Technology Shapes Cultures

Technology influences everyday life and has a strong impact on culture. It shapes how people within different cultures choose to incorporate technologies into their daily lives.

Since the dawn of Homo sapiens, technology has been embedded in people’s lives. In the 21st century, technology is integral — not only through lights and computers used daily, but also through vaccines and medicines that physically alter our bodies. Technology is imperative and is incorporated in all aspects of culture, including travel, food, government, and art.

Technology shapes different cultures and differentiates one from another. It allows global intermixing. For example, through computers and teleconferencing, a learner can access knowledge halfway across the world without leaving home. Technology creates opportunities previously limited by socioeconomic status, allowing a person from the U.S. with a lower income to experience cultural differences in France, and vice versa.

The U.S. and France treat food consumption differently, as seen through the technology used to distribute food. In the U.S., meals are often a means to an end — eaten quickly or on the go — while French culture values meals as social experiences to be savored. U.S. drive-through lanes, which allow people to order and receive food without leaving their cars, create a culture of efficiency. In France, fast food exists, but drive-through lanes are rare, and people often sit in cafes or restaurants for hours, socializing and enjoying their meals. This demonstrates how the same technology can be integrated differently depending on cultural choices.

In the U.S., technology has also built the foundation for a democratic society. Education is a window into what a culture values. According to scholar Kranzberg, technology has helped “…democratize education and the intellectual realm of the arts and humanities” (Kranzberg, p.10). Through technological communication and organization, children of all social statuses can attend school, highlighting how technology supports cultural values such as equality and access to learning.

Technology also shapes culture through art. As scholar David Nye explains, technology is not just objects but skills. In France, art has been highly valued for thousands of years — from King Louis XIV’s ornate Palace of Versailles to government-supported museums today. French students often receive culture passes granting free or discounted access to museums, showing how the technology of art contributes to shaping and maintaining French cultural identity.

There is an interconnected relationship between humans and technology: as long as humans are alive, technology is alive — flowing through our veins and manipulated by our hands. Through the use of technology, humans continue to shape and differentiate cultures worldwide.

© CAROLINE EPSTEIN, 2018