Technology & the Tools of Communication
For hundreds of years, increasingly complex technologies have continued to revolutionize the methods that people use to communicate. From the invention of movable type by German printer Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468), in the fifteenth century, to the advent of the Internet in the 1990s, worldwide communications have continued to accelerate and become more widespread.
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Printing
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Although, in an age dominated by satellites and computer networks, printing is not often thought of as "technology," it was revolutionary when it first appeared. Printing existed in various forms prior to the fifteenth century, but it was at that time that Gutenberg perfected the use of movable type and turned printing into a viable industry. According to Elizabeth Eisenstein in her book, "The Printing Press as an Agent of Change," the result was a social revolution that saw large transfers of power from scribes and religious structures outward to a broader section of society, as more and more people gained access to broad areas of information. (see References 4)
Radio
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Other than the telegraph, radio was the first form of instantaneous communication. Radio enabled people in far flung places to access the same information, causing great changes in weather reporting, entertainment, and levels of isolation. Two-way radios increased safety for people in isolated places and dangerous situations. Broadcasts of music, speech, and cultural events enlarged the world for millions living in rural areas, who had never heard such things before.
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Telephone
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Telephones enabled people to communicate with one another without the delay of sending a letter. Like most technologies, telephones were quickly absorbed into the social structure, and were soon viewed as a necessity rather than a luxury. Business practices, expectations regarding the speed of responses and information, and many other social factors were deeply affected by the introduction of the telephone.
Cell Phones
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With the widespread dissemination of cell phones in the late twentieth century, the last vestige of isolation was removed. People could now be contacted at any time, no matter where they were. For some this is a blessing, while others feel it as a burden. Cell phones are made and sold by the millions, and are quickly reaching worldwide market saturation. Cell phones are beginning to displace traditional telephones. According to Reuters news service, nearly 25 percent of U.S. households have already given up their land lines. (see References 3)
Internet
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The Internet enables access to virtually limitless information for anyone with a connected computer. The effects of this development are widespread: a decrease in newspaper sales, an increase in home employment, an expectation of quick and easy information at any time, and an increasing emphasis in business on innovation and change rather than tradition and structure.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Old telephone image by Nenad Djedovic from Fotolia.com
