Why we should embrace technology!
I won’t lie, my initial perception of the implications of living in a digital world was of a pessimistic nature. However, if society was to really believe that the consequences of living in a digital world were to overweigh its benefits, it would be against human nature to continue to live and bread in such an environment. The digital world, after all, is a dynamic market where people’s ideas and discoveries are so harshly rejected and so reassuringly adopted that surely the inventions and innovations that still prevail are of a progressive and not detrimental nature.
Therefore, I want to develop this concept of positive progression represented through the role of the Internet of Things (IOT) and into Smarter Cities, and how technology has engaged with society harmonising lifestyles.
E-Commerce
Going back a few decades, it would not be irregular to find yourself on a Friday night standing in a queue at Blockbusters or even queuing up at a cinema to catch the latest films. Today, the role of e-commerce has had a significant impact on such attitudes and as Megan O’Neill describes “it was a battle between old technology and new technology, and it looks like new technology won out in the end”
For we so called digital natives, are the natural consumers of this digital lifestyle our developed economies have so aggressively shaped themselves around. Take Netflix for example, the digital world today has all the latest shows and films at the click of a button. With a monthly subscription fee of $10.99, US and Canada Netflix have a combination of subscribers “larger than the population of Australia” with 20 million people paying the monthly fee.
The facilitation of a product being brought to the comfort of your own home has had significant implications on ‘Brick and Mortar’ stores in all markets. As Netflix grew more prominent in the market, cinemas and electronic entertainment companies like Blockbusters were forced into bankruptcy leaving many unemployed.
However, are we now to think that e-commerce is of detrimental nature? Markets are competitive and companies should be aware of this. This isn’t to say that these jobs will never be replaced. There’s a bigger picture and the short term loss of jobs shouldn’t prevent any government from deterring any interfirm developments.
Automisation, Amazon Bots
Take Amazon for example, Jeff Bezos introduced the Kiva Robots into his warehouses stimulating significant controversy with political figures such as Donald Trump who claimed that automation would increase unemployment. Where in fact, automisation had the opposite effect whilst increasing productivity as according to Amazon’s Mr. Clark “It’s a myth that automisation destroys net job growth”. Since 2014, Bezos has introduced “100,000 Amazon robots” into the mix of his warehouses worldwide which have significantly boosted output. With cycle times cut from “75 minutes to 15 minutes and a growth by 50% of inventory space” due to the space efficiency of new storage techniques. Therefore, it is clear the implications of these technologically advance robots have been of a progressive nature.
Bezos is a philanthropist, with an amicable business philosophy which has proven paramount to his success. He has created a loyal and compliant environment from his employees to his customers achieving success through his efficient workforce and returning customers. As Amazon continue to breach into new markets such as Amazon Fashion and Amazon Video his workforce has continued to expand. With a workforce 18 times the size of Microsoft’s, Amazon are opening a new HQ in North America which will employ a further 50,000, demining the negative perception technology has on employment rates. Having personally experienced the futuristic technologies embedded into Amazon’s company, wages and profits are maximised explaining why some departments require a waiting list to join the workforce. Furthermore, between 2010 to the present day, unemployment rates have fallen from roughly 10% to below 4% in America. In consensus with the writings of Martin Ford “it is certainly true that amazon would not be able to operate at the costs they have and the costs they provide customers without this automation.” Therefore, proficiencies in factories and delivery services are so efficient and futuristic that it would be difficult to infer any negative implications on employment rates from the technologically advanced Amazon.
Introducing Smarter cities
Having discussed the positive implications of Amazons employment of advanced technologies, the visionary idea of societies developing into a futuristic ‘smart city’ utopia does not seem so far-fetched.
Technology has now become heavily central for large innovatory companies. For example, companies such as Tesla Inc. have realized the importance of staying ahead of its market through heavy invention and innovation causing Tesla to invest $1.3 billion in their R&D department in 2017. As a result, the process of developing such technologies has rapidly increased as competing firms are forced to keep up with Tesla’s strong competition. Advanced technology of fully electronic and driverless cars has now started to become incorporated across firms. Uber introduced 24,000 Volo’s into its driverless car fleet. [2] A good representation of when a technology has been developed, how it can be applied in other means. Therefore, this suggests how technological developments through living in a digital world has pushed society towards a more sustainable intervention.
However, such developments have had negative implications questioning whether these technologies should be applied as they are or whether they were ready for the market. Firstly, it is a heightening worry for current Uber drivers for their jobs, as a driverless fleet approaches, what is likely to happen to their employment? The introduction of the Tesla Semi (electronic truck) could soon mean an end to truck drivers, which would have huge impacts in countries such as America where the industry employs 3.5 million drivers. Furthermore, on 29th March 2018, a pedestrian was hit by a driverless Uber despite the cars recognition having not failed. Therefore, this makes us question whether the driverless cars are ready for the public world.
However, “when autonomous vehicles take over the driving, drivers will need to retool their skill set to relevant opportunities”. The development of the Virgin Hyperloop in cooperation with Musk’s ‘The Boring Company’ marks where efforts could be focused towards with technology now taking over the taxi industry. Musk has provided the technological knowledge infrastructure into developing a high speed transportation cross-country reaching to speeds of 1080 Kmh. With the cooperation of Tesla and Space X, musk is able to incorporate the brains and the resources of his car and mars mission companies into developing an environmentally friendly transportation system connecting cities faster than planes. Therefore, whilst jobs in the taxi industry may start to dissolve, technology can always create opportunities for employment and progression defining the positive implications of living in a digital world.
Reflection
Since enrolling on to this module, I realise now that I was once very ignorant about how digitally involved we are as a society. This course has made me much more aware of the positive and negative implications digital technologies can have on a population and further where there is lack of an application. As a Business Management student, I did find parts of this course quite relatable to some of the modules I have taken over the past two years which I found further enticed me to applying my understanding of a digital society in more academic and business related manor.
Digital Society really warmed me up to group work and cooperation throughout the semester. With weekly classes varying with different group projects, I feel much more comfortable with the prospect of potential future skills needed to be acquired for future work. With weekly group projects encouraging students to put forward their ideas in discussion, such as our class on smart cities, I felt it was really good practice to develop each other’s ideas and to learn how to derive a unanimous conclusion as a team. Overall, I found this module very applicable to the world outside of university.
This module continued to confront me with challenges which, however, I like to believe I surpassed. For digisoc 2, we were required to complete a Pecha Kucha style presentation which I had zero knowledge on. From having weekly group orientated classes to having to perform a solo presentation I was taken back a little. With not being able to use the comfort of a group discussion to explore your own ideas, I initially struggled to develop my own independent ideas during this project. However, with Pecha Kucha style presentations made public on Medium, I soon gained the knowledge and understanding of this presentation technique. I found it a very enticing way to reach out to an audience with little knowledge of the topic and it will definitely be a technique I will continue to explore outside of university.
One skill I have gained, and now begun to enjoy, from this course is my new found knowledge of blogging. My initial blog for digisoc 1 was very limited and is not the approach I would take at it today. However, not only have I learnt to write and speak like a ‘blogger’ and reference and attach images, I have gained the confidence to post publicly through becoming more involved in the weekly posts emailed to our class. For example, “5 Things I Had to Give Up to be Successful” published in The Mission by Srinivas Rao, was a really eye opening post on how such platforms are used to enlighten the public. Furthermore, I have gained a far greater understanding of the applicability of a digital world into our day to day lives and the importance of being digitally literate for future endeavors. Digital Society is definitely a course I intend to further recommend.
