🚀 go-pugleaf

> In article <D35Eq6.1r3@acsu.buffalo.edu>,
> zandy@rotanev.cs.buffalo.edu (Victor C Zandy) writes:

> Hello David,

My name isn't David, but may I comment?

>     I think you and I are struggling with a similar problem.
> 
>     In parallel (in the truest sense of the word) with my work toward
> a BS in Computer Science, I have invested considerable time in the
> past few years reading "technology criticism".  Loosely speaking, this
> material discusses the impact of 20th century technology and
> "progress" on cultures, both American and non-American.  For instance,
> Jerry Mander's "In the Absence of the Sacred..." describes (in part)
> the demise of Native American societies after television feeds are
> installed, noting the decline of partipation in traditional rituals
> and ideals, and the overall change in values.

As with religion, philosophy and life-style, in the end it is the
individual who must think, feel, make choices and live.  Of course,
it's helpful to be in an environment where you can have information,
experiences, freedom and confidence.  Many feel the American culture
is stifling.  I don't know if that's true.  I've not been without it.
Can we ever judge ourselves objectively from within the "bubble"?

>     Consequently, I am now determined to find work that empowers
> people.  In contrast, you and I might agree that most products of the
> financed work available to technical graduates will ultimately rob
> people of their creative outlets, or at least the time and motivation
> required to exercise them.  As an example, the World Wide Web is now
> touted as something that everyone should have constant access to.  I
> am on a mailing list called "WWWedu", a forum for people interested in
> using WWW technology in educational settings, particularly
> pre-collegiate.  Many of this list's participants frantically request
> assistance in "getting on the Web".  Hence, another new market is
> opening for people who know how to put computers on the net, such as
> many of this year's UB Computer Science graduates.  My opinion, in
> view of my observations of people who use the web, including myself
> and people with PhDs, is that the WWW is scantly more than a surrogate
> television.  Pages filled with text are boring.  The "Web surfer" is
> never satisfied, constantly seeking the next link to click.  I am
> horrified by my speculations on the effect of introducing Web-style
> technologies into pre-collegiate curriculums.

To compare the Internet to television is humorous.  It's more like a huge
block party.  The more the merrier!  :-)

Your post isn't a sneaky way of eliciting opinions about the net and how
it's effecting our society and educational system, is it?  Whew, for a
minute there I thought this was 1984.

>     Your article focused on academic "technological moral
> responsibility", and I would agree that the current attitude of
> Computer Science academics toward the mainstream applications of their
> work sorely merits scrutiny.  When I was investigating graduate
> programs, I met with several professors in my department to discuss my
> desire to incorporate an emphasis on education into my graduate work.
> They practically laughed in my face---even the guy who specializes in
> Computer Science Education.  I was told, basically, that I shouldn't
> hope to find a Computer Science graduate program that could afford or
> would be willing to support a student of education.  Cut and dried, my
> job will be to advance the state of the art.

Pioneers and leaders have the benefit of knowing that when they take one
step onto virgin territory they will either be rewarded with adventure,
fame and profit or with danger, pain, agony, fear, ridicule and possibly
an ignominious death.  The choice is yours.

>     Does this sound as silly to you as it did to me?  This is 1995.
> Many people feel like they are being kicked around by computers on a
> daily basis.  Computers are a very powerful mystery, and contrary to
> popular opinion, I don't believe that consumers and victims of
> computers are satisfied with their ignorance.  And yet all we do is
> throw more logs on the fire, so to speak.  As the creators of
> technology, or as the trainers of other creators, Computer Science
> academics are obligated to recognize and take responsibility for the
> impact of their work.  Does this not necessarily include education
> outside of the academy?

Educate the masses and they'll .... Who knows?  Nobody does.

I believe experience has shown that a more educated population will be
able to live together more happily and profitably.  I may yet be proven
to be wrong.

Throw another log on the fire, throw another heretic on the fire.  It's
all the same to an ignorant person.  :-)

You *are* responsible for your actions.  If you do not recognize this
you do so at your own risk.

I don't think we can blame the Wright brothers (who invented powered air
flight) with the space shuttle Challenger crash.  Should we hold Einstein
(who advanced the theoretical understanding of physics) to be guilty of
the deaths of thousands who died in the blast of an atomic bomb?  The
impact of a person's work might not be known during a lifetime.  You
surely can't be held responsible for what others do with the product of
your efforts.  Teaching Object Oriented programming might lead to someone
producing a program which benefits killers, hate mongers, lawyers, doctors,
politicians, school teachers, brick layers, etc.  One can never know.

>     Blah, blah, blah, right?  At least I am happy to hear from someone
> who will probably encounter as much resistance in their life as I
> will.
> 
> 
> Good Luck,
> Vic

I'm not a cynic, just a *realist*.  :-)


Mark S. Hathaway       <hathawa2@marshall.edu>