http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=leapfrog-toys-teach
Toys that Teach, but Turn Parents into Big Brother
Basicaly the situation is that Leapfrog created a handheld device that allows kids to placy educational programs disguised as games to promote development and encourage the learning in younger generations. The Utopia of the situation is basically parents utilizing technology to teach kids. Although kids think they're merely playing games they could be building skills which are used in maths, sciences, and the development of geometric logic. At the same time the article addresses the potential Dystopia of the situation - big brother. With parents able to check up on their childrens progress and actions while using the toy, parents begin to assume the big brother position. In this case technology serves as a tool for parents to moniter kids, and later on for individuals to moniter the masses - a reference to George Orwell's 1984. Although the toy and its similiar technology remain neutral, they have the potential to lead to technologic Utopia or Dystopia depending on how they are used.
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2 comments:
Good, Michell, if there is only one thing I would like you guys to bare in mind about this session is that technology itself is neither malicious nor beneficial, it depends on how we, as agents are utilizing it
This is a perfect example of how a product/technology can fall under the both categories of utopia and dystopia (sides of technology). Do you think that there will be more products like his in the future?
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