"And That's the Way it Is":
Technologies of the 1940s, '50s and Today
October 29 and November 5, 12, 19
Technology has been described as the bane of our lives and as the boon of our existence-often in the same conversation. In this Thursday Forum series, Christy Wolfe and Lisa Wiebenga-Stroschine will look at the technology boom of the past 50 years.
In the first session, Wolfe and Wiebenga-Stroschine will consider technological breakthroughs from the 1940s and '50s. If television ushered in the new era of communication and made the world a smaller place in the 1950s, the Internet and cell phones have paved the way into the 21st century. In considering the bells and whistles of today's technological advances, Wolfe and Wiebenga-Stroschine will connect the past with the present-and the future-of technology.
In the subsequent sessions, Wolfe and Wiebenga-Stroschine will look specifically at the role of technology in the medical field and in the area of education. Ultimately, the presenters will ask attendees to consider whether the media culture and technology have improved communication or destroyed human interaction. They'll also discuss whether our "24/7 connected" society is better or worse than the comparative decades.
Lynda Barrow
(Political Science)
"One of the students responded without hesitation, "I’d push you!" She then turned bright red. Six months later, we jumped."
