Sofia Ordonez
Nicole Bizzoco
Expository Writing, Section NX
09 October 2015
Technological Development causes Scientific Misunderstanding
Technology has shifted from simple machinery used in the Industrial Revolution to advanced computerization available to society. It brought forth not only a complete change in every aspect of an individual's daily life, but it also revolutionized scientific inquiry. For example, advancements in electronics aided how scientific finds are communicated throughout society. In Ethan Watters', "The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan," the pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline, easily and quickly brought their depression drugs into the Japanese culture with the help of technology. However, the company negatively …show more content…
This manipulation in turn can have a negative impact of science in society. In Watters’ paper, GlaxoSmithKline produces “junk science” to influence the Japanese culture into buying their drugs. They manipulated the knowledge “that cultural conceptions surrounding illness such as depression could be influenced and shifted over time” (Watters 519) By knowing that perception of depression is malleable with time helped them introduce their product into Japan. They also used technology to help diagnose more individuals. However, even “the patients not meeting the criteria for depression should still be considered sick” (Watters 520). The false data exploited could be negatively used just for the benefit of GlaxoSmithKline. Manipulation can also be shown in other ways. In Turkle’s essay, the development of technology changes the psychology of children and makes them more dependent on their robotic toys. “Children understand that bodies need to always be on, that they become “off” when people or animals die. So the inability to turn the Tamagotchi becomes evidence of its life.” The inability of the technological toy to shut down results in the manipulation of children. They are led to believe that they are required to take care of it all the time, much like one would take care of an actual human child. In other words, the Tamagotchi alters the way children originally viewed old toys, like traditional dolls. These robotic toys, “do not wait for children to “animate” them in the spirit of a Raggedy Ann doll or a teddy bear. They present themselves as already animated and ready for a relationship” (Turkle 470). By demanding all their attention towards the robotic toys, they become dependent on technology. Similarly, manipulation can be used to change the economy. In today’s economy, as demonstrated by Stiglitz’s essay, companies that use rent-seeking gain the
Nicole Bizzoco
Expository Writing, Section NX
09 October 2015
Technological Development causes Scientific Misunderstanding
Technology has shifted from simple machinery used in the Industrial Revolution to advanced computerization available to society. It brought forth not only a complete change in every aspect of an individual's daily life, but it also revolutionized scientific inquiry. For example, advancements in electronics aided how scientific finds are communicated throughout society. In Ethan Watters', "The Mega-Marketing of Depression in Japan," the pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline, easily and quickly brought their depression drugs into the Japanese culture with the help of technology. However, the company negatively …show more content…
This manipulation in turn can have a negative impact of science in society. In Watters’ paper, GlaxoSmithKline produces “junk science” to influence the Japanese culture into buying their drugs. They manipulated the knowledge “that cultural conceptions surrounding illness such as depression could be influenced and shifted over time” (Watters 519) By knowing that perception of depression is malleable with time helped them introduce their product into Japan. They also used technology to help diagnose more individuals. However, even “the patients not meeting the criteria for depression should still be considered sick” (Watters 520). The false data exploited could be negatively used just for the benefit of GlaxoSmithKline. Manipulation can also be shown in other ways. In Turkle’s essay, the development of technology changes the psychology of children and makes them more dependent on their robotic toys. “Children understand that bodies need to always be on, that they become “off” when people or animals die. So the inability to turn the Tamagotchi becomes evidence of its life.” The inability of the technological toy to shut down results in the manipulation of children. They are led to believe that they are required to take care of it all the time, much like one would take care of an actual human child. In other words, the Tamagotchi alters the way children originally viewed old toys, like traditional dolls. These robotic toys, “do not wait for children to “animate” them in the spirit of a Raggedy Ann doll or a teddy bear. They present themselves as already animated and ready for a relationship” (Turkle 470). By demanding all their attention towards the robotic toys, they become dependent on technology. Similarly, manipulation can be used to change the economy. In today’s economy, as demonstrated by Stiglitz’s essay, companies that use rent-seeking gain the