Introduction
People are continually exposed to technological advancements that encourage instant gratification in today's society. But very few people stop to consider whether these technical advancements are beneficial to society.
The Iworld Concept
The author of the article "Society is Dead: We Have Retreated into the Iworld," Andrew Sullivan, contends that social contact has decreased as a result of technological advancement, particularly with the introduction of the Walkman and iPod. Because of these technical advancements, according to Sullivan, society is less violent than it was before because, in addition to the regular interactions between real people, almost everyone is walking around with earphones in their ears as they listen to music and get lost into their individual worlds. With iPods for example, people are able to put their entire music collection in their pockets and be at a position to listen to it wherever they go. In general, the experience of listening to music will never be the same as in the previous decades (Sullivan 1-4).
The Impact of Technological Advancements
In conformity to Sullivan, I believe that the society is composed of a group of people that are involved in persistent social interaction. However, various technologies have changed this concept and killed the society because other than the expected social interaction between people, everyone is immersed in his or her own worlds that have been enabled by technological advancements.
The Rise of Compulsive Music Consumption
According to Sullivan, the habit of carrying music in the pocket and listening to it started slowly, and before knowing it, it has now become a compulsive obsession. More and more people are adopting the habit that is so addictive, such that approximately 22 million people are iPod owners in the United States alone.
The Society's Disconnection from Nature
The technologies have provided people with a world that is entirely theirs. Sullivan argues that the societies is dead because people do not interact any more, but choose what they want for themselves without allowing nature to control the interactions. They have banished all avenues that may lead them from changing whom they want to be. For example, people today want to associate with news sources that can give them what they want to hear, which leaves them with the same perspective towards things.
Reliability of Sullivan's Argument
The author is a reliable source of the information he is providing in this article because he is using real-life examples of situations that readers have encountered in today's society to build his argument. For example, he notes how it is difficult to start a conversation with someone who already is in his earphones, clearly indicating that he does not want to be disturbed. This article is a primary material that is built from experiences that the readers can identify, thereby making it a reliable source (Sullivan 3-4).
Neutral Author Perspective
On one hand, the author has shown the beauty of the technology by showing how the users get instant satisfaction away from boredom, but on the other, he has continued to show how this affects the society. Therefore, the author is neutral. The tone and diction of Sullivan work well with the points he makes throughout his article concerning how the society has changed into an Iworld.
Conclusion
Indeed, technology has a negative impact on the society because people no longer have significant interactions with others. As a result, they do not have a chance to develop, grow, and become aware of their surroundings. The problem of limited interactions between people in the society can only be solved if people are going to limit their overreliance on virtual communications and all entertainments that are easily accessible through technology and focus more on interacting with the real people in the real world.
Works Cited
Sullivan, Andrew. "Society is dead, we have retreated into the iWorld." The Sunday Times 20 (2005).
