History of Social Impact of Technology

A major advancement for technology was through the Industrial Revolution which took place during the 18th and 19th century. During that time many people moved from their land in the villages to live in the overcrowded cities because they wanted to make more money. Since there was an advancement in technology, many companies started hiring factory workers. Trade prospered and merchants were very profitable because of the abundance of urban workers. A lot of those urban workers consisted of children and peasants, and they did not often work in the best conditions. Life back then was all about making money to survive so there wasn't really anything that the workers could do.

War has been and will continue to be the primary reason for technological advancement. Different nations are always trying to keep up with the latest gadget or device to have an advantage on other countries. Its amazing how a lot of the newest technology that the public can get their hands on, the military has already been using it for many months even years before it is released to the public.

Technology has been and can be used in many ways, either to better society or even to bring it down. It has entered the food market which many people think is not good for society. Technology has been and is still being used to enhance the animals that we eat. This has caused issues because many people have gotten sick from the steroids and products the farmers will use to enhance the animals. Also corporations have used technology to control the food industry. For example, GM has enhanced salmon that grows ten times faster than normal salmon and it ends up destroying river systems. This causes all of the smaller life forms to be wiped out and alters the whole food chain. This is just one of the ways technology can be detrimental to society.

The internet is another advancement of technology. It allows the free flow of information at any moment. About 2 decades ago only rich people could afford to buy a computer and have the internet. There wasn't as much information out there before as there is now. Nowadays people can afford computers and laptops and can get on the internet at anytime and from almost anywhere. There is so much information out there now, its overwhelming. People can do so much on the internet now. For example, email, instant message, video chat, research etc. There is jus so much out there to do. 

The history of technology has a lot to do with how technology is operated today. Almost everyone has a cell phone nowadays and is accessible at any moment. Almost everyone also has some sort of mp3 player and can listen to any type of music at any time. Devices now are getting smaller and are increasing in features to suit different types of people. Its amazing to look back at how technology has changed over time and how it has impacted society over the years.