Reading 01 Prompt 4
First of all, I think it is important to consider the impact that the technology industry has on the quality of life for people around the world. The fact that we all have a medium to express our social and political concerns to the entire world is a testament to the technological progress that our society has achieved. Through the Internet, we now have a platform to discuss our thoughts, ideas, and perspectives regarding issues that would potentially be ignored in prior civilizations.
The problem with income inequality is not necessarily the fact that some people make more than others, but that there is a significant portion of our society that does not make enough to sustain themselves. This can also result in a lack of income mobility, as children from poorer families might be forced to work low paying jobs at a much earlier age. I believe that it is important for everyone to have the opportunity to succeed without being burdened by their prior socioeconomic status. There should be a healthy balance between creating an incentive to work and giving financial support to those who are less fortunate. I believe that the universal basic income is an interesting solution to the problem of income inequality, as it ensures that people at least have the means to sustain themselves. This can be helpful as a supplement for lower income families. I think that this idea can be tailored to target people making below a certain threshold, as higher income families will not need financial support.
I believe that society in general has an obligation to address problems with income inequality, which includes the computing industry. This industry is particularly effective in handling the issue of income inequality because of the amount of capital. There is a plethora of well paying jobs are available for people who are qualified. Furthermore, this is arguably the “industry of the future”, which can absolutely be a component for social mobility. However, it is important to increase accessibility in terms of education and career opportunities. People from lower socioeconomic backgrounds should realize that they have the capabilities and potential to work in this industry. Of course, different people have different skills and tendencies, which means that many people may prefer to work in other industries. In this case, technology can still be used to connect people to employers from different fields.
Technology can be used as a means to “save the world” in this aspect, but the only way to fully achieve this is for society as a whole to change. Our economy actually has enough revenue for every person to live comfortably, but corruption and greed is a serious issue that is causing an unprecedented divide in income inequality. With that said, I do believe that advancements in technology will continue to improve our access to information and overall quality of life. Hopefully one day this will greatly reduce or eliminate location as a factor in terms of socioeconomic barriers in the United States.