sisyphus). This is a philosophical statement to some others as with Camus see this a true and evident problem. So many will turn this into a argument for which no side could win. The argument cannot be won by many because they simply will not take their own selves out of the equation. One of the top reasons a person is said to want to die is that the individual has a philosophical desire to die. This desire can be broke down into different patterns or traits the person holds deep inside themselves, also there could be outside factors influencing this. Doctor Alex Lickerman of the University of Chicago states, These people aren’t depressed, psychotic, maudlin, or crying out for help. They’re trying to take control of their destiny and alleviate their own suffering, which usually can only be done in death.( reasons why people comment suicide). These people are not clinically depressed, they are making the choice to take control of their own destiny. Taking control of ones own destiny or life is not something that is looked down upon in the normal everyday society. 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This is the issue of suicide and how to deal with it as an individual and as a community. The principal point in the story by Camus is the presence of absurdity in our very existence. The presence of life and all living things that we are aware of is an absurdity according to Camus, who questions the plausibility of some people considering suicide to be the best solution to this absurdity. Having an understanding of the elements ofRead MoreEssay on Steppenwolfs Decision to Live1250 Words   |  5 Pagescommitting suicide. He tries to justify taking his life with religious and philosophical rationales, but in the argument he finds that his life is worth living and suicide not a logical option. Sadly though, the novel provides little evidence beyond the Steppenwolfs own feelings as to why he cannot commit suicide. It is the intent of this paper, with some religious and philosophical references, to shed light on the reasoning behind the Steppenwolfs decision to live. 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Although he was not an atheist, he didRead MorePhilosophy And Death : An Argument For Physician Assisted Suicide1172 Words   |  5 Pages PHILOSOPHY AND DEATH: AN ARGUMENT FOR PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE EMILY BEDFORD 10107525 Submitted to: Robert Armstrong PHIL 259 Monday, December 7, 2015 Introduction As humans, we have the right to life. In Canada, in section 7 of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadians can expect â€Å"life, liberty and security of the person.† This means not only to simply exist, but have a minimum quality and value in each of our lives. Dying is the last important, intimate, and personal momentRead MoreThe Ethical Issue Of Physician Assisted Suicide1580 Words   |  7 Pagesphysician assisted suicide. By exploring Aristotle’s work through primary and secondary sources, this paper will discuss the greater good and happiness as it relates to not only the patient or physician, but as a member of a greater social circle and that of society because to Aristotle the role of the individual is less important than their social obligations and role. This paper aims to use the rationale of natural law and of Aristotle to explore the prospects of physician assisted suicide as for the greaterRead MoreRelevance Of Long Term Crisis Response1187 Words   |  5 Pagesassociations with past events. Suicide has been depicted as the main truly genuine philosophical issue. . It is in this way fitting, as a generally philosophical framework; rational emotive behavior therapy would address the issues of suicide and self-destructive conduct (Ellis, 2006). In addition, Rational emotive behavior therapy up to this time has been generally tranquil on suicide, with just a couple papers committed particularly to the point. In this part, we examine how suicide and self-destructiveRead MoreAn author can reveal characteristics of characters in literature through several different methods.900 Words   |  4 Pagesmentioning his religion. This time Hamlet wishes that â€Å"the Everlasting had not fixed / His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter† (I, II, 131-132). Here, Hamlet discusses how God forbids suicide, which shows how Hamlet values his religious beliefs, since this keeps Hamlet from liberating himself from life’s sufferings through suicide. Additionally, Hamlet continues this soliloquy by revealing his misogyny for Gertrude. Hamlet cries out, â€Å"Frailty, thy name is woman! / A little month, or ere those shoes were