Why Everybody Needs a Computer
Before Gutenberg invented the moveable type printing press, people could get through life without learning to read. Jobs didn’t require literacy or people having an enormous amount of broad-based knowledge. Since the invention of the printing press, books have become more available to people and along with their availability, literacy spread and the need for literacy spread.
We are now in a technological revolution that is equivalent to the literacy revolution of the printing press. It is impossible now to find a job that does not include using some kind of computer, whether it is the system that keeps track of orders at a fast food place, an inventory system in a store, and, of course, the ubiquitous computer in a cubicle.
Technological literacy has become as necessary as the ability to read and write. People who are not able to operate a computer with at least some minimal skills are going to have a harder and harder time finding a job, the same way that people who are illiterate cannot find a job. Everybody needs a computer in order to learn these now-basic skills. In addition, computer technology has changed how we handle information. We have access to up-to-the-minute information and we also have access to the kind of information we used to have to memorize.
The internet has rendered some books obsolete, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias, particularly anything that has information about subjects that change. For example, a printed encyclopedia article about computer technology is almost out of date when the encyclopedia is published because of how fast technology changes. But information on the internet can be easily updated. People, then, need computers in order to have access to information quickly.
Finally, using a computer is fun. With a computer, you can meet people from all over the world and develop friendships. You can learn about different cultures. If you are taking a foreign language, you can find websites and streaming media in that language and learn more quickly. If you are not sure how to do something such as making a repair in your home, you are almost sure to find a “how-to” article or video that will help you out. If you want to watch movies, listen to music, read stories, talk to people, find out the latest weather—all this is available at your fingertips on the internet.
The invention of the personal computer has drastically changed our world. It requires us to learn new skills, but it also opens new worlds to us. People should own and use computers in order to participate in this revolution.