The Future

We live in a particularly unpredictable and unstable world.

It's not surprising when you consider the extraordinary changes that have taken place over the last few hundred years. 500 years ago, different cultures were quite separate from each other, but the process of globalisation means we are suddenly living on top of each other in a "global village".

What's more, the accelerating speed of technological development is making the world a smaller place. What happens in another part of the world can have an immediate influence on us and vice versa.

All of which makes the future particularly uncertain. In the past, the future was quite predictable- it would be broadly similar to the present or the past. People lived according to the changing seasons and the rules of their religions, and, except for the occasional bad harvest or drought, life was fairly similar from one year to the next.

Nowadays, every year is different and no one can predict what the future will be like. That doesn't stop some people from trying, like Ray Kurzwiel- famous futurologist and inventor. He predicts that the speed of technological change will become so fast in the next 40 years, that humans will have to revolutionise their way of thinking in order to understand the new world in which we will find ourselves. He calls this a technological singularity. He is also convinced that computers will be used to re-design human beings, creating a new species of human/computer hybrids.

What about you- are you optimistic about the future? Do you think that technology will solve the major problems that humanity currently faces and we will enjoy a future of global harmony? Or do you see a dystopian future of ethnic violence, environmental degradation and diminishing resources?

Do you think we can influence the future or do we just have to wait passively and see what happens?

Please leave a comment, either long or short, to say what you think. Alternatively leave a video or picture or link. It can be something thought-provoking, funny, serious, jokey, as long as it is connected to this week’s theme of the future.

Topic for Week 4

The Blog topic for week 4 is:

CCTV Cameras: is Britain becoming a surveillance society?

Have a look at the news stories about CCTV cameras in Britain by clicking on the links below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6108496.stm

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205607/Shock-figures-reveal-Britain-CCTV-camera-14-people--China.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/06/ukcrime1

How do you feel about the idea of being caught on camera an average of 300 times daily, according to the Mail Online? If, as the police say, CCTV cameras have failed to slash crime, what are they for?

Post your comments here on the Blog and let us know.

Gadgets or homework? Am I old-fashioned??

One of the problems with gadgets (mobile phones, iPods, blackberries) is that we can't leave them alone! As a mum, I was often concerned about how my children could focus on their studies when they were, at the same time, listening to their iPod, responding to the ringtone of the next text coming in, or every 3 minutes checking Messenger or Facebook to see if a friend had contacted them. I used to ask them 'How can you concentrate on writing an essay when you interrupt yourself every minute to respond to someone else? How can you focus on your work when you're listening to loud rock music?' They told me I was old-fashioned, and that it was easy - hadn't I heard of 'multi-tasking' ? 'Oh yes,' I would reply. 'I do it all the time with practical jobs, but not when I'm studying or reading!'

What do you think? Does studying needs full concentration? Or do gadgets help? Let us know your ideas!

hi everyone,

Technological developments have transformed our daily life and the form of communication. It is hard to say that technology is not inherently good or bad in our society. On the one hand, it is convenience for people to face-to-face communication and talk over the phone by new technology. On the other hand, the times of visiting relatives and friends are gradually decreasing owing to using of technology such as msn and facebook. In my opinion, it is no doubt that new technology play a important role in our life, but heavy reliance on technology is not an advisable action.

Technology and our lives

Hi every class mate

It is widely believed that devices decrease distances between people and the world now become as a small village. I totally agree that are more advantages than disadvantages.

There appear to be two principle reasons for using technology . Firstly, communication become easier than tow decade or more. For example, one from Brazilian student in the UK can see and hear his family in Brazil very clearly.

The second main issue is that documents, files and pictures are sending over the world during seconds. Whereas in the past they took long time.

However, is has not all been positive , it changes our daily lives. For instance, people completely depend on that technology. As a result, most of them forget hand skills such as writing . In addition, technology dose not only affect on skills but impact for the relationship between young people and old . this means the considerable numbers of users these devices spend long time lonely.


DHAFER

Social aspect and our thinking

Hi my friends,

I would like to add some points concern caution that was mentioned by Helen. It is true that technological devices have impact on some traditional skills. They also could change how our brains work which i would talk about. Therefor, I will try to explain how our using for technological items could affect us socially and our mind.

According to some researches there is growing evidence that the constant using for personal technology such as mobile phone, computer and video games could lead to lose of the ability to focus properly on some task as reading book. Furthermore, using technology may affect our senses such listening as a result of using headphone for a long time, in particular, loud sound. Moreover, scientific evidences show that our brains have a limited capacity for processing information which increases relatively if we use our brains frequently, on other word, keep it active. As consequently, if we activate our brains, they will keep on running and active state. However, active brain capable of focusing fully on the present moment and keeping in touch with what is happening around us.

Additionally, we cannot ignore how using technology affect us regarding to social cohesion, we can analyze this issue in two views. Firstly, which is positive, using technology contributes to increase our social relations because we can contact with our parents, friends and relatives at any time. Pressing icon or sending email connects me to my job, old friend and my neighbor. Secondly, which is negative, using technology cause kind of cold feelings in our social lives as a result of the easy connections because we lost a warm moments that we were living in when we waiting our treasures and our relatives. I have remembered haw i feel when I receive much letters from my brother or my mam when i leave them a few months. I save some samples of those letters which take me back to that time with warm feeling, i think we missed such feelings which may do not back forever.


My respect,
Mohammed Almalki

caution needed..

I would agree that advances in technology have largely improved our lives and have shaped our culture as a result. However there are many people, in third world countries for example, who do not benefit, or profit, from these developments.

I am also concerned that certain traditional skills are being lost at the expense of these developments, such as interpersonal and communication skills, at least those which require face-to-face contact.

On a personal level, I still prefer hand-written letters to emails, board games to electronic games and photographs to digital images. But I am old-fashioned, and no doubt in the minority! What do you think?

Helen

Technology for helping humanity

Hi every body,

In my opinion, i think that technological device had invented to serve us and to make our lives easier. As a result, nowadays we rely entirely on these appliances which is hard to give up using them.

Additionally, we cannot ignore a huge change in our lives that emerged after inventing sorts of communications that contribute to increase our opportunities to meet and exchange our ideas and extend human knowledge about human being and the world surrounding. When human being had found a chance to communicate with each other we found this revolution for every things in our lives.

On the other hand, we cannot forget some negative impacts for using technology which i think is normal because every thing has some advantages and disadvantage. Therefor, i totally believe that technological innovations provide us with items of technology that would ensure better future for us and for the coming generations.



Mohammed Almalki

TOPIC FOR WEEK 3

The topic for this week is:

"21st century technology is destroying society."

Do you thing that computers, blackberries, iPods, iPads and other technological gadgets are having a harmful or a beneficial effect on society? Why?

Please contribute your ideas now!

A woman at home?

Hi

Before answer this question I would say something ,first of all we should be remember the different opinions in fact made us humans and the difference minds create a new issues and solutions !

Actually I agree with often points my friends "Tian, Dhafer and Mohammed",the man should be working outside a home to spend money for his family because this the normal since the world beginning " Adam and Eve story".

Obviously, there is a question and answer everyone knows، Why Women are competent to pregnancy and childbearing?

Physically there are different between the woman and man as the uterus, reproductive tract..etc

Psychologically, the women can be More patient with her children than the nursery!

becuase she have emotion to this little angels came from her body!

Finally, I would say thinks for any person share this thought, I mean create or open this blog or designed and I can not forget google team :)

women's work

Hellow everybody
Firstly, there are a differnce in ablity between men and women.Also Women are more emotional and sensetive than men.Thus children especialy under 2 years need their mother stay with them. Unreasonable kids spent at least seven or eight hour without thier mum because that children need breastfeeding.
In my view, the happiness is Upbringing children with thir mums, and i think men is responsible for out door and women in door.
Dhafer

Disagree to some extent

Hi all,

First of all, I would like to express my respect for housewife.

This is a controversial issue forever.I think the answer is to see what you are looking for a husband or is your attitude to life.

As far as I am concerned,I do not support working mothers.Family is a part of life, but not all.If you spend a lot of energy at home,you will lose a lot of things.

As a modern woman, you should be to maintain communication with the community and have their own means, so that it can not be eliminated by the community, there are too many examples given us a lesson.Many women for family, to give up their careers, made a full-time wife, cut off contact with the outside world, was found with her husband less and less common topics, and her husband need a helping hand not only the chores, more needs is a spiritual partner.

From another perspective.Stay at home long time,it will affect their dealings with others and communication skills,Make some more friends, expand their circle of communication to reduce the boredom of the time,conducive to the progress of thought.

So,this is my personal view.

zheling-Tian

O(∩_∩)O

Normal Family

Hi my friends,

I think there is no need to be angry if you hear a dfifferent view.
I would like to say that there are a difference between man and woman duties.
If we just concentrate on our real responsibilities we will find it would be injustice if we ask women to go every day to look for money and leave her real duty toword her family. I think there is no a great deal regarding to women's work before getting married but i think it would be properly if they stay at home and look after there children, in particular, very young children as Jeremy said.

On the other hand, I think we will affect our children nigatively if we rely on childminder because they will lose there mother's passion which no body better in the world can give them honest passion than their mother.

So, let's us on the beginning agree on our roles toward each other.


with my respect
Mohammed Almalki

Age

By the way, in response to Anne's comment, i think that we have to consider the age of the child in question. In my experience very young children- say from 0 to 3- should spend a lot of time with their mother and/ or father. After school age, it may be different.

New Posts

Hi Everyone, I'm having trouble setting the blog up to receive comments. The best option, therefore, is to create a New Post (top right-hand of the screen) to respond to Anne's comment or any other comment. Good luck!

A Woman's Place is in the Home

Hello Everyone!
I really disagree with this statement. It makes me very angry when people say that a woman should not go out to work but should spend all her time at home with the children.

Kids don't need their Mum at home. They have more fun if they go to a childminder, meet other kids and get more stimulation from other company. They play with different toys and learn to play different games. Their language benefits because they have more opportunities to communicate with other people than if they were stuck at home just with their Mum. There are so many advantages that I could go on for hours about them!

Anyone who disagrees just doesn't understand kids.
Well, that's what I think, anyway!

Have a nice day!

Anne

This is the page where we hope students will post ideas about weekly topics of interest which the teachers will set.

These ideas will contribute to the Topc Studies sessions which will take place on Thursday afternoons during the course.

In order to set up the blog i will need your gmail addresses. If you don't have a gmail account, it would be useful if you could set one up. Please email me your gmail addresses at d.j.bradford@leeds.ac.uk