Technopoly ch. 5 & 6

First of all I want to say I thought these chapters were really interesting it made me really think about how I few our knowledge of technology and medical technology.

Chapter 5, Postman talks about how we need defenses for the technology that is going out. He looks at how various institutions were suppose to be guarding all the information that is going out and many of them have failed to do so. He does an excellent job of comparing it to the legal system. Only some information is allowed to come in from a trial (hearsay, and opinions are not deemed credible so not to waste time.) He also talks about how this had lead to rise of bureaucracies which are hurting our nation. Postman gives an excellent example of a Nazi who tries to convince the court that he had nothing to do with the politics of the Nazi party but rather his job was just to move people around, thus he should not be punished for what he did, since he technically never killed anyone.The author compares this to how a bureaucracy is today; the idea that I am only responsible for my part and nothing else.

Chapter 6, He begins looking at medical technology and how it has impacted our world. When looking over the course of history we see how doctors have moved from basing their diagnosis on what the patients said and examining their body as to now they just say what does the technology say. In fact, Postman moves to argue that Dr.'s in someway don't even listen to their patients at all, thus leading to more deaths and misdiagnosis. Puts a whole new meaning to bedside manor. Postman looks at several different technologies that have come into being and the pros and cons that have come forth. Sadly, from the authors perspective there are more negative them positive. I have to say this was very eye opening and made me really consider that the next time I go I will defiantly be asking more questions before anything is given to me or done. I also feel that this why we need more Christians to go into the profession of medicine.

Burning Questions: Would American Medicine be better if not totally reliant on technology?
From Chp. 5 Isn't everything done with and from a human purpose?