Agency of Technology

This weeks reading brought insights on technological agency. The chapter begins by making a point of clarifying to the reader that while technological determinism and cultural determinism both have valid points in their view, they are both casual approaches. We are introduced to the concept of agency with technology as a relationship. I found it interesting to consider our relationship with our phones and how it is a mediator. A mediator steps between two parties to come to a common agreement. Likewise, when we are on the phone with another person, the phone acts as a mediator. The phone, reception of it, battery supply of the phone, has a lot to do with our conversation so we are not only interacting with the other person on the line, we are also interacting with the phone. 

These types of points were made to introduce us to the Actor-Network theory. Actors are defined by Michel Callon and Bruno Latour (these two men were part of developing this theory) as, “Any element which bends space around itself, makes other elements depend upon itself and translates their will into a language of its own.” This theory brings a stronger claim to the agency of technology. As authors Slack and Wise say, “Technologies are not mere tools that we use, but active forces in the world” (145). Technology shapes our interactions and our cultural space (as discussed in chapter 12) in this world. When reading of cultural space and technologies involvement, I thought of Starbucks. This coffee store has become a place where people are known to come study, drink coffee, meet with friends and have coffee dates, etc. Technologies impact in this space is evident as soon as you walk in. Some people are on their phones having business conversations, some studying or writing papers on their laptops, all of these have made an impact of on the cultural space of Starbucks. 

This theory makes it seem almost as if technology has a mind of its own. For example, now we are expected to have our cell phones on us. We are expected to always be in contact. So as the chapter states “the cell phone prescribes back a daunting range of behaviors, attitudes, and values.” The demand is that now we have to carry our cell phones on us. 

Technology does shape the way we use it. Reading these two chapters it is clear that technology does have its own agency. It made me consider if the agency it does have though, was it created by us humans and our intentions? Where we aware of what we were creating when we did it and how it would control our behaviors towards its use? All things these chapters left me thinking about.