Military Drones

After watching the documentary in class last Monday I found myself particularly interested in the section concerning the militaries use of predator drones. The remote controlled planes can fly several miles overhead to conduct twenty four hour surveillance or carry out airstrikes. I was surprised to hear the the use of these drones had increased under the Obama administration. I found an article on CBS.com (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/12/politics/main6201484.shtml) that partially explained the increased use of the drones.  

The first relevant and successful use of the drones during the new administration came when Baitullah Mehsud was killed in an airstrike. In the following months the use of drone airstrikes increased substantially in an attempt to eliminate more terrorist targets. “Intelligence officials and analysts say the drawdown of troops in an increasingly stable Iraq is part of the reason for the increase in drone strikes. The military once relied on drones for around-the-clock surveillance to flush out insurgents, support troops in battle and help avoid roadside bombs.” These drones are another example of how technological advancements are changing modern day society.

The article also went on to explain how the majority of Pakistani officials object to the United States increased use of drone attacks. Pakistan provides important counterterrorist intelligence with the U.S. and would like to have a greater amount of input on how and when the airstrikes are being carried out. In my opinion this is one of two major issues that will have to be addressed in the future pertaining to this new technology. Drones allow for relatively undetectable attacks, how will the U.S. government use this technology in cooperation with other governments like the one in Pakistan? Pakistan wants greater control over these attacks, I found it interesting that the people of Pakistan view the United States as cowards for using this technology as opposed to fighting with manned aircrafts. 

The other major issue with these remote controlled planes has to do with who is controlling them. Pilots can essentially “drive to war” every morning. These planes are controlled from half way across the globe which creates a new psychological component to war that has never existed. These pilots drive to and from a military base everyday but are operating in combat situations as well. This detachment creates a unique situation. The pilots of the planes do not physically see the consequences of their actions. After flying armed planes and bombing buildings that kill unknown numbers of people these men and women return home to their families who cannot possibly understand the emotional toll the this line of work is accompanied by. I came across one article in which a drone pilot talked about coming home from the military base to find his son playing a combat video game. He said that the video game looked like what he did at the base everyday. This is a scary situation and in my opinion it verifies the decision to shut down military recruiting sites that used video game simulations to expose children to the possibility of enlisting.   

Digital Doctors

Digital Doctors - The Future of Health Care

A consistent theme throughout this class has been how can we use technology to benefit our society. I came across a video (http://vids.kvie.org/video/1676974660/) as I surfed the web which addressed this issue. New technologies have always been a part of the health care industry. Advances in medicine and equipment are developed rapidly all which benefit the overall experience of the patient. Telemedicine, which is discussed during this short PBS documentary, is no different. This all encompassing term refers to the use of video conferencing and medical imaging to treat patients over long distances. Obviously there are numerous benefits to this type of technology, primarily a decrease in the overall cost of health care, the removal of language barriers, instant availability regardless of geographical location, as well as the elimination of physical limitations in most instances. 

The first benefit is obvious, the ability to connect to doctors via video conferencing cuts both explicit and implicit costs for health care. Patients no longer have to pay for transportation to and from a hospital or doctors office which can be expensive. Perhaps more importantly they save a great deal of time without the inconvenience of a waiting room. These “virtual visits” to the doctor also improve productivity cutting visit times and medical expenses. This technology also has the ability to remove language barriers. Patients can now visit a doctor anywhere in the world from the comfort of their homes. The ability to find a doctor that speaks the same language will allow patients to communicate with doctors and ultimately understand a diagnosis.

In my opinion the most beneficial aspect to the new technology is the ability to receive care from a doctor that is not located in the same geographic region. The video gives the example of a girl in a car crash in a rural area. The local hospital had no pediatrician on staff but were able to connect to a doctor one hundred miles away to diagnosis and monitor the girl. Having a camera in the room that could be controlled by both doctors inside and outside the local hospital allowed experts the ability to constantly watch the patient. This type of round the clock expert care, especially in under equipped rural areas, will be invaluable to patients. 

Like all technological advances that we have discussed this quarter, the underlying concern to this type of technology is the reduction of privacy. Personal information and medical records can be sent around the world instantly. Some patients feel that the exchange of information happens to easily and are worried that their private information could become public without their consent. This is a legitimate concern, however in my opinion this is not a reason to reject the technology for a more traditional form of medical care. There will always be hospitals but this technology creates a system that is much more efficient and beneficial for all in my opinion. 

Technology and Social Interactions

I do not believe that the spread of technology has had any substantial impact on my everyday face to face interactions. I limit my use of social networks, not because I believe that they have a negative impact on social interaction, but simply because they do not interest me. The widespread use of texting has had the greatest impact on my personal life. It has had a positive impact on my face to face interactions simply by facilitating more of them. I use texting to get in touch with friends and make plans so that we can have face to face interactions. I find this technology to be extremely beneficial as it ultimately results in more time spent socializing in person with others. 

In a broader sense, technology has had a negative impact on the face to face interactions of society as a whole, in my opinion. As people become more adept to using online social sites they begin to lose the social skills that are associated with face to face interaction. This issue will be amplified among todays youth as they begin to use online social networks at a very young age. The time children spend online is time taken away from playing and socializing with friends. This is when children have traditionally developed their face to face socialization skills.  

Meeting people online is also something that I am not comfortable with. Online dating sites, Craigslist, message boards, fan sites, online gaming, and virtual worlds do not create meaningful relationships and allow people to neglect their everyday relationships. Aside from the few people who have found real connections via online dating services, these online relationships are merely superficial. As a result society becomes increasingly fragmented due to the lack of strong bonds between “real” friends. These online sites also provide potential predators with anonymity which can be extremely dangerous.  

Although it may seem as if I am completely against all forms of online interaction, I am not. I do think that these new technologies can have a positive impact on peoples lives when they are used to compliment “real”, face to face interactions. Some people have become so enthralled with online networks that they begin to substitute real relationships. This is the problem in my opinion. As a society we do need to work on creating more public spheres for people to interact. It seems as if all meaningful discussions are now taking place online in the form of blogs. People read the news from the internet and not the newspaper. These changes in society are not all bad, in fact many of them are beneficial in an economic as well as a social context. But although there are positive impacts on society we tend to overlook the issues. We should begin consider ways to bring people together and encourage more face to face interactions. 

Social Networking and Privacy

Unlike many students my age, social networking sites are not a prevalent part of my life. I do have a Facebook account that I check regularly, however, when I do log on it is only for a brief period of time. I use the site to stay in contact with friends who have moved around the country and not much else. Outside of Facebook I am completely disconnected from all other social network sites. I have never looked at the Twitter website and have never even heard of FourSquare until now. I realize that this is not typical for teenagers but I prefer to interact with my friends in person as opposed to online. I do use my cell phone extensively, especially texting, as a substitute to social networks to stay in touch with the people around me. The social shift towards social networking is undeniable. Our society is moving into a more technologically advanced age and it will continue to do so. I believe that this can be a positive trend if people are properly educated on how to take advantage of the opportunities that these sites provide, while being conscious of their drawbacks. 

Constant access to information does result in a loss of privacy to some extent. Once something is posted on the internet it can never be truly erased. This is where the danger lies with social network sites like Twitter and Facebook. Children and teenagers  can easily become trapped by this unfamiliar concept. An inappropriate written post or picture on a Facebook wall can quickly turn from an innocent joke to something that alters an individuals life. A friend of mine was tagged in numerous photos after a night of partying. Nothing bad happened that night, however she now appeared in pictures containing alcohol and recreational drugs that were uploaded to the internet. Weeks later her employer happened across these photos and decided that the company did not want an employee who exposed herself to these types of situations. She was terminated the following day. Obviously had she known the end result of these photos being displayed she would have told her friend to leave them off of Facebook. Unfortunately as college students we rarely consider the long term implications of our actions on social networking sites. They blur the line between private and public information. Only those that are properly educated will be able to avoid the drawbacks of these new technologies. 

This being said, I personally believe that the benefits of the new technologies outweigh the downsides exponentially. If used properly these sites allow people to share  information across the globe with a click of the mouse. They can be used to create new business, bring about social change, political change, maintain friendships, create new friendships, and support groups. This list could go on and on. The internet connects us like nothing else in the world. As we have read and seen first hand, the possibilities that the internet will afford us as a whole are endless. As long as people are aware of the dangers and know how to avoid them this new social shift will remain positive. 

Media Diet

Monday - Computer: 4 Hours (Study OMIS, Read e-Textbook, Email, Facebook, Lacrosse Practice Plan)

                     Television: 2 Hours (Basketball Game, Sportscenter)

Tuesday – Computer: 4 Hours (OMIS Class. Econ HW online, Lacrosse Practice Plan, Email, Facebook)

                    Television: 3 Hours (Basketball Game, Movie)

Wednesday – Computer: 3 Hours (Abroad Application, Facebook, Email)

                          Television: 2 Hours (Sportscenter, State of The Union)

                          Read: 1 Hour (Textbook)

Thursday – Computer: 2 Hours (Online HW, Email, Pandora, Lacrosse Practice Plan)

                     Television: 2 Hours (Sports, Video Games)

Friday – Computer: 3 Hours (Pandora, Email, Lacrosse Practice Plan, e-Textbook)

                Television: 3 Hours (Video Games, Basketball Game)

** Cell Phone was used constantly throughout the week mainly for text messages and some phone calls.

My media diet gives an accurate summary of what a normal school week consists of for me. My consumption of media remained relatively consistent throughout the week. A typical day consisted of a few hours on the computer followed by some time spent in front of the television. I found that most of the time that I spend on the internet is used productively. Like many of my peers I use Facebook on a regular basis, however, I rarely visit the site for more than five minutes a day. I would login, check any notifications, respond accordingly then log out. I use the social network site to keep in touch with friends at schools around the country but for nothing else. Although I do not use social network sites as frequently as my peers, I am constantly using my cell phone. Text messages and phone calls are my way of staying connected to the people around me. As a result the majority of my internet time is spent doing homework, reading or conducting research of some kind pertaining to school. I rarely use it as a source of entertainment other than Pandora. I believe this is why my television consumption may be higher than some students. Time spent sitting on the couch watching a sports game or a movie is relaxing. It takes my mind off of school and practice giving me a chance to take a break.  This also reflects the type of individual I am. I prefer watching sports compared to surfing the web or watching television series.

                I believe that my media diet is consistent with individuals who have personalities similar to mine. People who enjoy watching sports are more apt to watching sports related programs for entertainment than browsing the internet. I also believe that individuals like me are more likely to use cell phones and face to face interactions over social network sites such as Facebook. In reality though a text message is really no different than a Facebook message. The same message is delivered through a different medium. In this way the media diet of U.S. teens is extremely consistent. We all rely on technology to keep us entertained and connected to the world around us.

                In a broader sense my media diet shows just how dependent our society has become on technology, especially the internet. As you can see I used the internet everyday for at least two to four hours. This time was spent doing little more than school work. Without the internet daily life would not function properly as we have grown to understand it. This is not a bad thing. The improvements in technology have made life simpler and more efficient so I do not expect to see a change in the media diets of Americans.  As far as my personal media consumption, I now realize that I should be using the internet for more than school work and espn.com. I would like to see a change in my media consumption that would lead me to being a more informed individual. Visiting news sites and reading articles about things other than sports would lead me to become a better rounded individual.