       Today, roughly 7,675,438,361 individuals own some type of cellular telephone, 8.3 trillion text messages have been sent and received, and 1 out 7 people in the world have logged on to Facebook (Dredge; Eadicicco; Yue). Due to technology, today's world is more complex and changing faster than ever before. This in turn, makes culture a living, breathing device that moves and shifts faster and more independently. Technology propels humanity forward and as with any moving object, there will be friction against the force of movement. This friction is the opinion that technology is diminishing humanity's worth or merit. Humanity is dependent on technology not because these devices are widely immoral or addictive, but because technology is efficient and grows in efficiency with every new innovation. Technology's effect on humans directly influences culture and daily life. In today's world, technology affects almost everyone through communication, which in turn alters culture. These waves of technology relations and connections ultimately change the way humans correspond, which alters culture and language. Technology impacts culture in all aspects of daily life, including on devices, such as telephones and computers, and on social media, like Facebook and Twitter. Through these facets of life, culture and communication become constant streams of connections that ultimately change today's world culture and language.

       Today's culture is a fluctuating machine that allows for constant entertainment and contact through technology. However, this was not always the case, back when computers were the size of a small house and kids still went to arcades to play pinball, technology was just beginning to develop. As innovations of technology evolved, the world expanded, which drove culture further. The computer alongside the invention of the Internet propelled culture even more through the vast knowledge that accompanies the World Wide Web (Burkman). The Internet was created in times of change, "a few weeks after the moon landings, a few days after Woodstock, and a month before the first broadcast of Monty Python's Flying Circus," and would have tremendous effects on the world that technology was shaping (Burkman). The innovations up to this time, such as the telegraph and the radio, were building blocks for a system that would quickly surpass all the previous inventions (Burkeman). As the code and connections behind the Internet become more complex and self-sustaining, humanity became dependent on the Internet's service. This swift and moving service evolved into an almost necessary faculty. Humanity's dependence on this service has evolved into an audience over three billion users (Eadicicco). In the modern world, these machines and codes have a profound effect on culture and the world's history.

       As culture across the world was adapting to the changing times of the sixties and seventies, a small metal box was created that would quickly change the world from its current state (Burkman). Even among these changing times,  "few things were more mysterious and unknown than the 'personal computer'" (Sims). As the world expanded beyond the confines of society, the Apple computer surpassed its competitors, so much so that "we wouldn't dare confuse an Apple with a computer because Apple computers stand in a league of their own for performance and aesthetics" (Mathews-Wadhwa). The Apple Company represents how technology can change multiple facets of life, such as technological advancements, daily access to the digital world, and marketing that strengthens the culture of the time. Apple's personal computer propels society forward into the science of the future with its secretive code and advance system, so much so that culture is altered permanently. The design of the personal computer emphasized user friendliness that overall made the masses more comfortable with technology (Gross). Apple's breakthrough with user-friendly devices ultimately changes technology's impact on culture through making social devices. Through their innovations, Apple gave the world, "a new way of interacting with computers" (Kelly). The personal computer creates possibilities for communication and connections through the World Wide Web (Kelly). Their socialization of the personal computer created a digital movement that emphasized user-based technology. Another advantage Apple has over its competitors is its individual effect on marketing and branding. Forbes identifies this by addressing Apple's layout and branding style, "you step inside a world of Apple, even though you can just as quickly step back out into an aisle in the store" (Mathews-Wadhwa). Apple products are desirable and create a demand that seeps into society, impacting the world by its sleek and novel products. This company solely affects the culture by influencing people to buy their advanced products, so much so that the Apple brand becomes a machine of the future. Apple branding makes their products desirable, which then influences culture through the personal computer phenomenon. Through its advancements, familiarization of the personal computer, and branding, Apple demonstrates how the personal computer initially changed all aspects of culture. This product signifies the influence individual technology can have on culture and the global masses. In the history of technology, personal computers have exampled the monumental effect technology can have on society. In the invention of the personal computer, technology has begun to shape the world's culture.

       Today's global culture has evolved past the simple, personal computers made by Dell, IBM, and Apple in the late seventies and eighties. These devices and companies can be seen all over the world, in classrooms, inside boardrooms, and at home. The invention of the computer propelled humans' daily existence forward by introducing the world to technology and the vast knowledge that accompanies these devices. Humanity is in the special form of transition in which, "we haven't seen since Greek civilization" (Thompson). Computers make humanity better, especially in language. There is rebuttal to this idea, but the reality is that "people today write far more than any generation before them" (Thompson). In particular, the computer allows for the user to access more information than any one library knew before the invention of these devices (Sims). This constant stream of information can be abused at times, but overall, the computer is a widely available resource that is in the reach of the 101 keys on a keyboard. The computer mixed with the Internet provides a service that creates communication between people across the planet. The user base of these devices creates slang, new words, and abbreviations that ultimately alter everyday language. For example, Larry Page and Sergey Brin created Google in 1996 and within its twenty-year existence "Googling" has become a common word that results in 100 billion searches in a month (Kleinman). Google has created a presence within society so much so that, "'to Google' has become universally understood," which shows the quick development of language in the past two decades (Kleinman). The common invention of "Googling" examples the effect technology, specifically the computer, has on culture and language.  The computer vastly allows for the evolution of communication and culture through its immense availability and knowledge.

       The invention of the telephone has also propelled the culture forward through its option for constant communication. Telephones create a link between almost every individual on the planet and through that, make culture a more constant and adaptive force. The telephone links the entire world through numbers on a small digital device. These inventions create a foundation for digital communication globally. The telephone then developed into a mobile device, which drove technology and communication further. The cellular telephone made constant connection even more available because the device did not require any connective cord. When questioned about the cellular telephone, the inventor, Martin Cooper, states, "Well, we knew that someday everybody would have a [cell] phone, but it was hard to imagine that that would happen in my lifetime. And now we've got almost five billion phones in the world. Wow" (Anjarwalla). Technology forces the world forward, giving humanity the chance to adapt and change through communication. This further invention of the telephone in technology is another foundation in the evolution of devices and the abilities of these innovations. The invention of the cellular telephone gives humanity constant conversation, which ultimately has power over language and its evolution.

Once the innovation evolved, the cellular telephone provided further communication with text messages. This channel of communication changes the way humanity communicates and interacts. Conversations are not verbalized, but written out on a screen, which causes conversations to become more efficient and abbreviated. These on screen messages have "added a new dimension to language" in form of abbreviations and slang (Crystal). Text messages have impacted culture and language both positively and negatively. While this invention is very controversial, texting has benefitted society through the communication of adolescent people. Time Magazine performed a study that shows texting can calm and overall help children create bonds with each other. Maia Szalavitz at Time Magazine suggests that communication of "'distressed adolescents and their peers may provide emotional relief and consequently contribute to [their] well-being'" (Szalavitz). Mobile telephones give adolescents the option to communicate freely and openly to their counter parts. Texting provides the choice to communicate without having the stress of a person-to-person conversation, especially for introverted people. Texting can ultimately help the maturity of teenagers by calming them and providing another outlet of communication to their peers.

While texting is widely helpful in communicating, there can be other facets that are less beneficial. Technology evolved so quickly that there are very few laws to restrict the behavior and actions that occur over texting. Amanda Klein from the Huffington Post claims that "texting is a relatively new medium, and there is an absence of rules and guidelines for interaction" (Klein). A lack of regulation and history, due to the mobile telephone's fast evolution, causes problems and hesitancy in society. This setback can be mended if the government placed more restrictive laws and regulation on these devices. Telecommunication companies hope to restrict the regulations on these devices, which are holding back government intervention. As one of the leaders in the telecommunications field, the American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T), are hoping to avoid any future regulation, so much so that by "changing some widget in the network, these guys are saying they can throw the rulebook in the trash" (Knutson). The telecommunication companies are preventing regulation, which ultimately hurts the telephone's positive impact. Overall, cellular telephones are widely helpful in the development of society, despite their setbacks.

The invention of social media creates another stimulus for change in society through the constant channels of socializing. From Twitter to Facebook, social media has a major effect on culture and language because of the vast channels of communications and constant streams of information that people can access freely. As one of the first social media, Facebook influences culture through the shared, personal information, the history of personal details online, and the stress reliever of communicating. Facebook creates a platform for constant communication, which connects more people with each other than any other channel of contact. On the social media's website, Facebook allows users to share as much personal details as they mandate, which creates a huge database of personal information about people across the globe. This amount personal knowledge causes major communication on a global scale. CNN states, "when a site has 1.2 billion users (OK, we all know some of those are multiple or abandoned accounts, so let's say at least a cool billion) it's a pretty amazing database of the world's Web-enabled population" (Gross). There is not another social media platform that generates as much global contact. This social media creates new relationships, restores old friends, and maintains connections. Facebook works also as a sharing tool, which lets users display information and organizations that are important to them. For example, Facebook allowed Oscar Morales to vent and inform people of the injustices he suffered. New York Times published an interview with Morales that reports "Morales spent a day asking him if he was willing to go public on Facebook. He decided to take the plunge, and on the 4th created a group against FARC [The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia]. 'It was like a therapy,' he says. 'I had to express my anger'" (Kirkpatrick). Facebook is a widely beneficial service that provides an outlet for people's concerns and passions. Overall, Facebook has a positive effect on its users, which in turn beneficially changes culture. Social media has affected the developing digital culture through its sharing capabilities, information, and connections.

       Twitter, another widely known social media, has a vast influence over the evolution of language. The social media, by introducing daily posts on current thoughts and ideas, pushes the evolution of language further. BBC's Dave Lee asserts that "after coming onto the scene in 2006 - and with a couple of years to warm up a bit - the site has cemented itself as the home of live, global chatter" (Lee). Twitter has become a widely creative tool that allows for people to generate ideas and critique others. This sort of common collection of ideas has been seen before on a smaller scale in revolutionary times. These coffee houses in the seventeenth century fueled revolution because these houses allowed for people to congregate and discuss important ideas. "Where do you go when you want to know the latest business news... or stay abreast of the latest scientific and technological developments? Today, the answer is obvious: you log on to the Internet. Three centuries ago, the answer was just as easy: you went to a coffee house" Socially, Twitter introduces constant streams of people's thoughts, turning the website into the new coffee house of the twenty first century (Standage). The invention of the coffee house propelled the authors of revolution, similarly how Twitter creates a platform new ideas and concepts that change the language of the world. Twitter causes a more familiar and casual language, similarly to the revolutionists in the seventeenth to eighteenth centuries (Standage). Through Twitter's character limit, the website forces the user to be more creative with the language by making abbreviation and slang. In the article, "Twitter is Not the Enemy," the author suggests that "contrary to all the LOLs, emoticons and hashtags happening in feeds across the Twittersphere, Twitter isn't destroying the English language, it's making it better ...  it's a 21st century language tool and other linguists aren't about to ignore it." (Greenfield). The social media website works as a constant monitor of the evolution of language. Twitter creates a platform that can easily study the benefits technology has on society (Zimmer). While the website can promote less academic purposes, Twitter can ultimately change the way people communicate and create language through its constant information and ideas.

       With any technology breakthrough, there will be setbacks that can affect these innovations positive influence. For social media, the lack of security online and cyber bullying or stalking hold back the positive effects of social media. Today, many people feel the Internet is an unsafe force that can negatively affect the world. These individuals challenge the positive impact technology has on the world, which can cause a poor annotation of social media. These social media websites are, for the most part, a widely beneficial service that are negatively influenced by the lack of regulation and safety measures on the Internet. This lack of safety on the Internet is a "murky, complicated issue full of conflicting interests, misinformation, innuendo and technology snafus" (Sullivan). The Internet creates a global platform for people to connect through social media, which can lead to a lot of concern surrounding security on social media websites. Global organizations need to instigate rules and institutions to protect the safety of social media users' information on the Internet. Cyber bullying and stalking can have detrimental effects on kids due to the negative comments and actions of anonymous online oppressors. CNN reports that "cyber bullying presents unique challenges in the sense that the perpetrator can attempt to be anonymous, and attacks can happen at any time of day or night" (Landau). These acts of anonymous torment can be stopped through more regulation of the Internet. These regulations need to be put into practice soon, in order to protect of all of the people being abused on social media websites. Like the Internet, social media platforms are new in the terms of innovation, meaning global governments and organizations have less time to create regulation. Overall, social media websites have a positive impact on society, but lack regulation, which holds humanity back from further advancements.

       In one of his first interviews, Steve Jobs said "we are aware that we are doing something significant. We're here at the beginning of it and we're able to shape how it goes. Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future" (Magee). Even from the forefront of the evolution of technology people were aware of the overwhelming effect these innovations would have on the world. Ultimately, humanity is still at the beginning of technology's impact on the world. There are still a few jumbles and mistakes in the newness of these cultural breakthroughs, which can be fixed with time and regulation. In the world today, technology changes culture constantly as these innovations keep evolving. Technology, culture, and language run parallel to each other and are dependent on the each other's success. As these devices continue to grow, technology will remain a driving force of culture and language, helping the world progress and strengthen. 

