It is nothing new to hear about the human population being too reliant on technology because, as it rapidly changes throughout time, it doesn’t fail to change and influence the world.
Thomas L. Friedman, a reporter, author, columnist, and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner for foreign and international reporting visited Morgan State University on March 30th to begin the Presidential Distinguished Speaker Series. Friedman discussed how technology has become so advanced that computers and robots are not only being engineered to replicate human skills, but also be capable to reach the same standard of intuition that they have as well. In part of these technological advancements, Friedman described how farmers don’t even have to lay a finger in order to gain and distribute natural resources because it is now mainly done by machines.
One tip that Friedman gives listeners is to “think like a new immigrant;” the idea being that when immigrants come to a new environment, they always strive to surpass the level of expectations that someone has given them. Immigrants constantly feel the need to be enlightened and they never fail to have a constant thirst for knowledge.
Like Friedman, there are students such as Angel Boodoo, a graduating senior and electrical engineer who feel confident and does not feel threatened about her profession’s future. “As an engineering major, our job is to help advance technology” said Boodoo. “Without innovation, we have nothing to improve.”
However, freshman and civil engineer, Joshua Okeya views quite differently. “People go through a period of five years in school studying something but then comes the robot doing your job” says Okeya. “You don’t get paid for the five years and don’t get paid for the effort that you put into school. The I.T. guys are most likely reaping the benefits for your work and I don’t believe that to be fair.”
Next on the list of speakers for the series is Melissa Harris-Perry, the former host of the “Melissa Harris-Perry Show” on MSNBC, on April 7 at 6 p.m.
