Three Important Inventions

Three Important Inventions 

Lian Kim 

  What is your stance about technological inventions? Many people believe that technology may ruin our lives and our relationships. However, I personally disagree with this idea. In our history, people have invented a lot of meaningful novelties based on technology. Among them, I would like to choose three crucial inventions: the printing press, the laundry machine, and the smartphone. Why I chose these three features is because these changed our social systems, women's lifestyles, and ways of communication.  

Image from http://blog.daum.net/kmozzart/3417

Printing Press

  First of all, the printing press changed social systems. The invention of the printing press was the most crucial among many important inventions because printing became a foundation of the Renaissance and aided the Protestant Reformation (Rubin, 2014, p. 270). Before this invention, books were hand-written on parchment. According to Kim (2005), several dozen baby sheep were needed to make a book. It took a long time to finish a book, and a handwriting expert was necessary (Kim, 2005). Because the number of books was very few, books were not only very expensive but also only available in limited areas. However, after creating the printing press, massive productions were possible. Books became cheaper and productions expanded rapidly. In the 16th century in Europe, which had severe religious problems, books including new religious ideologies, spread widely. Printing press aided the change, and made people aware of the Reformation (Kim, 2005). Moreover, during 19th Century in France, many people could suddenly read a bunch of information about radical ideas. Some people accepted new political ideas, and fought to find their own rights. Printing press affected on and progressed our social systems. 

          Secondly, laundry machines made women free to do more than before. Before we have laundry machines, women washed clothes by hand. According to Rosling (2010), "It's a hard, time-consuming labor, which they [women] have to do for hours every week. And sometimes they also have to bring water from far away to do the laundry at home, or they have to bring the laundry away to a stream far off" (Ted Women). Women needed thick sticks and soaps for hand-washed laundry. Afterward, they had to hang the clothes on a line in their house. Washing was physically hard and required a great amount of time. Rosling (2010) mentioned, "They don't want to spend such a large part of their life doing this hard work with so relatively low productivity" (Ted Women). Fortunately, when women could use the machine, they had more time to spend with their family, read any kinds of books, or worked outside to make money. For example, Rosling's (2010) mother got time to read for Rosling and herself. Moreover, she studied English and learned it as a second language and read many different novels thanks to the washing machine (Ted Women). This invention left her free to do what she wanted and created a practical change to her lifestyle. 

Image from http://www.today.com/health/smartphone-use-can-lead-hand-pain-t23161

          Last, smartphones changed ways of communication both personally and socially. For example, it was not popular to use a smartphone when I was fifteen years old. My friend and I usually sent each other messages on memo pads by handwriting. We would call each other to make appointments on where and when we would meet. However, these days I can just text her via Facebook messenger or What's App wherever I am. I can also check whether she checks my messages. The smartphone made our personal communication easier, faster, and more convenient than before. On the other hand, the smartphone affected public communication in emergency situations. For instance, if a natural disaster or a terrible terror attack occurred, people can receive emergency alerts such as text messages from state or federal governments, or news pop-up alerts from news applications. People can be early noticed about a dangerous situation and prepare against emergency situations without television. Moreover, according to Nishiyama, Ito, and Kato (2014), "The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami drastically changed Japanese society" (p. 56). He said that his team had developed device-to-device (D2D) communication using smart devices to exchange information with each other in poor communication infrastructures due to physical damage to base stations and insufficient available power (Nishiyama et el., 2014, p. 56). Smartphone technology helps protect human life. 

          In the conclusion, three inventions in our history have led to changes in our past and present. In brief, the printing press evolved our social systems during the Reformation. The laundry machines made women free, which resulted in women having more time to do more things. The smartphones altered recent communication both personally and publicly. Smartphones made personal communication quicker and easier. Smartphones have helped in emergencies. People have created new products for their freedom, their convenience, and their safety. Developments of technology have given us benefits. In the future, new various inventions will make people feel free and easy as well. 

R E F E R E N C E S 

Kim, E. (2005). The new paradigm in middle ages, the Reformation. News power. Retrieved
from http://m.newspower.co.kr/a.html?uid=5016
Nishiyama, H., Ito, M., & Kato, N. (2014). Realizing multi-hop device-to-device
communications. Smart-device-to-smart-device communications, 56-65. 

Rolling, H. (2010, Dec). The magic washing machine [Video file]. Ted Women 2010. Retrieved
from http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine 

Rubin, J. (2014). Printing and protestants : an empirical test of the role of printing in the
reformation. Review Of Economics & Statistics, 96(2), 270-286.