In class and journals I have talked about some of the unintended consequences with technology and how we do not really know what the future holds. As a society, we just blindly invent things without full understanding of what impact those inventions will have on the future. I would like to use this journal to show an example of an invention that looked like it was making life easier, however, ended up having a negative effect on our society; the cotton gin.
The cotton gin was invented in 1793. This allowed for cotton to be easily cleaned. The inventor of the cotton gin, Eli Whitney, was an activist for African-Americans and felt slavery should be abolished. He invented the cotton gin to help African-Americans cultivate cotton. This invention did make it easier for slave to cultivate the cotton for their white owners and made cotton profitable in the United States. In the short term, cotton became a major commodity in the United States and significantly improved the economy. In the long term, we still wear cotton shirts today and the invention of the cotton gin allowed cotton to become a very popular material in the clothing we wear today.
However, there was a major negative consequence in the technology that was the cotton gin. Because the cultivation of cotton became profitable and prominent, it added further incentive to slave owners to own slaves for the cultivation of the material. The cotton gin made owning slaves much more profitable and way more entrenched in the economy. By not having slaves, the economy would take a huge hit, due in large part to the invention of the cotton gin. “Although there was some hope immediately after the Revolution that the ideals of independence and equality would extend to the black American population, this hope died with the invention of the cotton gin in 1793… Suddenly cotton became a profitable crop, transforming the southern economy and changing the dynamics of slavery (pbs.org).”
Therefore, the cotton gin, although originally created as a way to help slaves, had a negative impact on our society. This further demonstrates how technology may seem to be helping our society, but could end up being a detriment.
“Growth and Entrenchment of Slavery.” Pbs.
< http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part3/3narr6.html>
JG, great post. 99 out of 100 times we get so caught up in how exciting/revolutionary/convenient technology can be that we don't take time to fully understand what consequences may be. Unfortunately, sometimes the general population turns a blind eye to the negative consequences. Especially if it doesn't directly effect them personally.
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