This issue:

(¥Y There is nothing subtle about racism

(¥ Did they cheat on all of us?

(Y War of Words: Jian Ghomeshi and the case for reporting sexual assaults

And more!

Have your voice heard!

Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

M opinions@theotherpress.ca

www.theotherpress.ca

 

Let technology marinate

» Why you should let tech ripen and avoid being an early adopter

Elliot Chan
Opinions Editor
NM opinions
@theotherpress.ca

 

hen new technology is

released to the public
there is often a party of people
who approach it with absolute
frenzy. The mystique of new
technology is certainly alluring,
since innovation is seen as
a remarkable achievement.
However, it’s that mystique
that should leave consumers
wary of new technology, be
it the latest app, smartwatch,
tablet, smartphone, or other
new tech.

You should always embrace :
: because a product or a service
: generally takes a certain

: amount of time in order for it
: to hit critical mass. No doubt
: the faster you join something
: the more experienced

: you'll be once it becomes

: popular, but you'll also bea

new technology, but it’s not
necessarily important to wait
in line for days outside the
Apple Store. We're living in a
time where we are governed
by tech. We use it for work, we
use it for entertainment, and
yes, we use it for pretty much
everything else imaginable. But :
what we should know is that
technology will move us, it'll
teach us to adopt it as it grows.
We shouldn’t go out our way for :
it and we should stop treating

: it like a false messiah.

There is no reason to get

: a product as soon as it hits

: the shelves, aside from having
: the small claim to fame as

: being the guy with the latest

: gadget. For many of those

: people the way of thinking is:
: you shouldn’t wait because

: technology moves at sucha

: fast pace that if you don’t get
: this newest item now, it'll be
: old news when the next new
: release is out. Although I

: understand that sentiment, I
: cannot condone it.

Getting new technology

for the sake of having new
: technology will only lead to

disappointment. Why? It’s

guinea pig for the first few

: quarters as the producers and
: designers determine its true
: functionality.

New products have

: complications in a few

: categories. 1) New devices,

: products, and even services

: will have compatibility

: problems. 2) As a beta tester

: for a new technology, you'll be
: exposed to defective tools with
: bugs and glitchy software. 3)

: New products will naturally be
: more expensive and their value
: will depreciate as soon as you

: purchase them, making them

: poor investments with little

: resale value.

Although marketers

: are always looking for early

: adopters for their products,

: we should understand that

: owning premature technology
: might in fact bea frustrating

: experience. Remember how

: choked you were every time

: Facebook updated its layout

: without your permission?

: With that in mind, enjoy the

: technology you have for a little
: longer, and allow gadgets to

: depreciate and new technology
: to appreciate.

Don’t fall victim to the

: hype. As life changing as

: technology is, it takes a

: community to adopt it, not just
: an individual. So wait.

|

Ende laes

 

 

Western-style visible protests are
rarely effective and often adverse

» Why picketing is embarrassing for us all

Cazzy Lewchuk
Staff Writer

 

“I’m against picketing, but I don’t
know how to show it.” :
— Mitch Hedberg

Wr your protest is
for extremely right-wing
causes, extremely left-wing
causes, or anywhere in between, :
the fury of assumed injustice
has always been a powerful
and irrational force. Typically
a group (or sometimes just
one person) will take their
indignation to the streets,

or sometimes online. Their
demonstrations and powerful
emotions shown by their

: homemade signs, chanting, and
: frequent violence/unrest leads

: to the cause being “fulfilled” and :
: everyone going home “happy.”

Except for when it doesn't,

: which is almost always.

We've all seen protesters
campaigning around town, or
at least heard about them in the

: on the demonstration. In fact,
: demonstration might cause

: more damage to the protested
: cause. Protests frequently lead
: to arrests, extremists become

: uncomfortably vocal, and

: participants are portrayed as

: irrational criminals.

Online protest campaigns

: are equally ineffective in

: their efforts. Whether it’s
: atweet, Facebook post, or

online petition, complaining

: about an issue online leads to
: nothing but a slight degree of
: awareness. Such awareness is
: also easily manipulated and

: filled with false information

: or even downright biases

: media. Observers of this protest, :
: although aware of the specific

: issue, do not usually change

: their opinion on the issue based

and propaganda. The

: participants and causes are

: perhaps portrayed even more

: unfavourably in the media after
: an online protest. It’s not just

: individuals: entire websites or

: even browsers have participated
: in protests against a certain

: cause. They never work. They

; just don't. In fact, protestinga :
: cause exclusively on the Internet :
; may say a lot about how much

: you really care about it. Sucha

: method of protest is commonly

: known as “slacktivism.”

: toa visible protest? Working in
: the place where it all matters:

: behind the scenes. Systems

: don’t work or change based on
: the things seen at the surface.
: All the functionality occurs

: underneath. Just ask anyone

: who works on computers or

: in a pyramid-style corporate

: structure. Call your elected

: officials and tell them your

: concerns with a particular

: issue. Get involved with a

: charity or other organization

: that specifically addresses the
: problem. Change can happen.
: Banging drums and shouting

tree hugging isn’t going to
: block the pipelines. It’s done by:
: directly lobbying and addressing :

So what are the alternatives

obscenities at politicians while

: the numerous specific

: issues involved with, say, an

: environmentally unfriendly and
: destructive pipeline.

There are protesters out

: there on your side. There are

: also dedicated, organized

: foundations on your side.

: One uses shouting, physical

: presence, and often lawbreaking
: tactics to achieve its ends; the

: other uses skill, negotiation, and
: resourceful people who know

: what they’re doing via legal

: Means.

It’s possible to make a

difference and fight for what you
: believe in, but it’s important

: to remember that physical

: demonstrations have little to no

: effect. They usually just create a

: further driving force.