"The primary goal of technological advancement hould be to increae people' efficiency o that everyone ha more leiure time."
The peaker contend that technology' primary goal hould be to increae our efficiency for the purpoe of affording u more leiure time. I concede that technology ha enhanced our efficiency a we go about our everyday live. Productivity oftware help u plan and coordinate project; intranet, the Internet, and atellite technology make u more efficient meenger; and technology even help u prepare our food and acce entertainment more efficiently. Beyond thi conceion, however, I find the peaker' contention indefenible from both an empirical and a normative tandpoint.
The chief reaon for my diagreement lie in the empirical proof: with technological advancement come diminihed leiure time. In 1960 the average U.S. family included only one breadwinner, who worked jut over 40 hour per week. Since then the average work week ha increaed teadily to nearly 60 hour today; and in mot familie there are now two breadwinner. What explain thi decline in leiure depite increaing efficiency that new technologie have brought about? I contend that technology itelf i the culprit behind the decline. We ue the additional free time that technology afford u not for leiure but rather for work. A computer technology enable greater and greater office productivity it alo raie our employer' expectation--or demand--for production. Further teWWw.hAOzuowEn.com