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Perspectives Besides definitions of technology itself, there are also commonly used terms to describe people's attitude toward technology "technophile"--someone who likes technology "technophobe"--someone who is afraid of technology "Luddite"--member of the organized bands of 19th-century English handicraftsmen who were rioted for the destruction of the textile machinery that was displacing them. The movement began in the vicinity of Nottingham toward the end of 1811 and in the next year spread to Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire. The "Ludds," or Luddites, were generally masked and operated at night. Their leader, real or imaginary, was known as King Ludd, after a probably m support. ("Luddite" Britannica Online .<http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-bin/g?DocF=micro/359/63.html> [Accessed 30 August 1998].) Nowadays people who are against one form of technology or another (or even "technology" in general) are often called "Neo-Luddites." However, it would be difficult to see how someone could be against all technology, considering that eyeglasses, clothing, ovens, pencils and other everyday objects are technology. Still, it is all too common for people to express extreme attitudes toward what they call "technology." Some people focus on computer technology and claim that it holds the promise of only great things. Others hold the opposite extreme view--that computers are leading to the downfall of civilization. |