Computers Instead of Books?

In Rahil’s commentary, titled “Perry Getting Smarter,” Rahil writes about Perry’s attempts to “replace textbooks with on-line resources” (Rahil). Rahil seems well informed, and expresses his opinion with passion. Rahil believes that students will benefit greatly from having on-line resources instead of books. Though Rahil has an excellent opinion and decent credibility, I believe there are many aspects on this topic that he is not taking into consideration. There is only so much on a computer that can be recycled. The parts that cannot be recycled are called e-waste. E-waste today comprises a majority of the waste in the world. In other words, it is estimated to be about six times larger than other forms of waste. Another thing not considered is electricity waste, and the large bills that schools will be paying in order to accommodate so many computers. Every few years, computers will need to be refurbished. The percentage of computers not functioning properly after a few years, and then being wasted, is also not taken into consideration. There is also something called “embodied energy.” Embodied energy is basically the energy it takes to create the computer. A lot of people do not know this, but it is incredibly intensive to make electronic parts. In short, the earth is not being taken into consideration. In this day and age, a person should not take these kind of endeavors lightly. I cannot imagine how quickly we would speed up the degeneration of the earth and all her creatures, including ourselves, if schools around the U.S. used computer technology as its main source of information and instruction! Besides, books have a much longer lifespan and they can be recycled completely. Of course, even books are not perfect because they use trees to make them. However, I believe that until we come up with a way that is not wasteful and damaging, books are a much better device than computers. Another thing not being observed in Rahil’s commentary is posture issues and carpal tunnel issues. Though graduation rate might, hypothetically, improve, people’s health WILL decline. There are just so many studies that have been done about the unhealthiness of computers. My partner is in the school of architecture at UT currently, and she is always on the computer. Even when she was just working she had to be on the computer to use Auto-Cad and other programs everyday. Today, she has chronic neck and back issues, along with weekly wrist pains, and a few discs always popping out of place in her spine. She has to go to the doctor to get this fixed, and it is all due to the last ten years of being on a computer. Not to mention the eyestrain and headache problems she and I both have. Computers might be handy, but they are not healthy. For many of us they are very physically damaging. What kind of children will we be raising if we prop them up in front of a computer screen for all their years in school? Soon, all the generations after us will be like the people in the movie “WALL-E.” I would not allow my child to go to a school where they require computer usage to such an extent. Though the computer is acceptable to use on occasion, I do not subscribe to the idea that it is the “end all, be all” and that technology is our savior. I have done some traveling in Europe, and if there is one thing that is mentioned about Americans, besides their inability to grow beyond their bigotry and narrow-mindedness, it is that Americans have forgotten what nature is and where we really come from. We certainly do not come from computer science! Step outside, everyone, before we destroy the earth with our ignorance and it is too late to enjoy her awesome power and beauty.