Technology In The Veldt By Ray Bradbury

Over time, the meaning of technology has changed to represent hand tools and printing presses to motherboards and touchscreens. People have always used technology in their daily lives to complete tasks that, hundreds of years ago, they wouldn’t have even thought were possible. However, though technology has made life easier, it has also proved technological advancement to have its disadvantages. Similar to the vast technology used in “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury, IVF treatments to bring about pregnancy have several benefits and detriments.

In the short story “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury, there were many instances where technology was beneficial. According to the quote, “One of the original uses of these nurseries was so that we could study the

For instance, the family’s dependence on technology for simple tasks leads the children to getting whatever they want and receiving whatever they need, wherever they need it. They are spoiled by this technology, as illustrated by Peter’s reaction to the home’s amenities being threatened by his father. The Hadley children have no life skills beyond the limits of technology, unable to fathom tying their own shoes, bathing themselves, and personal hygiene without the presence of technology to help them (Bradbury). The nursery has its own obvious disadvantages, which can be seen in Mr. McClean’s quote, “You’ve let this room and this house replace you and your wife in your children’s affections” (Bradbury). This represents the fact that the children have replaced their love and need for their parents with the amenities provided by their home and the nursery. With the nursery, the children receive no repercussions or ultimatums, unlike with their parents. Moreover, the technology of the nursery ultimately leads to the Hadley parents’ deaths after the children envision that scene in the African plain via the nursery (Bradbury). This fact conveys the detriment of the realism of the technology used to create the nursery and how it strayed away from its intended purposes. Essentially, the nursery and the constant presence of technology poses a threat to the

The first is the increased risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) in women who conceived through IVF (Storck). Symptoms of OHSS are abdominal pain, bloating, rapid weight gain, decreased urination, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath. According to Loma Linda University, “Approximately 10 percent of patients undergoing IVF have mild OHSS, and less than 1 percent of patients need to be admitted to the hospital for severe symptoms.” Despite the fact that these numbers remain relatively small, a good percentage of IVF recipients will experience these symptoms. Moreover, IVF can also pose a threat to children conceived through IVF. In Vitro Fertilization treatments involving numerous cycles increases a woman’s chance of multiple pregnancies; consequently, it results in an increased risk of premature birth and lack of healthy weight in IVF newborns (Storck). Additionally, IVF treatments pose some financial drawbacks for its recipients. IVF is extremely expensive once all the components--”surgery, anesthesia, ultrasounds, blood tests, processing the eggs and sperm, embryo storage, and embryo transfer”--are added up to show one IVF cycle’s expenses, which can be between $12,000-$17,000; likewise, infertility treatments are not typically covered by insurance companies, adding to its cost even more (Storck). With IVF being costly both financially and emotionally to many recipients, plus the added stress