The Diffusion of Ideas as it Pertains to The IPhone

The release of the first smart phone, the IPhone, by apple in 2007 sparked an immediate revolution in terms of communication. Over night it seemed like everyone had the power of a super computer at their fingertips. The ability to access the internet so effortlessly meant that people became connected like never before and allowed for the exponential growth of social media platforms and other new forms of communication.

The IPhone caught on extremely quickly. This was due in part to the fact that it was an extreme improvement over the cell phones available at that time. The original IPhone combined a cell phone, an MP3 player, camera, and computer all into a device that could fit in the palm of your hand and slide into your pocket. This kind of versatility had never been seen before and is part of the reason it was adapted so quickly.

 

After the early adapters had adapted the IPhone, apple continued to innovative. Feature after feature rolled out that were only for apple product users. FaceTime, IMessage, IMessage games, bitmojis, and other mobile games were only available to IPhone users. These features drew in countless late adopters who were affected by FOMO, or Fear Of Missing Out. These adopters most likely had friends or family who were early adopters or early majority who could now use these new methods of communication, and they didn’t want to be left out.

 

However, there are some individuals, particularly in older generations, who have not, and most likely will never adopt the IPhone. Most of the time these individuals have become comfortable and set in their ways, and learning how to use a new cell phone would be too time consuming and stressful.

Privacy In The Digital Age

 After watching the four Ted Talk videos posted for class, and reflecting upon them I have come to the conclusion that the issues discussed are of remarkable significance in todays society.

 

Today people in the United States leave a massive digital footprint, and in doing so provide companies like Facebook, Google, and Twitter a plethora of personal information that these corporations are free to use in any capacity they may choose. These companies may choose to sell your information to other companies or even the government; giving them information on your shopping habits, where you travel on the internet and what you buy, and even your GPS location in real time. You may be sitting there asking yourself, Who cares? Or saying, I don’t have anything to hide, I don’t mind. However these egregious breaches of your personal privacy could be dangerous. Many of these internet platforms Can use this data to shape the way you think and what you think, thanks to targeted advertising and marketing. In some cases this can be seen as a dangerous path to to George Orwell’s 1984 dystopian society, where free thought is a crime and Big Brother is always watching.

 

In some ways we are already there. In the second Ted Talk video, Catherine Crump discusses how automatic license plate readers are pouring the data, even for law abiding citizens, into the databases of our local police forces. This data can show where you travel to, who you are with and even what you are doing; and they have all of this information without a warrant, without any evidence of a crime being committed, and it makes you wonder, what happened to innocent until proven guilty? If this principle, that is so important to the American identity no longer exists, then who is to say what other guaranteed freedoms may be stolen from us in the future.

 

The third Ted Talk discusses how simple it is for the government and different law enforcement agencies to back door they’re way into your personal conversations on your phone, thanks to the cooperation of private cellular carriers. The videos also discusses how some tech companies like Facebook and Apple have developed some encryption software to make this more difficult. However, who is to say that these companies have not built back doors into their softwares as well, especially since these companies are known for selling your personal data.

 

The best way to protect yourself remains to not put your personal information on the internet as best you can. Use fake emails, close tabs and apps so that you can’t be tracked, use IMessage and WhatsApp so it is harder for the government to see your personal conversations, and most importantly, be smart about the information that you make available to these companies, and anyone else who may manage to get a hold of it.

The Invention Of The Personal Computer And Its Implications

 The first personal computer, or PC, was invented in 1975. The MITS Altair 8800 was the first personal computer, however if someone were to put one in front of you today you would not think you were looking at a computer at all. The inventors, Ed Roberts and Forrest M. Mims lll, got their experience in electronics while working in the weapons laboratory at an Air Force base. They began making kits for rocket enthusiasts; their business was thriving but they wanted to be able to market their kits to a broader range of hobbyists. They began producing calculator kits and eventually managed the MITS Altair 8800. 

This PC was primitive, there was no display, calculations had to be walked through manually at its base level, and it was riddled with electrical issues. It was possible to add a printer so that the individual didn’t have to transcribe the calculations however that was a pricey upgrade.

 

The first personal computer as we know it today was invented by IBM, and was called the IBM PC. The IBM PC was introduced in 1981 and featured Microsofts Disk Operating System (MS DOS). Although the IBM PC was marketed towards the general public it was adopted by the corporate world, as large corporations bought them in bulk for the workplace. The effects of this can still be seen today as Microsoft operating systems dominate the workplace, even though Macs are much more popular for private use.

 

Apple’s 1984 release of the Macintosh changed the game in the PC world. The Macintosh offered a new concept within its software, picture icons. This may seem like a relatively basic achievement today however it was this upgrade that helped the PC world expand to the general public. Up until this point computers ran on the most basic operating systems, ones and zeros, and people needed to take a course to understand their functions and how to operate them. The upgraded Macintosh operating system with picture icons was so easy and straight forward to use, anyone could do it, making it the perfect choice for a home computer, and helping to establish the PC market.

 

With these vast improvements people were connected like never before. The creation and evolution of the personal computer paved the way for countless new means of communication. Email, social media, message boards, video chats, and dozens more. Now you could send someone a letter in 2 minutes instead of a few days. The exchange of new ideas became faster and much much easier. Laboratories across the country could now work together and exchange their findings leading to massive and meaningful breakthroughs in terms of medicine and general sciences. 

 

Also the creation of the PC has vastly changed the way people get their news. Today the newspaper industry is a dying business because virtually everyone has access to breaking news stories online for free anytime. There are blogs, like this one, mainstream news outlets, and smaller journalists all a click away. None of which would have been possible if not for the personal computer. 

 

However, not every aspect of the personal computer has had a positive impact. Online chat rooms and social media platforms have become havens for hatred and bullying and it has been shown to have had a devastating impact on the mental health of countless American kids. In extreme cases it has even led to suicide. Beyond this, it has been found that the light emitted from PC screens can be harmful to an individuals eyes and can even disrupt sleep patterns.

 

Another issue that has become increasingly prevalent today is identity theft. People keep so much personal information on their computers that a single hacker can steal an individuals whole identity; they can open credit cards, take out loans, and even steal your home (Home Title Theft) all in the matter of hours.

 

In addition the evolution and advancement of the PC has had devastating implications on the environment. In particular the mining for precious metals like lithium for batteries and cobalt for screens has led to massive deforestation and loss of habitat and wildlife, as well as an increase in harmful emissions into the atmosphere exasperating global climate change.

The Eight Values of Free

 There are eight values of free expression that are commonly discussed when examining the emergence and evolution of the First Amendment. The Marketplace of ideas, Participation in Self-Government, Stable Change, Individual Self-fulfillment, Check On Governmental Power, Promote Tolerance, Promote innovation, and to Protect Dissent. 

 

The value that resonates the most with me is the Marketplace of Ideas, which states that when falsehood grapples with the truth, the truth will win out. In the 1644 pamphlet by John Milton titled Areopagitica, Milton argues against the censorship of books, and states that we should be able to read different opinions to make the choice for ourselves as to what is right and wrong, what is truth and what is deceit. This resonates with me because in todays society censorship runs rampant, even in the United States. Big corporations shape the news to portray reality in a certain light. It appears we have forgotten Miltons wisdom all together.

 

In my opinion one of the most important of the eight values, especially today, is the Promotion of Tolerance. This value states that the protection of speech under the first amendment is necessary, especially that of hateful speech. This may seem odd at first however it is the hateful speech that allows us to learn from our past mistakes and misguided ideas, and grow as human beings. I believe this is extremely important because it teaches individuals to overcome adversity. It shows people that an individuals hateful speech has no baring over the direction of your life unless you allow it too. It shows us that a persons words, although they can be hurtful at the time, are not a limiting factor of your potential.

 

The value that feels most personal to me has to be Participation in Self Government. This value says that in order to have fair elections, and for the success of our democracy, candidates must be allowed to speak freely on their plans and policies. Without this voters would not be able to make fully informed decisions. Especially today, I believe it is crucial to have fair and free elections, and the spreading of misinformation by the media on both sides of the isle has made it nearly impossible for voters to know the true facts surrounding any political candidate. If the media does not put aside political alliances and get back to journalism, they will continue to keep the citizens of the United States in the dark, and deepen the already monumental divide in this country.

 

The value that is most present today is probably Stable change. This value states that the peoples right to free speech helps to prevent mutinous sentiments from building in society. Their freedom to express their grievances provides an outlet for their emotions helping to shield our fragile system of government and our way of life. This value has become increasingly prevalent today with thousands gathering in solidarity to invoke change after the death of George Floyd and many others. Without this principle within our right to freedom of speech, issues like this could topple our country, but thanks to the eight values of free expression we are protected.  

 

 

The US Supreme Court: Reflection

 

 

After watching and reflecting on this video there were numerous facts about the Supreme Court that I was unaware of. I found the number of cases the justices of the court review to be staggering. The Supreme Court receives 100 new cases everyday! And each justice reviews about 130 cases each week. The justices review the legality of the rulings of the lower courts using older case precedents as well as going all the way back and examining the constitution directly. I learned that the Supreme Court works reactively and not proactively; meaning that the court reviews rulings that have already occurred seeking to improve it, and does not address possible issues in the future. All case rulings are released at the end of term and a justice of the majority is chosen to write an opinion on the case. If the decision is split other justices may choose to write their own opinions leading to a final opinion that can be upwards of 80 pages in length.

 

In my opinion there were several key points about the Supreme Court present in this video. One of which being that cases are tried in public consisting of an hour long oral argument between an attorney and all nine Supreme Court justices. Although it is described as an argument it more closely resembles a dialogue where the nine justices ask the attorney questions in order to show the other justices particular aspects of the case that could cause them to take the same position. Another key take away about the Supreme Court is that they receive so many cases that it is impossible for them to hear them all, and thanks to the Writ Of Certiorari they don’t have too. The court can’t hear all the cases; just because a case proposal is denied, it doesn’t mean the court is ruling against it.

 

One of the most interesting things I learned from watching this Supreme Court video was the fact that all the justices shake hands every time they meet. Regardless of their differences in the way they interpret the constitution, or their political affiliation, they shake hands as a sign of respect. Which is important because an appointment to the Supreme Court is a lifetime appointment, so they will be seeing each other a lot over the years.

 

After watching the video about the Supreme Court I began to realize just how powerful the Supreme Court is and just how influential the justices are. Through the process of judicial review, established by Chief Justice John Marshall in 1803, the Supreme Court checks the power of both the executive and legislative branches of government. And due to their heavy reliance on precedents, the decisions made by the current justices could determine the outcome of cases hundreds of years in the future.