Essay About Entry-Level Jobs And Social Consequences

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Technology Revolution
By: Justin Bergknoff
E-mail: [email protected]
The technology revolution is upon us. In recent years there have been many
triumphs in technology. Now more than ever, people are able to communicate
over thousands of miles with the greatest of ease. Wireless communication is
much to thank for the ease of communication. What used to take weeks threw
mail, now takes seconds over the Internet. But just like any revolution there are
social consequences, especially when the revolution takes place around the
globe. Since the world does not evolve at the same pace, lesser developed
countries as well as minorities in developed countries have not even come close
to reaping the benefits of a world connected at the touch of a button. The
social argument is that as this revolution proceeds, the gap between the haves
and have-nots will widen to the point of ill repute. Others argue that because of
technological advances the world is a much better place. This seems to be the
debate at hand. The problem domestically is that providing high-speed Internet
services to rural communities is difficult. Tom Daschle, a senator from Senator
from South Dakota highlighted the “digital divide” between those who have
access to high-speed Internet services and those who live in undeserved areas
where such capabilities may not be readily available. The reason that this so
critical to Senator Daschle is because those without access to high-speed
Internet services could be cut off from affordable information on education and
healthcare. The major issue domestically is the distance problem. Rural areas
are so far from the more technologically advanced urban areas that getting
high-speed phone connections to these rural areas is difficult. To help remedy
this problem many phone companies are trying to enter the long-distance
market. By doing this, it will enable telephone companies to make greater
investments in rural areas at a lower more affordable cost. Another option to
connect this distant areas is the exploiting of wireless technology. Wireless
technology can be a way around the distance problem posed by offering these
rural communities Internet access over traditional landlines. John Stanton of
western Wireless says, “Economically, wireless is a better way of providing
universal service.” There is also another problem with Internet access on the
domestic front. This problem is that of race. According to a new Federal
survey, African-Americans and Hispanics are less than half as likely as whites
to explore the Internet from home, work or school. This study also reinforces
the fear that minority groups are increasingly at a disadvantage in competing
for entry-level jobs because most of these jobs now require a knowledge of
computers and comfort in navigating the Internet. Donna L. Hoffman, a
professor at Vanderbilt University says, “The big question is why
African-Americans are not adopting this technology, its not just price, because
they are buying cable and satellite systems in large numbers. So we have to
look deeper to cultural and social factors. I think there is still a question of
Whats in it for me?” Most division in computer use correlates to income
levels and education. Sixty-one percent of whites and 54 percent of blacks in
households