My Relationship with Technology

For most people my age, it is hard to imagine life without access to instant communication and information at our fingertips. This technology is used by billions of people in one way or another, but my generation is the first to grow up with it's existence. While email systems and online forums/chatrooms have existed for decades, they tended to have issues revolving around latency, accessibility, and ease of use. However, the modern communication tools of today are so easy to use that it makes it more difficult to put down.

Though conversations, interactions, and observations with my peers, friends, and myself, I have noticed a few common trends that are indicative of larger dopamine-related issues that are affecting millions of people. The standout trend that I have noticed is a reliance of technology between and during tasks, such as unpacking a bookbag, doing the laundry, or just walking from a room to the restroom. Additionally, I have been noticing people ignoring the people around them during a face-to-face conversation to respond to a text, usually without acknowledgement. 

While these are pretty harmless, I find it interesting that our minds seem to need constant stimulation, even while engaged with another task. You would think that we would appreciate the few breaks we get from technology, but it seems we don't even want the breaks. In the few moments of quiet we get, we often distract ourselves with content, even it is just background noise. God forbid anyone under the age of 25 eat a meal alone without YouTube. 

Of course, I am guilty of all the things I have mentioned; I am even listening to music while I am writing this. I also caught myself getting on my phone to check my emails while I was putting my dried dishes away sometime last semester, which has made me especially observant of the usage of technology around me.

I have made an effort to improve my relationship with technology this year by limiting it, as I have realized how much of my time it has taken from me. Though being busy this semester has greatly helped me with my separation from technology, I still am making progress in limiting my overall screen time across my devices. I believe my biggest difference in improving my productivity has been from me almost completely moving away from my desktop computer to my laptop for work. With two monitors, the desktop makes homework much easier, but allows another monitor to distract myself. 

The most surprising change for me was moving back to playing games on my Xbox instead of my PC. I have found that console games inherently feel more relaxed than PC games, as they can be played in the most comfortable position, whereas a chair is your only option for PC. With the ease of use of the Xbox, I feel that I do not need to dedicate sessions of time to playing it and feel satisfied after just 30 minutes or so of playtime. I think these little changes have helped me appreciate those quiet moments a little better, although my worst habit is still a work in progress. 

Spotify Logo

Last year, I listened to 123,391 minutes of music on Spotify, the worlds most popular music streaming platform. That is over 2,000 hours of music alone. Though a majority of that time was likely spent listing as background noise, that is still an incredibly large number. This year, I only have 75,000 minutes listened, which at least makes me feel like I am making progress with my efforts. 

Finally, the last major change has been attempting to shift myself away from short-form content towards long-form content. I spend an embarrassing amount of time since I do not have any other platform that offers short-form content, which I feel has made my attention span shorter. I have been trying to combat this by watching education documentaries about my interest, which actually seems to be working for me. I feel that I have a bit more concentration back with he added benefit of learning random information.

However, I am still guilty of the habits I outlined above. I still feel the need to be constantly stimulated, almost feeling that I could be using any free time to be doing anything but waste it. Of course, I am not wasting my time by not using technology but it feels like it to me. As a group, I believe that these problems will continue to worsen, potentially leading to academic and societal consequences. I am hopeful, though, that we will be able overcome these issues with determination and support from each other. That being said, I am going to go watch some YouTube shorts. 

The History of Generative AI (EOTO #2 Response)

Due to constant discussion and developments about it's utility and potentially terrifying consequences, Artificial Intelligence (AI) needs no introduction. Chatbots, one of the most popular forms of artificial intelligence, are programs designed to simulate conversation with the user in an attempt to mimic a human. Although chatbots have recently skyrocketed in popularity, they have been in existence for decades.

Most sources cite Eliza, a psychotherapeutic program designed by MIT professor Joseph Weizenbaum, to be the first chatbot. Eliza was created to simulate a therapist by asking questions in an attempt to provoke thought and further conversation with the user/patient. Though Eliza was groundbreaking for it's time, the chatbot was restricted by its era's technology.

Chatbots became mainstream in the early 2010's due to Apple's introduction of Siri, a personal assistant that was added to the iPhone in 2010. Personal assistant are used for various functions that improve the user experience and automate actions. Since the introduction of Siri, other major tech companies have introduced their own virtual assistants, such as Amazon's Alexa and Microsoft's Cortana.

OpenAI Logo

The latest generation of generative AI has been spearheaded by OpenAI, a tech company known for creating generative chatbot ChatGPT and generative artbot DALL-E. The company has received billions in funding from major tech companies and became the second-fastest growing platform of all time with it's ChatGPT platform, which is powered by reinforcement learning and monitored through supervised learning.

The future of generative AI is likely to be lead by the foundations that OpenAI has placed with it's bleeding-edge generative technology. While generative AI is a very popular tool that is used to assist user's with a nearly endless amount of tasks, it prompts the discussion of negative downsides and consequences of widespread use and development. Many experts can no longer predict the trajectory of AI development due to its exponential growth, leaving many curious how it will impact society in the future.

Living in the Age of AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is shifting the paradigm of modern technology and how it will impact with society in the future. There has already been mass debate around its usage and limitations along with calls to halt development by leading experts and prominent figures in the tech industry.  According to IBM, AI is the "science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs." 

An increasingly concerning threat presented by AI is the replacement and automation of jobs, especially in tech related fields. Though most artificial intelligence models are ineffective at coding, it will only become more effective and productive in time, potentially threatening programmers. As a computer science student, AI has been discussed in every major related class I have taken, with most discussions approached with reluctant denial. 

Social media content is promoted via AI algorithms that are constantly collecting user data and promoting content that it believes the user will interact with. Social media companies utilize these algorithms to track and monitor nearly all interactions on the web to sell user information to companies, organizations, and governments, making a fortune off users.

Though I am scared of what artificial intelligence will be capable of, I am hopefully optimistic. This will not be the first innovation that will change society. Humans have a tendency to adapt and thrive. Society has adapted to radio, advanced weaponry (so far), computers, and airplanes. 

Many experts are optimistic towards AI, seeing it as a tool that will accelerate the future of humanity into a new age. If AI ever takes over, I just hope it remembers that I always think Siri for answering my questions.

EOTO #2: The Illusory Truth Effect

With the ever growing usage of the Internet, the ease of creating and spreading false information has become easier and ever. However, not every method of spreading false information relies on the internet. Many methods have been used my people, groups, agencies, and governments. One of these theories was first officially documented in the late 1970's, though it has been used for centuries.

This theory is known as the "Illusory Truth Effect." This cognitive bias is simple but effective: if misinformation is repeated again and again, it becomes more easily perceived as true. For example, if someone tells you that the Japanese government has banned smoking, you may have a disregard this information since smoking is popular in Japan. However, if this person or other people around you repeat this incorrect fact, it will seem more believable. 

The theory was first documented in a joint study performed by Villanova University and Temple University in 1977. In this study, participants were given three lists of 60 plausible statements with each list being distributed two weeks apart. Twenty of these statements appear on all the lists while the other forty are respective to their own lists. Participants were required to rate their confidence in the validity of the statement

The results of the study showed that the participants had a tendency to mark the repeated statements more believable than the unique statements as more lists were provided. This study and other supporting studies prove that the brain tends to put familiarity over rationality when understanding information.

Unfortunately, the illusory truth effect has been used to widely spread misinformation to large groups around the world. One of the most recent and relevant examples of the bias being used and its consequences is its use by the Bush Administration in justifying the US invasion of Iraq. 

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush Administration shifted its focus towards the elimination of terrorist organizations. Although a United Nations inspection reported that Iraq did not show signs that it possessed weapons of mass destruction, the Bush Administration reported the opposite, leading the United States into it's invasion of Iraq. 

This narrative was spread throughout media in the United States, rallying the country together in an effort to prevent the next 9/11. In reality, there is no evidence to suggest that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, as reported by the Central Intelligence Agency ("CIA"). However, it is probable that many people across the Untied States believe that Iraq possessed these weapons due to the propaganda spread by the Bush administration. 

Less than 15 years later, another politician used the illusory truth effect to rally his followers around his immigration rhetoric. In his 2016 presidential bid announcement, Donald Trump repeated phrases about his policies on international economic relations and immigration issues, utilizing repetition to spread his beliefs to followers and listeners.

Donald Trump, the businessman turned presidential candidate, has a distinct pattern of speech where he repeats phrases over and over again.  When discussing international economic relations, he repeats that other nations are "killing" and "beating" the United States in various ways. When discussing his thoughts on immigration, he reinforces stereotypes towards Mexican immigrants. His immigration rhetoric became a core aspect of his presidency.

Though the illusory truth effect is dangerous when used with malicious motives. As a result of the invasion of Iraq, approximately 200,000 Iraqi civilians alone were killed. However, malicious use of this theory may be easier to combat with the internet, as fact checking has become a growing necessity in modern media. The illusory truth effect is perhaps one of the most subtle but effective methods of persuasion, warranting caution in the age of information.

Privacy in the Age of Information

User's of the internet should be aware that they are being tracked and monitored through their every action, but I believe that most user's do not realize the extent or significance of this lack of privacy. This data is permanent, forever located in a server somewhere with the data of millions of other users. Every text, every browser search, and every website you have visited is tracked, monitored, and stored. 

When signing up for something, we all click the box labeled "I have read and agree to the Terms and Conditions." However, if we actually understood what that meant, only a fraction of users would actually agree. On the other hand, do we actually care enough to forfeit our access to websites and the internet in exchange for total privacy?

Edward Snowden

I find this to be a very conflicting issue for myself. Although I despise having my privacy violated, I also feel that it is too late to disconnect from these websites that track me. I could switch to Firefox to increase my privacy, but Google Chrome has all of my passwords saved and bookmarks. Is my personal information worth the ease of use of the internet? Apparently so. 

The government certainly loves to track us. After Edward Snowden revealed the mass surveillance performed by the government, it seems that little has been done to change what the government is still doing behind our backs. 

Though there are methods to limit how extensively you are tracked, I feel that nothing makes you truly anonymous. Methods such as virtual private networks (VPNs) and TOR browser have their pros and cons, but the only method that works is to not use any technology that can be tracked. At that point, someone might as well live in the woods alone, since technology is embedded in nearly every aspect of out lives. 

Social Media: Adopters and it's Effects

When discussing Diffusion Theory, there are an endless amount of topics that can be discussed. However, I find social media to be a golden example of diffusion theory in relation to communication. Social media is a relatively new technology, beginning in the late 1990's and early 2000's. While social media began to gain mass popularity in the 2000's, it has now become one of the most trafficked areas on the internet. 

When social media was first introduced, it was often targeted towards small groups. Six Degrees, a website that many attribute the title of the first social media platform, began as an invite-only platform. Facebook, the largest social media company by number of users, began as a rating platform for female students at Harvard University. These early adopters were often younger adults or people working in tech fields, as they were both more familiar with the internet.

In 2023, nearly everyone uses a form of social media. Social media has so grown so rapidly due to it's easy accessibility and massive popularity among other reasons. I believe most people use social media due to the fear of missing out ("FOMO"), which may also be a reason why there are constantly new users on the biggest platforms. 

The few people that have access to social media but do not choose to use are becoming (if not already) a minority among people with access to internet. Of course, these people have different reasons for not using it but they are together in avoiding the consequences of using social media. 

Though social media is great for connecting people and relatives, it has many downsides. Many platforms have aggressive algorithms that learns what content the user likes and promotes it to them in an effort to achieve more clicks and interactions on the platform, even if it damages the user's well-being. Meta, the owner of the massive platform Instagram and Facebook, is aware that it is harmful to the mental health of it's users, especially young female users.  

In this post, I have only scratched the surface of the negative affects of social media. I am biased, however, as I have felt the effects myself and have been trying to distance myself from them. A part of me wishes I never used social media, though I would definitely be experiencing heavy FOMO if I did so. I believe we are approaching a new era of human history were all generations alive at a time are widely using social media. Though this is may be in 50 years or so, I believe that people in the future may not have a choice to adopt social media; they will instead be born into it. 

Antiwar Voices

Opinion

The United States has been at war for the majority of my life, 18 years to be exact. When the government ordered an evacuation of Afghanistan, I had hoped that we would have a period without any major foreign military entanglements. Clearly this is not the case, as we are now fighting a proximity war with Russia via the Russo-Ukranian war. 

President Eisenhower

The United States clearly loves war and conflict, as that's where the money lies. President Eisenhower warned the people of the United States of the consequences of the "military industrial complex," which is a system in which lucrative military contracts are awarded to private companies to develop military technology, essentially creating a loop of spending, war, and death. The military industrial complex has taken ahold of the United States, putting us trillions of dollars in debt and killing countless people abroad in other countries. 

Politicians in Washington D.C. do not seem to be very antiwar. Though some parties or politicians may claim to be antiwar, war seems to be a bipartisan activity. Politicians are influenced by their donors, which often leads us back into the cycle of the complex. Every conflict makes the wealthy richer but hurts the lower classes.

Though massive companies like Lockheed Martin make incredibly advanced aircraft, I feel that the need for such an abundance of military spending is unnecessary when there are so many domestic issues that could be solved with just a fraction of the United States' military budget. 

Lockheed Martin SR-71 "Blackbird"

It sucks. There's no other way to describe the situation the we are in. Even worse, it is all my generation knows. Though we are not in a direct war right now, the billions we are sending to Ukraine is hurting just as much as a direct involvement. I have always found it interesting that the US can cough up $300+ billion to send to Ukraine but seemingly can't afford to do anything else to benefit the citizens.