Response #6

Luke Buehrer
Reading Response #6

Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution, by Cynthia L. Selfe, focuses on different narratives that Americans have made up about technology. “Like most Americans, however, even though educators have made these adaptations, we remain decidedly undecided about technology and change.” What Selfe is basically saying here is that when it comes to technology, we have feel that technology is both good, and bad, so we are undecided, and have little opinion feeling that it is either great or horrible.
This claim that Selfe brings does not represent Americans the way I see it. The way she states her claim (although it sounds nice) makes every one seem like they have no opinions on technology. I know for my self, and others this is not the case. There are people that believe that technology is the greatest thing ever, and that it will solve all the worlds’ problems. There are those that think that technology, especially the Internet, which has brought nothing but hurt, and bad things. People believe that technology is killing literacy, destroying depth and leading to a shallow world, while at the same time people state that this is simply a paradigm shift in literacy, and that it is bringing us back to the age of reason and augment, the age of the Ancient Greeks (A New Literacy, Thompson). People think it is hurting social lives, because all you do is sit and chat back to each other, never going out side. While still others claim it has helped their social life, they now have hundreds of on-line friends. I personally think that technology isn’t as good as lots make it out to be. I find no satisfaction wasting hours on end chatting with on-line friends. I don’t believe that technology is going to make the world a better place, maybe faster and more efficient, but not help where we really need it.
Selfe’s statement on what Americans think of technology is quite simply wrong. You probably have an opinion of technology and so do almost all Americans. The opinions vary from extremely against to very for it. Selfe over oversimplifies our views in to one single view, which is definitely not the case. A better way to communicate this message would be “Americans have many opinions for and against technology” not “Decidedly undecided.” This over simplification could turn off readers to her ideas, which is the last thing you want.