“Lest We Think the Revolution is a Revolution”

In our world, technology surrounds us. It is constantly advancing, constantly changing. Educators have integrated this technological change within the learning system to adapt to this technological world. As Americans, Selfe explains, we are undecided about technology and change; we are split between two beliefs. On the one hand, we believe in the computers power and the general benefits that technology brings to further improve our lives. On the other hand, technology introduces extreme change from our familiar system. We are then resistant and are unsure of these changes. These attitudes towards technology and change influence our collective social experience and our society as a whole. Selfe explains our culture has several empowering “narratives” that we link through technological advancements. Selfe speaks of three popular narratives in particular, The “Global Village,” “The Land of Equal Opportunity,” and “The Un-gendered Utopia.” In the “Global Village” narrative we believe technology establishes a global village in which we are all connected throughout the world. This eliminates racial and ethnic differences, and establishes a new interconnected culture. Selfe finds Nicholas Negroponte who says, “a new generation is emerging from the digital landscape free from many of the old prejudices…Digital technology can be a natural force, drawing people into greater world harmony.” The global village is controlled by those who can design and use technology. We as Americans can use technology to control others who are simply recipients of our technological design. The “Land of Equal Opportunity” narrative beliefs date back to the 1950’s. An electronic landscape is established on the Internet that focuses on the re-creations of the American dream. The American dream relates to the 1950’s, where America was beginning to enter a period of accelerated technological growth and innovation. Proven through persistence and hard work, Americans were rewarded in capital gain, regardless of race or social ranking. It was a time of optimism through equal opportunity. Advertisements use this cultural memory through the electronic landscape to exemplify that Americans can have that same security and traditional values by using technology. In reality, equal opportunity is limiting based off these ideals. This belief targets a certain group of people in America, leaving out the various others groups it imagines to be describing. As we continue to perpetuate this belief, our society will continue to be stuck in our traditional ways. The “Un-gendered Utopia” essentially erases traditional gender roles. Americans tend to believe technology and change erases gender stereotypes, thus “creating a utopic world in which gender is not a predictor of success or constraint for interaction with the world,” Selfe states. Based on the roles of genders in our society in this day and age not much has changed. It is well established that the computer industry is controlled primarily by males. Selfe states, “Computers, in other words, are complexly socially determined artifacts that interact with existing social formations and tendencies-including sexism, classism, and racism-to contribute to the shaping of a gendered society. The roles of men and women have been complexly constructed throughout history. Selfe uses Pierre Bourdieu who explains this gender ideology is “doxa,” “-ideological systems of belief so consistent with popular beliefs, and therefore so invisibly potent, that they preclude the consideration of other positions altogether.” These traditional gender roles have been around for so long, they have become second nature to us. Change is almost unthinkable.In our minds, these technological advancements lead to productive social change. “Quite simply put, like many Americans, we hope computers can help us make the world a better place in which to live,” Selfe says. This reasoning increases the use of technology throughout our society, in schooling for example. Teachers hope computers can help make them more productive, along with their students. This powerful belief in technology providing productive social change is perpetuated all around us in various versions. Selfe uses Howard Rheingold as an example. In the Virtual Community, he describes “how computer networks can support more citizens in their efforts to communicate with government agencies, corporations, political groups, and information resources”. Self uses Dale Spender in Nattering on the Nets, as another example. Spender speculates “on what it takes to establish new kinds of electronic forums that will support women and other groups now often left out of-or kept out of- public discussions in other venues. These examples show a broadened social opportunity through the use of the computer. These ideals are broadcasted through images that come from commercial advertisements about technology. These ads reflect our American cultural imagination about technology. The ads share values, ideological positions, and social understandings that we can all relate to as Americans. This is what makes these images such a powerful communication device.