Letters from the dorm: Why it's important to keep up with technology
I have become a technology junkie. This might come as a surprise, given my long-standing passion for literature and politics. But let me be clear: my new-found interest has not, and will not, displace my love for the humanities. I am simply extending my enthusiasm to a hugely important field in our modern world.
This sudden awareness happened recently when I attended a sociology lecture. The professor was talking about the idea of resistance to technology throughout history. The Luddites of 19th century Britain were key pioneers of this anti-technology movement.
They were concerned about the effects of machines on craftsmen and their livelihoods. As manufacturing became increasingly mechanised, skilled labourers were not needed. Machines could essentially do their work more efficiently and quickly. So the Luddites went around the country and destroyed expensive machines. Unfortunately, their actions didn't change anything other than the offenders receiving the death penalty.
Some scholars disagree with this idea of "technological unemployment". They point out that the labour market has become extremely dynamic today. We can switch jobs and work in many different areas thanks to technological advances, which have created new opportunities for workers.
Our ability to capitalise on those new opportunities often depends on our IT proficiency.
We mustn't let ourselves fall behind technology.
Fans of sci-fi books or movies have probably imagined a future where robots take over not just our work, but our entire world.
That may be slightly far-fetched but the point is that IT skills will prove essential to our survival in the 21st century and beyond.
To try and keep up, I will soon be learning how to code - and I encourage you to do the same.