Week 2: Chapter 1
Meredith Broussard is a data journalism professor at New York University. She received her education from Harvard and Columbia University. She is best known for discussing artificial intelligence and developing the term “technochauvinism.” She has many books revolving around those two topics. Her work is definitely realistic and shows that she is a determined, intelligent individual who hopes to educate others about technology and it’s use.
The goal of her novel, Artificial Unintelligence, is to show the readers the limits of technology, what it can do for humans, and to empower people surrounding technology. A big thing that she continuously explains throughout chapter 1 is that people need to understand how computers work, so they aren’t intimidated by them. She helps the reader understand this idea by introducing the concept of technochauvinism. This is described as “the belief that tech is always the solution.” Since younger generations are growing up as digital natives, they often assume that using technology makes everything and anything easier, faster, cheaper, and better. Our minds automatically think that technology can magically fix any of our problems. Broussard definitely touches on that.
I think Broussard’s ideas connect really well with the digital study minor. I chose this minor because technology has always come easy to me, and I’ve always been interested in it. All throughout my life I have heard how much growth and expansion technology will go through. Growing up, I took computer classes that taught us a range of skills including typing, Microsoft office, etc. I remember doing this in fourth grade. Taking those classes insinuates that technology is important and will be around for a very long time. Although this is true, it isn’t the most revolutionary thing, as Broussard mentions. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement and sufficiency of technology, but I do agree that it feels like technology is the easiest and fastest solution. We are so used to having it around it’s hard for us to not see it as a solution every time. Thankfully, my digital studies courses have really touched on how technology affects human. I think it’s really great that these courses aren’t solely technology based, but that they go further than that. My courses have allowed me to be further self aware about what I do, post, and see on the Internet.
The goal of the digital studies minor is to reach and benefit students who “will work and evolve in environments that increasingly rely on digital tools and platforms to create and share information.” I think it’s important to note that Broussard isn’t saying technology is terrible and nobody should use it, because that’s not realistic at all. Instead, she’s saying humans still have power and control over what they do and how they feel about technology.
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