Is Society Dead?

               Is Society Dead?

1.What aspect of New York did the author notice?
          The aspect of New York that the author noticed was that its nightlife was very much dead.

2. The day life in New York is powerfully presented in these lines. Suppose you describe the same in your own city, what points will you note?
          I will note the noise of people talking and rushing, the vehicles hooting, the haste and hurry both by people and vehicles, the vendors of various fancy items trying to make a buck, and the worried faces of people.

3. Have you noticed i-Pod people in your town too? Is there any difference between toe i-Pod generation in New York and those in your own town?
          Yes, I have noticed them in my town also. There is some difference between the i-Pod generation in New York and those in my town. Here the i-Pod people do not emit strange tuneless squawks and snap their fingers. Their arms don’t twitch here, as in New York.

4. What, according to the author, are the markers to identify the i-Pod generation?
          According to the author, they walk down the street in their own MP3 cocoon, bumping into others, deaf to small social cues, shutting out anyone not in their bubble. Every now and then, some start emitting some strange tuneless sounds and their fingers snap or their twitch some soundless rhythm. When people tell them, ‘Excuse me’ or ‘Hello’, there is no response. They hear so little.

5. This article is replete with powerful anti-technology words for presenting the arguments of the author. Try to list down those expressions, e.g., anesthetized technology.
            In their own MP3 cocoon, i-Pod generation emitting strange tuneless squawks, their fingers snap and their arms twitch, glazed pupils, white box worshipers, compulsive obsession, atomization by little white boxes and cell phones, hermit crabs, addictive cults, white wires hanging from their ears, i-Pod generation.

6. Why does the author say that technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves?
            The people today are cut off from the affairs of the world by their technological devices. They do not see or hear anything as they are immersed in a world of their own choice where nothing happens by chance. All technological devices like the satellite radio, cable TV and Cell phone support this world of exclusion so the author says that technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves.

7. The author has described the experiences of music in the past and the present to drive home his point. Compare the experience of music in the past with the experience of music in the present.
             In the past music was a communal experience, shared by people. You had it in the living room or concert hall so that it was a shared experience. It brought people with the same interest together. In the present, music is a secret and each person listens to it individually and we never know what the other person is listening to and so we will never get to know him. 

8. What were the nicer aspects of life that the author noticed when he forgot to take his i-pod on a trip?

              The author noticed many of the nicer aspects of life when he forgot to take his iPod. He noticed the rhythms of others, the sound of the airplane, the opinions of the taxi driver, and small social cues that he would not notice if he had his iPod.

9. How did the author enjoy the new experience?
               He enjoyed the new experience as he felt connected to others as he became more aware of the world around him.

10. Do you notice anything special about the ending of the essay?
               Yes. The author has enjoyed the experience of not being a slave to devices the like i-Pod and he seems to be surprised and happy. He realises that the world has a special and interesting rhythm or sound-track of its own and he encourages everyone to listen to it and experience it.

Activity - I (Writing)

When you read any article you will realize that some of the statements made are facts and some others are mere opinions. A good reader must be able to distinguish between the facts and opinions presented in any article.
Now, sit in pairs and identify examples of facts and opinions from the article ‘Is Society Dead’? You may write them in two columns:

FACT

a) I was visiting New York last week.

b) When people say excuse me’ there is no response.

c) You get your news from your favourite blogs.

d) Technology has given us a world entirely for ourselves.

e) Human beings have never lived like this before.

f) We have always had homes, retreats or place where we went to relax, unwind or shut out the world.

OPINION

a) Each was in his/her own musical world.

b) I witnessed the glazed New York look.

c) Don’t ask, don’t tell, do not over hear don’t observe. Just tune in and tune out.

d) The serendipity of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose ourselves, etc.

e) External stimulation can crowd out the interior mind.

Activity - II (Short Essay)

1. This article you have read discusses how technology, especially the MP3, kills social interaction, in the lives of people. Being a member of technology-friendly generation, you intend to argue for the benefits of technology in enhancing social interaction.
What are the points that you will bring in, other than the ones listed below? Sit in groups and find a few more points.
               Technology makes communication faster. Technology affords diverse formats of interaction. Technology brings people of different places closer. We have such a variety now. Now the whole world is a global village. Face Book and WhatsApp connect people in much a bigger way than before. Technology brings relaxation and a relaxed mind is a more competent mind.

2. Prepare a short essay on the topic: Technology: Making Society Alive to be published in TECH-WATCH, the school magazine tracking the latest developments in the technology field.
                Technology: Making Society Alive
In the modern world, technology has made society very much alive. The extensive use of computers, mobiles phones, i-Pods and i-Pads, MP3 and a host of other gadgets has transformed the world into a tiny village. What happens in one part of the world is beamed instantly so that people everywhere in the world come to know about it even as it is happening. Technology has unified the world, at least in the world of sports and entertainment. Programmes of one country are enjoyed by others also.

The world has become a richer place because we have so much to choose from. At the click of a button things far away will be transported to you for your enjoyment. You can see your friends and relatives who are and chat with them when you like. Even if they are in another country, we feel they are next door and ready to meet us when we want them.

Face Book and What’s App have revolutionized the society. You can send out all the news and photographs of yourselves, your friends and family to all those who are interested in your affair. You can also get news and pictures of those you love. This way society has become much alive.

Because of this boredom has been taken away from the lives of people. In the past people sitting at home, especially women and children, did not know how to spend their leisure time, especially when the weather was bad. But now they have their Face Book and What’s App to keep them busy all the time. A society that is alive is a healthy society. Thanks to technology, we now live livelier and fuller lives.