Pornography

Pornography is an extremely interesting topic. From my perspective, it is creating a moral chasm in America. There is a growing population of those who view and therefore support it, and a growing movement of those who object it. It is impossible to have one foot on each side, and will likely soon be impossible to stand in the middle. Many object to pornography in their own homes, but do little to slow its spreading elsewhere. I believe this passive objection to pornography will not stand against the terrible epidemic. Phones in our pockets, computers in our backpacks, and tv's in our rooms make it more accessible than any drug ever. It is a pending disaster. If there is any serious intention of minimizing pornography's tragic influence, we must actively pursue a different course in society. The website fightthenewdrug.org has a mission to, "drop knowledge on the harmful effects of porn." It is a prime example of what I believe America desperately needs. A proactive effort to promote love, humanity, and community is perhaps our only shot against pornography.

Vlog: Technology, the Environment, and Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall: Technology can help save environment

The World Without Technology

Technology is more than an object with electricity. It has been around since man was found upon the earth. Kevin Kelly, of Wired Magazine, defines technology as, "anything useful that a human mind has made" (Technology's epic story). Thus tools, weapons, and clothes are technology. He asserts fire to be the key technology that enabled humans to rise to dominance on earth. He argues the modern PC chip to be nearly as powerful. I agree emphatically. No species ever has been able to perpetuate knowledge, connect socially, and have access to near-infinite amounts of data the way we do. Furthermore, I believe we are still in modern technology's infancy. As its exponential progress continues, its power will astound us. We have already seen modern technology's application for both good and evil in society. I predict the spectrum of future innovations to grow only wider. The pornography, video game, and general media addictions will become worse, while uses in education, social connectivity, and the dissemination of knowledge will bless humanity immensely.

The Innovator's Dilemma: When new technologies cause great firms to fail

I want to solve social problems using technology. Poverty, disease, and lack of education are problems that have remained rather unfazed despite the technological revolution. I understand my ignorance in supposing some technological invention will magically rid the world of these trials. Yet I dream big and I am optimistic of future days. I am very interested in entrepreneurship and innovation in a computer science context. Clayton Christensen discusses many tools for effective innovation in, "The Innovator's Dilemma: When new technologies cause great firms to fail." He argues that technology is changing traditional business models. What were thought to be wise management choices in the past now lead to a company's demise. Companies have to be quick to pivot and adapt to ever-changing technology. They must listen to customers, but also know, "when it is right not to listen to customers," according to Christensen. Innovation is change. And because the world is changing, even the way we change is changing. Anticipating and making correct decisions based on this change will lead to more effective innovation. In my case, I hope this will lead to more effectively finding solutions to problems in society. My vision is to apply technology in out-of-the-box, unconventional ways to help people. Who knows, maybe technology can help alleviate poverty, eradicate disease, or educate the uneducated. Using tools learned from, "The Innovator's Dilemma: When new technologies cause great firms to fail," I will strive to see it happen.

Technology is Humanizing

Amber Chance says that in using technology "we're just increasing our human-ness and our ability to connect with one another" (We are all cyborgs now). This is hard for me. My natural disposition is to reject technology because I feel it distracts us from reality. However, Amber Chance's TED talk "We are all cyborgs now" may have found a crack in the wall I have built against technology. Maybe technology is actually the embodiment of our humanity. We have constructed it to digitally replicate our existence. Inside devices we have stored our thoughts (in notes and journals), our words (in texts and emails), and our actions (in photos and videos documenting our activities). It is the means we use to record our personal world and communicate it to others. It is different than any mode in the history of the world. Turns out technology has power to help increase our capacity to create relationships, retain memories, and develop self. The user dictates if this power will be used effectively or not. Like nearly all things, technology is what we make it.

I am a CYBORG

I am a cyborg. This means I add components to adapt to my environment. For many of us current cyborgs, this means adding technology. Devices. We have adapted to our environment by stuffing our bags and pockets with devices. I have long since hated these devices. I find it saddening to pass people on campus wearing headphones drowning out the humans around them. It's disturbing to find myself at church surrounded by people farming on facebook, scrabble-ing with friends, or mastering whatever new version/modification of tetris. And I am shocked to hear stories of parents who neglect to tend to their children and instead quiet them with an iPad or computer game. Technology is taking the human out of us. An article at casacolumbia.org states that 1 in 7 people is infected with technological addiction. Humans are losing their jobs, corrupting their marriages, and letting their lives decay. I need to remind myself sometimes what is to gain? I do firmly believe lives can and are being improved by some implementations of technology. But will somebody please show me how? casacolumbia.org

Maybe we are just big data

Humans are diverse, complicated, and often un-calculated. Computers are our antithesis. Yet we unceasingly try to meld our worlds into one. Susan Etlinger in her TED talk "What do we do with all this big data?" argues an interesting point. She claims as we have more statistical and numerical representation of reality we are not getting closer to the truth. We don't know why people stop smoking, or what causes actually causes cancer, or what in our genes makes us behave differently. We quantify things, but don't know how to critically think about them yet. I believe technology can be harnessed to unveil problems and build solutions, but the human element is still critical. Etlinger argues this same point by emphasizing the necessity to critically think about our big data. The data is only numbers until we make it something more, but if we make it the wrong "more", it is useless just the same.
What do we do with all this big data?

The Cuckoo's Egg

I benefited much from reading the "Cuckoo's Egg." I often fall into a trap thinking that my life is destined to drab computer code, Little Caesar's pizza, and an overall feeling of being like a robot. It is a genuine concern of mine studying Computer Science. This book presented not only a genuinely exciting story in the CS world (albeit an extremely uncommon story), but also a truly fascinating character. Both of which give me hope for the future. Through 400 pages of development, I found Cliff Stoll to be a terrific lead character; one full of passion and energy. Unfazed by the pessimism and disinterest around him concerning the hacker, Stoll trusted his gut. Being willing to act on feelings despite a lack of support is to do things out of the ordinary. Stoll was willing to do what others were not and became a hero. He followed no prescribed protocol or path to catch the hacker. Instead he engineered his own solution by sleeping under his desk, rigging up printers to track activity, and being willing to respond to trouble at any time. I admire this. He was able to discover a problem and his efforts to fix it were extremely proactive and focused. This is an attitude I would like to employ more in my own life. Too often I feel on the defensive side, or in the passenger seat of the car. I am hanging on the curtails of the world around me. One of my deepest desires is to unveil societal problems that I can be a part of the solution to. I want to be filled with excitement and curiosity to the point that I too am willing to do things I would not ordinarily do. I believe that only then can we make truly worthwhile changes in the world.

Singularity

Singularity is a word gaining traction and entrance into the vocabulary of many in the world. It is the calculated prediction that artificial intelligence will overrun humanity due to the accelerated progress of technology. Ray Kurzweil, a famous futurist, says "we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century - it will be more like 20,000 years" (The Singularity isn't Near). As an average "human" likely to be alive in 2045, the predicted year of the event, I'm still deciding my thoughts on the matter. It makes me wonder, what do we as a race define as "progress" anymore? What is it we're seeking? And as far-fetched as the suspected singularity may sound, what if our greed for technology does cost us our existence? Is it preposterous to organize efforts to slow the progress of technology? Time only will reveal the answer to these questions and I am quite excited to be along for the ride.

Singularity & Family History Work

Singularity is the notion that exponential technological progress will yield uncontrollable artificial intelligence that will overthrow or end humanity. While I find this hypothesis interesting, it is not my cup of tea. I do however find the rate of progress of technology that it suggests inspiring. This progress is clearly seen in the readings for class. The articles were dated over a 20 year span, and give unquestionable evidence to support the radical evolution of technology. Family History and the church has been greatly effected by the progress. The 1991 article, "Linking the Family of Man", explains that "FamilySearch uses little compact discs - the same electronic marvels that you see in the record stores." CD's are almost obsolete and even comical in our day. Rather, riding the wave of technology, familysearch.org is completely online and looking to receive "help from millions to save billions" (Future of FamilySearch.org Explained at Seminar). It is truly a remarkable era in which we live.

Social Innovation

The industrial revolution changed the world in the early 1800's. The technological revolution is doing likewise today. It has effected and continues to effect education, trade, energy production, and human relations. Technology makes the world smaller and its populations much more accessible. It is astounding to think of the good that could be done for humanity with these advancements. Ray Kurzweil, entrepreneur and inventor, quoted Bono in a 2005 Ted talk by making the claim, "we have the tools for the first time to address age old problems of disease and poverty." Additionally, students worldwide could have open access to learning tools to enable them with skills and knowledge. Energy could be harnessed from the sun in remarkably efficient ways. The potential exceeds imagination. However there is currently a weak link between humanitarian efforts and technology. Minds are set on faster internet, smaller devices, and revenue. I feel we will be holding humanity back until that mindset changes.

The accelerating power of technology

Education Reform

I have recently become interested in education reform and its potentially close link with computer science. Those advocating the education reform question the very foundation on which our current education system is built. The system, which is deeply rooted in our culture, is resistant to change and in many ways is failing. In a 2013 Ted talk entitled "How to escape education's death valley," Ken Robinson claims a 60% drop-out rate in some parts of the country. What's more, many of those who stay in school are often disengaged and reap little real benefit from their education. One particular problem is that "education . . . is based not on diversity but conformity." Learning is often an activity to prepare for tests, rather than to discover individual talents and express creativity. Problems such as these have no simple solutions. The reform Robinson speaks of is one of great magnitude and will take united efforts of many to bear fruit. I hope to soon become involved and contribute my own talents and ideas.

How to escape education's death valley

Technology is dead...

Technology is dead without hands to use it. It is a tool. Innately it possesses neither good nor evil abilities. However because of what it enables users to do, it could be lumped together with guns and abortion in today's society as extremely controversial. Issues such as pornography, identity theft, and the Patriot Act are examples of the troubles technology presents. And social networking, education reform, and family history are examples of its potential for good. The optimist that I am, I cling to possibility and potential. Like the prophetic counsel of Brigham Young, I too believe we "should take advantage of all these great discoveries" in pursuing the progress and wellness of humanity (Deseret News, 22 Oct. 1862, 129). However it will not be without great effort. As entropy is seen in nature to slowly bring decay and disorder, so will technologies bring negative consequences left to its own. Therefore we should actively engage in constructive and creative ventures to fulfill its potential.

It's a nice morning. The ground still wet from last nights rain.

Classes have started and school is back in full swing. The semester ahead will be a challenge. I have 3 CS classes which just may be the death of me, but I suppose we'll see how it goes. On top of the load, I have been taken up in serious contemplation as to why I am even in CS. I know it is a field that has lots of high paying jobs, a logical draw, but honestly I don't give a lickity-split about that.

Honestly I wouldn't be sad to never write another line of code in my life. I said it. It has literally been the most draining thing of my life, and the reward for which is what? That I get to sit in an office and make some kids video game? Or help manage a library's book database? Or make sure someone who logs into his banks website doesn't get his information stolen? And the world will spin. People will be people. And then they will pass. I would like to exist more in the universe, in humanity. I am drawn to the outdoors, people, and activities of happiness. I appreciate human creation and achievement. Where is technology's role? That is what I am searching for.

Education, Creativity, and that funny British guy

Today we watched this TED talk in class:
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?language=en
Mr. Robinson raised a variety of points dealing with the problems with the education system. He seemed to try and elicit a response from his audience by focusing on children and the way school smashes the creativity out of them. Valid. One of the main problems that Mr. Robinson connected to this is that degrees DON'T get jobs anymore. Also valid. Children are trained and almost forbidden to do what they "want" or "love" because often there is no market for it. This does seem true as well. Our world seems to be progressing in such a way that professions that will enable a man or woman to be able to provide for a family are in just a handful of fields. Mathematics, computer science, business. Anything else is not worth pursuing. Imagine though if we did live in communities or societies where as much value was placed on skills particular to dance and theater as it is on accounting. Imagine authors receiving the pay or high class ranking of CEO's. If that was the case, I believe our world would look, feel, and sound much different. Much in the way we are in a turbulent technology boom, we could see similar growth and development in the arts, in theater, dance and sports. It would bring whole new dynamics into society, and in my mind, create diversity, liveliness, and happiness.