Technology trends are getting out of hand

The possibilities for the future of technology increase by the day, but recently the focus hasn’t been in the right place.

In the past decade alone, machines have made leaps and bounds of improvement. The internet and the plethora of inventions aimed at advancement have made day-today life incredibly easy, but lately, it feels like recent tech has gone off the rails a bit.

The further it advances, the more questions are raised about what all this progress is for and where it will leave us. The main example of this is shown in the current smartphone industry. Just recently, they unveiled the newest in the lineup, the iPhone 14, which has virtually no difference from the previous iteration except in the camera.

Why are companies so determined to sell us the same thing over and over again?

Obviously, so they can make money. Because it’s always the announcements of shiny new phones that grab headlines and wallets since it’s something we all need in this new technologically-driven world. Civilization has dug its own grave with its relationship and dependence on technology, and now with just this example, we are seeing how much of a grip it has on us.

The internet, specifically social media, is ingrained into our everyday life due to its efficiency and ease of access. Any information needed can be found within seconds, you can contact anyone with a few keystrokes and apps can be scrolled on for hours before you realize how much time you’ve lost.

This way of interacting with online spaces has become a necessary evil, but it’s worrying to realize how much of the average person’s day is spent online either for entertainment or for work compared to even 10 years ago, especially when you consider the rise of artificial intelligence-generated content.

AI has become a common aspect of technology today, especially in the realms of automation and productivity. From the predictive text when you’re writing an email or the very basic forms of it in the chat rooms on some websites when you require assistance, AI can help by giving information quickly during potential crisis situations at times when humans wouldn’t be available.

What is scary about AI is the endless possibilities and potential dangers. Predictive text is helpful and all but when considering how the algorithm could tell what you were thinking even before you start typing is grating and feels invasive the more it happens. Also, it hasn’t been fully explained how far these programs can evolve and how they would affect humanity since it’s still relatively new technology.

Do we have to prepare for the takeover of the sentient machines?

Of course not, at least not yet.

AI has barely even scratched the surface of what humans are capable of, but it’s started to break into the world of creativity. One of the main trends with machine-made content is the rise of images and designs being generated from code-based applications following a prompt. A major example of this was when an AI-generated piece of work won the Colorado State Fair art competition. This popularization of this sort of work has become an insult to many working in the art field. Seeing these generated pieces being sold for so much money and completely computer generated is an incredible insult to the hard work and hours that they’ve put into their pieces. The lines between what humans can do and originality have been blurred for the easy route of instant gratification.

Instead of trying to take away the outlets that humans already have covered, the next innovations should focus more on the way society can be improved in the long term. Instead of making a new phone every year with no difference, buckle down on bio-medical engineering and its advancement. Instead of trying to find ways to distract kids with social media, focus on strengthening our sustainability and infrastructure for future generations to come.

Technology has made so much progress and yet it’s reached a point where it’s more important to stick to the status quo for more money than it is to improve our future.

Ask any kid from the 90s to early 2000s and I bet that they wanted to draw Mickey Mouse’s ears in an ad break on TV.

Fame to a 6-year-old me was an impenetrable wall separating me from the far and few child prodigies and Hollywood starlets. 12 years later, that wall is a chain link fence.

In an age of social media, the ability to reach fame is now in your pocket. Rather than the traditional process of auditions, callbacks and castings, a 15 second snippet of a dance or thirst trap can earn fame that some work a lifetime to achieve.

Fame acquired through social media has transferred to Hollywood. Influencers are now glorified C-list celebrities. Their large followings attract businesses attention for advertising, thus influencers can be seen at many typically A-list events. The current one being New York Fashion Week.

The presence of influencers at events such as NYFW has caused lots of online discourse, much of which I can understand. As a fashion enthusiast myself, to see influencers that don’t participate in the fashion community, besides the occasional fast fashion sponsorship here and there, is quite disheartening to see.

This begs several questions, most compelling to me, is if the accessibility of fame is positive? My own jealousy would argue no, but I recognize the definite positives of influencers entering the celebrity realm. In some cases, earning acclaim through social media can be easier than the traditional way of agents and castings.

This means people of color or members of the LGBTQ+ community that may be typecasted into specific roles and/or having harder difficulty booking roles may find social media as a way to reach more people. Effectively creating representation in a notoriously lacking space.

Dylan Mulvaney makes TikToks sharing her transition and walking in NYFW. Transgender models have only recently been able to participate in the modeling industry. Mulvaney’s inclusion gives the transgender community the ability to see themselves in an industry that has been infamous for its lack thereof.

With Hollywood’s roots in white supremacy, misogyny and homophobia and other various systems of oppression, social media is a viable option to alleviate this issue.

The lack of formality of Tik Tok has translated into less effort to go viral. Hence why a 10 second dancing video can get you the acclaim YouTubers put into 30 minute videos. The debate of whether Tik Tok fame is legitimate is being put into question.

Many influencers now are being thrust into the limelight, however these are people who are perhaps not familiar with the world of traditional entertainment. Companies would rather the attraction from a stunt casting, than a newcomer that has been trained and specializes in the industry.

The accessibility to fame is a double edged sword. Representation in historically white, straight and cisgender spaces is important, but perhaps prioritizing attention over talent is now a genuine problem we must face.

The atmosphere of walking into a public library is not as inclusive as it should be.

Another week and another display table is put together and approved by management at the library. Oh look, it’s a basic American holiday or event that everyone knows about. Where is the diversity?

The DFW area has seen tremendous growth in recent years and is one of the most diverse metroplexes in the nation. But in the public library the tables stay basic. People from all walks of life should feel seen when they walk into their neighborhood library.

The library is a place where people can go to learn about areas and people from all over the world and the tables should reflect this goal. The purpose of every neighborhood having a library is to serve and reflect the community around it. This includes every person with no exceptions. So why does it not seem that way?

With more people moving into Texas every single day there are more opportunities to champion inclusivity. So why not start with a simple display or poster to truly illustrate the different ways of life around us?

Unfortunately, rampant discrimination has created so many negative situations for people in our community and this is an opportunity to counteract that hate.

There is also the issue of book banning that is affecting libraries everywhere at the moment. Some books that have been pulled from shelves are those centering on LGBT groups. I think showing visible support for these communities is important because we need everyone to be seen.

One reason people ban books is because they are afraid of anyone different from them. What they fail to realize is that these unique people make up their neighbors and friends. They just lack representation in spaces like libraries.

The mission of the library is to promote access to information for all so the atmosphere itself should be welcoming for all.

I do not think that allowing people to get comfortable with being close minded is the right thing to do. In fact it can be dangerous. It tells certain people that they are more important than and valued in society than other people around them. This could lead to certain groups being stereotyped and discriminated against.

A small display on a table can seem like something so small but it can make an impact on someone’s day and their worldview. It can allow a person who might deal with issues of marginalization to be seen. What better place than a public library.

Instead of possibly contributing to people being divisive, the library could cultivate curiosity about the world around us.

No institution is perfect. There will be mistakes made in our efforts to be inclusive but there is no learning without mistakes. The effort by management to make a more inclusive space for all at the library can benefit everyone.

Diversity is not just a buzzword that people can use to seem relevant. It is an entire mindset. Libraries need to do better and try harder.