Modern Technology and Third World Countries

I think Aubrey was hitting a really valid point with her modern example in regards to Benjamin’s piece on “The Work of Art”. She stated, “This may be a stretch of a modern example, but it relates to those of us in the U.S and other wealthy countries that have so much access to modern technology… Most people you run into have an iPod, a computer, a flat-screen TV and so on. These luxuries seem to be common to own for all of us…We see them everywhere and so many people have them that it doesn’t seem normal not to own these objects". I couldn’t agree more with Aubrey. America is extremely technologically advanced. Not as much as Japan but we are still the current dominant superpower in the world. Everyone you know popularly has an iPod and other materials goods which are unknown to many cultures. There are so many luxuries that many take for granted everyday. And, here in America we live in a consumer culture that motivates people to buy and continuing buying in order to satisfy desires rather than needs. This generation we are living in is a generation of desire which fuels from advertising, marketing and consumerism. It influences and drives us to indulge.

Moreover, Aubrey’s quote continues and she states, “If you go to a third world country seeing these items like iPods and computers would probably cause people to be in a state of awe” This statement is true and I have seen it firsthand. During the summer going into my senior year of high school my best friend and I lived and worked in Alto Choco, a small poverty stricken village, located in northern Ecuador. My best friend Cary and I along with twenty five others lived in cabins in the mountains. Everyday we would get up at 5 am, trek four miles down to the village and paint and restore the school house and the church. They needed our assistance to paint and restore the school house and church because it was damaged and needed some construction and painting Our other days were spent in the forest macheteing brush and other forestry in order to clear paths for the people of the village to hunt.

The Ecuadorians didn’t have TVs, or iPods, or cars. There was city bus that came every four hours or so. But, they barely ever had enough money to take the bus. So, they never left Alto Choco. The Ecuadorians lived a pretty simple life without the common luxuries we have in the United States. They weren’t distracted by the hustle and bustle of everyday life like here in America. The Ecuadorians barely had anything but they were so happy and content with life. They were hardworking individuals who lived pretty minimalist lifestyles and survived off the basic necessities. They lived off what they farmed and could kill. Imagine seeing a chicken run past you and the next thing you know it’s on your plate for lunch. That’s honestly how it was. It was fascinating.

Painting and restoring the school house and church was an enlightening experience. Through it, I gained a new perspective on life and people. Living in Ecuador opened my eyes to the fact of how much we take for granted here in America. From something as simple as taking a hot shower, to going out to dinner, or any leisure activities people engage in on a daily basis. We all aren’t worried where are next meal is going to come from. It’s intriguing to think how people around the world live such drastically different lifestyles in different countries. The experience really put things in perspective and opened up a clear realization about American culture to me.