Technology Domination!

Do you constantly check your phone to see if you've received a text or missed a phone call? Are you jumbled in a mess of notifications from your iPhone, Facebook account and email? People are wired to technology now more than ever, it is evident in our daily lives and people are talking about it.

Most of the blog posts I’ve read pertaining to this topic use a demeaning tone and evoke emotion to persuade readers to rethink the way technology is used. In Hunter Costley’s ‘Is Technology Taking Over?’ he appeals to the readers through logos and the use of statistical records. “An article by the New York Times in 2010 cited that over half of American teenagers ranging from ages 12-17, sent at least 50 text messages a day and over one third sent 100 text messages a day..” he says, adding to his idea that people are changing the way that they learn, speak and interact.

In a similar blog post, Sam Bowden, another fellow blogger, appeals to his audience through diction and clever word choice. “Smart phones are getting smarter and smarter while people get lazier and lazier.” Through the use of personal anecdotes and witty expressions, Bowden is able to get his point across using the Aristotelian appeal of ethos. Just remember, he says, “technology can’t solve everything.”

Technology may be changing, but should we be changing with it?

Lost in Conversation

I believe language can be classified as one of the keystones of culture in the world today. All cultures have a certain spoken language which they can attest to being called their own. For several, language is not just the manifestation of culture but also a part of culture.

It is very common to see migrants from various parts of the world come to the US and bring their first language along with them. Growing up, I had the privilege of learning not only English but also the South-Indian language of Malayalam. Although I’m not as fluent as I was, Malayalam is what I use to communicate to my older family members back home. In a way, I feel as though it is a preservation of our Indian heritage. 

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart”.

-Nelson Mandela

The world has become a ‘melting pot’ of cultures and linguistic distinctions are what seem to differentiate various cultures. According to the Economist, the nation of Papua New Guinea, is linguistically diverse in 830 spoken languages! Isn’t that crazy?! It’s amazing how diverse spoken language can be considering words can only be formed using something as small as a tongue.  

What is culture?

Culture to me is language, religion, social behavior, clothing, food—an assortment of the distinctive characteristics found within a collection of people. To me, culture has no confinements to the way it can be defined. I believe my definition of culture associates most with Aime Cesaire's definition. Cesaire was a Martinique writer who once stated,

“Culture is everything. Culture is the way we dress, the way we carry our heads, the way we walk, the way we tie our ties—it is not only the fact of writing books or building houses.”

My bicultural life enables me to experience the best of both worlds. I love coming home to the tastes and smells of my mom’s cooking. I love going to big Indian weddings with crowds of people. I relish times I get to watch a good Bollywood movie. At the same time, being here in Aggieland I have taken in much of the culture here. From the cowboy boots to the Howdy and Potato Shack, College Station culture is pretty different from home.

The introduction of new cultures into my life is something I enjoy. If you got the chance to try something new, wouldn’t you take it? John Cage, once said

“I can't understand why people are frightened by new ideas. I'm frightened by old ones.”

To take on new experiences and to try new ways of life is my definition of becoming “cultured”. I don’t think I will ever really like country music, but I will admit I do jam to some of Josh Turner's songs.

Do you agree that culture can be defined as everything? Would you experience a new culture if you could? Comment below!