You've Got Mail

In the movie You've Got Mail, we observe Wood and Smith's idea about technology taking over nature. Wood and Smith discuss that, "Technological Determinism assumes that our growing ability to alter or replace nature provides a central reason for most personal and social trends. The book goes on to suggest that 'the history of computers is a narrative of human beings seeking to employ technology to alter their worlds (p.30).'" It is implied that people may use the computer and the internet to alter their worlds, and in the case of, "You've Got Mail," alter their worlds by creating false identities. Both parties in the movie played certain identities when they spoke with each other over the internet and grew fond of each other. When they met face-to-face, their relationship was completely different, in fact, they did not get along at all. Here we want to focus on the fact that online, they have alterbate identities, and they get along great, while face-to-face, they do not get along. Their alternate identities allowed them to get along and get to know each other. All the while the two are not even aware that they are actually conversating with a person they cannot stand. They did not know that they were in fact getting along with their very real life rival.

I think it is important to realize and understand that Wood and Smith's idea of "interactivity (pg.41-42)" make alternate identities like these possible. The internet does allow interaction among ints communicators, but we must remember that though there is interactivity, does not mean the identities of the people interacting are real. The internet could be all fake for all we know. These alternate identities are real and some people in real life do make them up. That is why your mom and dad tell you not to talk to people on the internet, because a young girl may think she is talking to this handsome guy and it turns out when she meets him in person he is an ugly 55 years old man with a beer belly. This is your typical example you hear all the time. The basic idea is that people can be a completely different person through the internet. And we need to be aware of this in real life. We need to be aware that any relationship or emotions we form over the internet may not be accurate.

Postman discussess the nineteenth century and the "Communications Revolution." He mentions that a man named, Matthew Arnold, warned us that, "'Faith in machinery' was mankind's greatest menace." He says that among the basic principles of technopoly is the idea that technique of any kind can do our thinkin for us (pg.52)He also puts the thoughts of Frederick Taylor out there stating that, "Society is best served when human beings are placed at the disposal of their techniques and technology, that human beings are, in a sense, worth less than their machinery (pg.52)." By all this Postman is relaying the idea that technology is taking over out lives. We rely on technology so much for need like communication that there is going to be a point when technology is going to rule us because we are so dependent on it. And as Frederick Taylor decsribed it, machines are going to outworth us.