How we improve our society through technology

How we improve our society through technology

Many people use technology to communicate with their friends and love ones but never give a thought to how technology has improved their lives. Technology surrounds us every day, the grocery store is dripping in technology, the buses run on computers, and even the dentist uses digital cameras and computer imaging systems instead of x-rays. While we live our lives surrounded with technology, have you ever stopped to consider how society can be changed through technology?
The internet opened up forms of communication that we never thought were possible before. Today we have hundreds of social news sites where individuals can write and post news reports pertaining to the world around them. People can also comment and respond to ideas through forums and commenting systems which mean we can share ideas and knowledge with anyone in the world at any time.
Open source software allows many people to provide their own input and knowledge towards the creation of useable software. There are still many societies where the exchange of ideas is not open or acceptable. We should bring open source software to these societies and help to teach that sharing ideas and knowledge with others can be a profitable endeavor for everyone
Using the open source software we increase the level of education. Teachers can release their lectures on internet through open source software. Children who live their whole lives without access to teachers can now learn by listening to audio recordings or watching a television show. .
Many employers area already using video technology to connect their office locations together and avoid large travel expenses Some workplaces already communicate mainly through email, why not expand this idea and hire the most qualified person no matter where they are located in the world.
Another method of sharing has been created through creative commons. We can improve society by releasing all forms of art under the creative commons licensing structure. Allowing other people to spread our art and use as they see fit can help spread the ideas behind our creations and challenge others to create as well
Of course, all of our ideas towards using technology and the internet to improve society can only succeed if we have net neutrality.
The ability to share knowledge and information with anyone in the world through the internet is one of the best ways we can improve society.
The One Laptop Per Child Initiative (OLPC for short) is a great example of how we can get computers into the hands of people who need them. With an OLPC style computer and a web cam, individuals will be able to document the horrors inflicted on people in third world countries and post the information to the internet for all to see.
Cell phones are also a great technology that will help to improve the lives of people around the world. Even something as simple as a voice conversation can change a person’s life. People could use cell phones to listen to educational recordings and expand their knowledge. We could teach people new skills and give them training all through a cell phone conversation.
Many times technology surrounds us and we fail to notice how our lives are improved. We have become so immune to how improved our lives are because of technology that we often fail to see that there are other people who need assistance. We need to spread our technology to all countries of the world and help to improve their societies as well.