Multicultural Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing/Is technology and health healthy?

Goncharova Fighters

The intention of this topic is to offer something of an introduction to a critical perspective on technology - as it is often talked about today, to begin to consider cultural implications, issues and perhaps affordances - especially related to people's and community's health and wellbeing. We will start by looking at the way technology is depicted and celebrated in its marketing and general reception today. Then we'll look at Futurism - an artistic and social movement from the early 20th century, but especially considering what legacy is left from Futurism. Finally, we'll jump across a number of examples of critical questioning of technology, including Postman's Technopoly and Illich's Tools for Conviviality, to new voices emerging today. We hope you'll be left with enough ideas and leads to ask your own questions about technology, especially its impact on culture and health. It is important to us that we develop professionals with an ability to see past marketing and foresee possible concerns with technology, beyond the ideal.

Lecture

Watch the 15 minute presentation

Technology marketing

• Apple - Think different
• Google - Don't be evil
• Progress and modernity

• Modernity and the Myth of Progress

Futurism

• Futurism and fascism
• All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
• Future Ready

Critical of Technology

• Technopoly
• Tools for Conviviality
• Let Them Eat Data

Activity

1. Watch the lecture
2. Guiding questions

• What are examples of idealistic technology marketing?
• What are the three stages to Postman's Technopoly?
• What does 'tools for conviviality' mean?
• Define in a single sentence the central idea in Bowers' 'Let Them Eat Data'

References

1. Technology and Public Health - a video playlist compiled by Leigh Blackall
2. Technopoly by Neil Postman
3. Tools for Conviviality by Ivan Illich
4. Let Them Eat Data by Chet Bowers
5. Futurism as defined by Wikipedia volunteers
6. Ears on Glass by Mikaela Jade
7. Indigenous Australians and ICTs by Leigh Blackall
8. Ethnicity and attitudes towards life sustaining technology Leslie J. Blackhalla, Gelya Frankb, Sheila T. Murphyc, Vicki Michela,Joycelynne M. Palmerd, Stanley P. Azend,*
9. About the word design - by Vilem Flusser