Curious Christian

If you’re interested in how computer technologies shape our world, I’d really recommend an insightful article by Neil Postman called “Five Things We Need to Know About Technological Change.” He outlines five key ideas that offer a thought-provoking framework for understanding the cultural impact of technology. I’ve found them to be incredibly helpful in thinking through the deeper implications of the tools we often take for granted.

First, Postman reminds us that “we always pay a price for technology; the greater the technology, the greater the price.” Every innovation comes with trade-offs, and often, those costs aren’t immediately clear. For every convenience we gain, there’s something else we might lose—whether it’s a part of our culture, relationships, or even our sense of time and place.

Second, he points out that there are always winners and losers in any technological shift. And as Postman says, “the winners always try to persuade the losers that they are really winners.” This gets me thinking—who truly benefits from the technologies we use daily, and who might be left out or harmed in the process? It’s a question worth reflecting on, especially as technology plays an increasingly central role in society.

Third, every new technology carries with it an inherent bias—whether it’s epistemological, political, or social. Postman gives examples like how the printing press replaced oral traditions or how television has “humiliated the word.” He raises an unsettling thought: could it be that computers, with all their connective power, might end up degrading our sense of community? It’s a question worth considering as we increasingly live in digital spaces.

Fourth, and perhaps most striking, Postman argues that technological change is not additive—it’s ecological. By that, he means technology doesn’t just add something new to our lives; it reshapes everything around it. He says these changes are “too important to be left entirely in the hands of Bill Gates,” reminding us that we all need to be part of the conversation. The way technology changes the landscape affects us all—our relationships, our values, and our ways of thinking.

Fifth, Postman warns that technology tends to become mythic, meaning it starts to feel like just a natural part of life. We stop questioning it, and before long, it controls more of our lives than we realize. That’s a sobering thought. Once something becomes mythic, it’s hard to challenge or even notice the ways it shapes our daily decisions, our work, and even how we view the world.

These five ideas from Postman invite us to slow down and think critically about the technologies we use. They’re not just tools. They shape us in turn. In ways we might not always notice. But by being more aware of these dynamics, we can engage more thoughtfully with the technological changes happening around us, rather than just accepting them as inevitable.