Discussion: Evaluating the effects of new technologies ( Modern times)

1. What are the benefits of the new technologies (industrial machinery, feeding machine, closed circuit cameras) shown in the film? Who gains from these technologies?


  I think the new technologies make things easier and more convenient for both the workers and the boss in terms of the time control on work and communication between the employer and the employees. Since the industrial machinery can fix the working processes in a very regular and steady way so the workers can do their jobs continuously. And i also think that the boss can really benefit from the technologies because he can monitor his staff at anytime and anywhere. And he can keep a close communication with his staff since he can reach the worker very quickly via the closed circuit cameras when he needs to give an order.
 
  As for the feeding machine, I think people who use it can benefit from its automatic step-by-step processes which can feed them with different kinds of food, for example, soup first, and then main course. It is convenient for people to enjoy their meal.
 
2.What is the effect of these technologies on the main character’s life/mood/body?


 For the boss, i think it is beneficial for him to use technologies in his company because it helps his company running smoothly in many ways, for example, the steady working speed and outcome. However, on the other hand, technologies can ruin his company very easily once they broke down because almost everything in his company rely on machines.
  And for the employees, i think those technologies don't benefit them much because they are monitored by their boss even in toilet. They dont have much privacy and I think fixed system make them very tense since they have to concentrate all the time in order to catch up with the speed of the machine. And they have to repeat the same task over and over again which really make them feel bored. The main character even get crazy at the end of the film since he can't control his body movement due to the repetition of his task. And this shows the negative effect on him from using technologies

3. What effects does using computers and the internet have on your life/mood/body?

  I think computers and internet definitely make my life more convenient because I can do almost everything on the net and I can search for everything on the web too. No matter how many things I need to do, I can simply get them done by several clicks on the net. However, I think they also bring me some bad things, for example, I might rely too much on computer and internet and the convenience I am enjoying might minimise the face-to-face connection between me and my friends since I can easily contact them on the net which may lower my motivation to contact my friends in person.