Technology In Neil Postman's Technopoly

The Impact of Technology in Cross-Cultural Trade

In Neil Postman’s Technopoly, he claims that society has surrendered its culture to technology. With an exponentially increasing world population, international trade has played a crucial role in expanding markets and growing economies, especially in developing countries. Contrary to Postman’s opinion, the world has not surrendered its culture to technology. Rather, society has adapted to the surge of technology, especially in terms of international trade to insure economic growth. It is extremely important to acknowledge that these technologies have not run culture out of existence, but have only helped nurture it by taking care of its people. Have in mind, Postman’s Technopoy was written in

Postman writes, “The uses of technology are determined by the structure of the technology itself (Postman 7).” Transportation technologies are structured to make the world smaller and closer together. So that humans are able to support one another even if they are across the planet. New technologies have allowed us to transport goods using roads, ocean, rail, and air at very efficient rates. Up until the 1900s, international trade was practiced using sail-powered ships. The obvious problem with this form of transportation was inefficiency. Transporting cargo would take weeks, even months, to cross the Atlantic to deliver goods that some cultures depended on. Modern nuclear-powered vessels are able to conquer seas in a fraction of the time it would a sail-powered vessel. Furthermore, the most impressive and innovative way goods are transported today is by air. With this advancement, goods are able to travel across earth in a matter of days. New transportation technologies have dramatically changed international trade by minimizing opportunity cost when distributing goods which ultimately maximizes profits among businesses all over the world. Most importantly, it allows developing countries benefit from trade, and help contribute at a more cost-efficient

Nagel writes, “Common knowledge may be shared by many people, but there is no knowledge that dangles unattached to any subject (Nagel 3).” Earth is a unique place where each culture brings a different aspect of life into the world. It may not be known what people need two thousand miles away across the Atlantic Ocean. However, with the help of technology we are able to support each other almost instantaneously. Postman also writes, “Those who have control over the workings of a particular technology accumulate power and inevitably form a kind of conspiracy against those who have no access to the specialized knowledge made available by the technology (Postman 9).” In the world of trade, this is how a variety of cultures are able to benefit from international trade. It’s called having an absolute advantage when having the ability to produce a superior good using fewer inputs than another producer. Most of the world is reliant on the Middle East Gulf crude oil exports because of its abundance. Yet this could become a potential problem if the Middle East decides to hold out on any trade agreements or if nations decide they want to quit relying on them for oil. The Middle East relies greatly on the capitol they collect when trading their precious oil. All the other nations demand for crude oil would rise sending oil prices through the