Cynthia Selfe’s essay “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution” explores the impact of changing technology on societies, mainly Western. In her opening paragraphs she explains many of the views and hopes people hold for technology. Examining her title: “Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution – Images of Technology and the Nature of Change” we can get an idea of where Selfe’s argument is headed. This title calls to our attention the idea that technology has brought us a “revolution,” thought the term revolution would imply a change. Has technology brought our society change that can justifiably be called a revolution?
Selfe explains that most Americans are simultaneously fearful and accepting of the potential change technology can bring (292). She uses English teachers, which she happens to be, as an example of a population which has conflicting feelings (Selfe 292). On one hand, teachers are eager to take advantage of the benefits technology could bring to education, such as accessibility of information. On the other hand, it has required much readjusting and reapportionment of funds (Self 292). Selfe seems to be saying that while technology certainly has the potential to make teacher’s jobs easier, teachers themselves must be willing to leave behind many of their traditional, familiar teaching methods; which for many is no easy task.
Selfe also explains how Americans can easily link technological change with societal change, and with the rate at which technology is advancing it is easy for some to come to the conclusion that our ideals for society have changed as drastically as the speed of our computers (293). These so-called changes both in our technology as well as in our society are also easily linked together because of the progress it signals. Technological advances mean progress, and when we embrace technology we embrace the promise of a better future, or so we all wish to believe (Selfe 293). This embracing of technology is only made easier as we see our leaders modeling their own love for this “progress.” An example of this modeling which Selfe uses is former Vice President Albert Gore, who strongly believed that our “Global Information Infrastructure would increase opportunities for intercultural communication” (Selfe 293). However, Selfe also states that the “optimism about technology often masks…a contrasting set of extremely potent fears” (293). Here Selfe truly begins her discussion of the outside appearance of technology; which is that it will save us from ignorance and discrimination; and the deeper picture; which is that our optimism about technology could actually be distracting us away from the fact that for all our technological progress, we are actually resisting any positive societal changes.
Selfe states that “an exclusive focus on the positive changes associated with technology, often serves to distract educators from recognizing how existing social forces actually work to resist change in connection with technology” (293). Perhaps what Selfe is saying here is that our habits as a society are too deeply rooted to simply be suddenly undone, revealing a utopia of acceptance and equality. Rather, we use our technology to create the illusion that we have reached this peaceful, caring state. Western cultures have access to technology which allows us to think, for even a moment, that we are a part of a bigger picture, that because of technology we are as connected to the rural villager across the globe as we are to our neighbors across the street. Yet, we aren’t. Our windows into their world are one-sided and exploitative, we post images of them and tell their so-called stories for our own gain. We could be using our upper hand to help other, less fortunate countries. However, perhaps the reason we are so unwilling to do this is because we have not yet helped ourselves.
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