The rise of techno science has impacted the world in a
multitude of ways. In some ways it has been tremendously beneficial. More
people are getting the care they need for their health problems. Surgeries and medication
are helping people with these problems lead more fulfilling lives. Great things
have happened since this advancement of techno science, but I believe there are
a lot of drawbacks too.
With this rise of techno science and with the world’s
information at your fingertips, more people are out there self-diagnosing
themselves. There is not a day goes by that I do not see a commercial for some
kind of medicine, whether it be something for depression, anxiety, sleep
problems, erectile dysfunction, or drugs that help you stop smoking. With this
onslaught of commercials that describe a variety of not so abnormal symptoms,
healthy people start to believe that they are unhealthy. It is like looking up
the symptoms of your cold and the internet telling you that you have stage 4
cancer. The capability of being able to research any sort of disease can hinder
some people. It is like a new form of Munchausen’s. I have known people that completely
freak themselves out when they get a tiny cold or cough because they have
researched this new disease found in the depths of the Amazon jungle and they
are so sure that they are the first American case of it. I also know plenty of
people that talk about how they are battling with these diseases but in the end
it turns out they self-diagnosed by taking a quiz on the internet. Now, I’m not
saying that these people 100% do not have any of the diseases they claim to
have. I am just saying that there is more to a diagnosis that a doctor can give
you rather than someone on the internet.
Having the rise in the knowledge and know how to fix a lot of
disabilities, illnesses, and problems are great. I wear glasses and contacts
and I am glad for the continuing pursuit of knowledge to help me with my vision
problems. I know that there is a continuation of research in a variety of different
fields helping others with their problems as well. I just think that it is
within our best interests to really take a step back in what is out there and
go seek out professionals rather than just asking ourselves if we think we need
it or not.
Definitely agree that there some negative consequences to greater information availability. Broadening your point, it seems like there is a much greater distrust of experts than before the internet. In an era of "fake news", any belief can be held and validated by looking.
ReplyDeleteFor example, there is an overwhelming consensus among climate scientists that humans are the primary cause of global warming (which they agree is real). At the same time, many people openly deny this, claiming that the science "isn't settled". My response to this distrust when I hear it is usually something to the effect of, "If you were sick and wanted to know what was wrong with you, you would go to a doctor, right? You do this because the doctor is an expert and knows more than you." My rhetorical point is that every reasonable person accepts certain limitations in their knowledge base and consults specialists when the stakes are high enough (I am very sick and need treatment). The problem with issues like climate change is that the personal stakes don't seem very high. It is much easier to seek out information that allows the problem to be ignored than it is to grapple with the enormous public policy issues that result from accepting the validity of man made climate change.
In summary, until recently, there was a prescriptive method for attaining knowledge: a formal education. The internet now allows us access to virtually any piece of information instantly. The "old method" of knowledge attainment stressed completeness and context (think of how your college courses are cumulative and sometimes require learning a concept just to throw it away) and is tedious. The "new method" of knowledge attainment stresses immediacy and accessibility of information - NOT depth of understanding. As a free society, we will have to find a way to communicate the difference between these two approaches and stress that reading a Wikipedia article doesn't make one an expert in anything.