Innovations and Technology

Ponder Questions (page 33-34)

2. Think of a specific invention in the past (Printing Press)

Printing Press (15th century)

         A. Who benefitted the most when the printing press became a social necessity?

     

           The one who benefitted the most when the printing press became a necessity are the middle and upper classes because most of the writers and authors are in these categories, by this invention the printing of the Bible took place and because of this invention the authors and the writers can saved time from the time consuming "block-printed" which is the technology that they're using while there's no printing press yet.

        

        B. Who was at the losing end when it became a social necessity?

           

              The ones who can't afford the printing press are at the losing end particularly the lower class people because during this time the printing press is expensive and they think that it's only for the rich people. 

     C. Which authority, institution, or investment was threatened when the new invention became necessary?

            Perhaps, the one who is selling and using the "block-printer" which is the use of characters and pictures that is carved into a wooden block. They are threatened because the printing press is more easier and not a time consuming technology.

     

     D. Which authority, institution, or investment was magnified when the new invention became necessary?           

             Johannes Gutenberg was magnified because he's the one who invented this technology and several print masters that were studying about the movable type.

       E. Who exercised control over the new invention?

              Of course the one who exercised control over the printing press was the writers, authors, and  publishing companies.

       F. Who had (no) access to the new invention?

          

              The people who had no access to the printing press were the peasants and the low class people because this time only a small percentage of people who knows how to read and write and most of these are from the low classes.

3. Think of a specific  technology that has not been invented yet, but you feel might benefit the people (Ooho edible water bottle)

Water pouches using Spherification process

         A. Who will be likely champions of this new invention?

            The one who will be likely champions and will benefit to this invention are actually all  the people because this water pouches does not only help reduce the use of  water bottles but also it can help reduce the increasing rate of global warming. These water pouches are edible, that means you can drink it all without leaving a single trash that can contribute to the pollution. It takes roughly 450 years to decompose a single water bottle that's why it is so beneficial to us all that we use this water pouches because it can cut the use of plastic waste.

         

         B. Who will be the likely enemies of this new invention?

            The enemies of this invention are most likely the one who manufactures water bottles because they will loose income because people will not buy their water bottles anymore and perhaps they will innovate their product to counter this so called water pouch. Thus, makes them enemies of this invention.

         C. Whose authority, institution, or investment will be enhanced by the new invention?

            The inventor Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and his research team at Imperial College London will be recognized and will enhanced because people will invest on their product and will produce a game changing innovation that can help slow down the warming of the earth.

         D. Whose authority, institution, or investment will be destroyed by the new invention?

         Again, the one who manufactures the water bottle will be destroyed and their income will decrease because most people will choose a planet saving product than their planet warming product. Although, plastic bottles can be recycled, it doesn't mean that all of the plastic bottles will be recycled because like in other countries they don't have a discipline and they're not strict when it comes to recycling materials like these water bottles, so it will still add plastic waste to our earth and it will take 450 yeares to decompose it, Surely, companies who manufacture plastic bottles will be destroyed because people will choose to buy this brilliant invention.

         E. Who will have (no) control over the new invention?

            The people who will have no control over this invention would be the people who doesn't have a knowledge about this invention. The people who invented this product will be the only persons who can control it because they have the authority because they're the one who created it.

        F. Who will have (no) access to the new invention?

                 Perhaps, the people who is in an isolated island and the people who doesn't have money to buy these products because I think when this water pouch hit the market it will be kinda expensive.


5. Can you think of a media technology  that you feel people can in fact live without, but are considered by many to be necessary? 

     
       For me, it would be smartphones because personally I don't have a smartphone and I can still live without it. Some people think that without it they can't live, these people are called Nomophobians they simply can't see a world without their phone. Although, smartphones can be very helpful to us by its applications and very useful stuffs that can make our work easy, but it doesn't mean that we can work or be productive without it, because at the end of the day even if you don't have your phone with you, you can still live and work things on your own.